Glossary · Invoices and billing
Invoice date
The invoice date is the date an invoice is issued. Payment terms usually count from it, so it decides when the invoice falls due.
The invoice date is the issue date printed on the invoice. For VAT in the EU and UK it is distinct from the tax point (the date of supply), though the two are often the same.
Because most payment terms run from the invoice date, invoicing late quietly extends your customer’s credit. A project finished on the 3rd but invoiced on the 20th gives the client 17 extra days before the payment clock even starts.
Invoice as soon as the work or milestone is done, and keep the date honest. Backdating invoices to shorten the customer’s time to pay damages trust and can create VAT problems.
Example
Work delivered on 3 March and invoiced that day on net 30 is due on 2 April. Invoiced on 20 March, the same work is due on 19 April.