What belongs in the sent-but-unpaid folder?

Only invoices with status Sent or Overdue. Drafts you're still writing and invoices already marked Paid stay out, so the folder shows exactly the money currently in play.

Does the folder update itself when an invoice is paid?

You move a paid invoice out to your archive yourself when you change its status. Cash Workspace keeps the folder and statuses organized, but it doesn't sync with your bank to detect payments automatically.

How do I track how long an invoice has been open?

Keep a 'days outstanding' note on each invoice, based on its due date, and update it during your regular review so the folder always reflects current age.

Cash Workspace

Use the Freelancer template

Receivables · Open invoices

A single folder for sent-but-unpaid invoices

The invoices that matter day to day are the ones you've sent but haven't been paid for. Drafts you're still writing and invoices already settled just get in the way of that view. A dedicated working folder holding only Sent and Overdue invoices gives you a clean, always-current list of the money actually in play. Cash Workspace lets you keep that folder, with each invoice's amount, days outstanding noted, and a next-action note, so your active receivables are never buried under drafts or paid items.

Start a free workspace See the due-this-week shortlist

The problem

Why your open list gets cluttered

When drafts, sent invoices, and paid invoices all share one list, the genuinely-open money is hard to pick out at a glance.

Half-finished drafts sit alongside real sent invoices, so the list looks bigger than what's actually owed.
Paid invoices stay in the same view, so you re-check things that are already settled.
You can't tell at a glance how long each open invoice has been outstanding.
Each open invoice lacks a clear 'what's next' note, so follow-up stalls.
There's no single screen that answers 'what money is currently in play?'

The workflow

Keep one clean open-money folder

Define what belongs in the folder, then keep it current as statuses change.

1
Set the inclusion rule
The folder holds only invoices with status Sent or Overdue — never Draft or Paid.
2
Add invoices as you send them
When an invoice goes out, its record moves into the sent-but-unpaid folder.
3
Note days outstanding
For each invoice, keep a note of how many days it's been open, updated as part of your review.
4
Add a next-action note
Record what's next for each — first reminder due, awaiting promised date, ready to escalate.
5
Remove on payment
When an invoice is marked Paid, move it out to your paid archive so the folder stays clean.

Record structure

What to keep on each invoice in the folder

A tight set of fields keeps the open-money list scannable and actionable.

Invoice number: The reference for the open invoice.
Client: Who owes it, as a consistent client record.
Amount: The outstanding total for this invoice.
Status: Sent or Overdue — the only two statuses allowed in this folder.
Due date: When payment was due, the basis for days outstanding.
Days outstanding (noted): How long the invoice has been open, kept as a note you update on review.
Next-action note: The next step: send first reminder, await promised payment, escalate.

Example setup

An example open-money folder

One way to structure the sent-but-unpaid folder inside your workspace.

Sent — awaiting payment

Invoices that are sent and within terms, each with amount and next-action note.

Overdue

Invoices past their due date, with days outstanding noted and the escalation step planned.

Moved out — paid

Where invoices go once marked Paid, keeping the working folder uncluttered.

Common mistakes

Mistakes to avoid

Letting drafts sit in the open-money folder, inflating what looks outstanding.
Leaving paid invoices in the folder instead of moving them to the archive.
Not noting days outstanding, so you can't tell the fresh from the stale.
Skipping the next-action note, so the folder shows the problem but not the plan.
Keeping several scattered lists of open invoices instead of one folder.

How it helps

How Cash Workspace helps

Status-driven grouping

Keep a folder of just Sent and Overdue invoices so your open money is never mixed with drafts or paid items.

Amount and age at a glance

Each invoice shows its amount with days outstanding noted, so the list is scannable.

A next step on every invoice

Add a next-action note to each open invoice so the folder drives follow-up, not just observation.

Due-this-week shortlist

Narrow the open folder to what's due in the next seven days.

Overdue invoice triage

Work the Overdue items in the folder through a triage checklist.

Invoice status labels

Define the Sent and Overdue labels the folder relies on.

Paid invoice archive

Move invoices here once paid to keep the open folder clean.

Unpaid invoice tracker

Organize all unpaid invoices in one place.

All finance workflows

Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.

FAQ

Sent-but-unpaid folder FAQ

What belongs in the sent-but-unpaid folder?: Only invoices with status Sent or Overdue. Drafts you're still writing and invoices already marked Paid stay out, so the folder shows exactly the money currently in play.
Does the folder update itself when an invoice is paid?: You move a paid invoice out to your archive yourself when you change its status. Cash Workspace keeps the folder and statuses organized, but it doesn't sync with your bank to detect payments automatically.
How do I track how long an invoice has been open?: Keep a 'days outstanding' note on each invoice, based on its due date, and update it during your regular review so the folder always reflects current age.

Organizing help — not tax, accounting, or legal guidance

Cash Workspace is a free workspace for organizing invoices, expenses, receipts, clients, and documents. This page is organizing guidance only — not tax, accounting, legal, or bookkeeping guidance. Cash Workspace does not connect to your bank, does not scan or read your receipts for you, and does not move or collect payments. Whether an expense is deductible depends on your situation, so confirm it with a qualified accountant or tax professional.

Keep all your open money in one folder

Start a free workspace and hold every Sent and Overdue invoice in one clean folder, with amounts, ages, and next actions, so your active receivables are always clear.