Invoice template: The difference between the issue date and delivery date

In an invoice template, is it essential to distinguish between the issue date and delivery date? 

When creating invoices as a self-employed person or an entrepreneur, there are some requirements and demands you need to be clear about and meet in order for your invoice to be considered an official document. You have to include certain mandatory information on the invoice.

Issue date on an invoice template

One important requirement of an invoice is to state the date of issue. This, surprise surprise, is nothing more than the date on which the invoice is sent to the customer. 

In any invoicing software, the invoice issue date is automatically added. If you create an invoice in SumUp Invoices right now, for example, then the date of issue by default will be today’s date. 

Delivery date on an invoice template

Perhaps the name ‘delivery date’ can be a bit ambiguous, and is often confused with issue date. But the delivery date is the term that is used by the tax authorities for both goods and services, so it’s important you know what it is.

The delivery date is the date that the service was provided (or completed), or when goods were delivered to the customer. If the delivery date doesn’t coincide with the issue date of the invoice, then it’s important that the two dates are clearly indicated on the invoice. 

Normally, the service description area on an invoice is used to indicate the date of execution (delivery), although the tax authorities haven’t specified that it needs to be done like this. The only specification they have is that the delivery date must be indicated on the invoice, if it differs from the issue date.

As a result, and to answer our initial question: Yes, it is essential and obligatory to include the two dates (issue and delivery) on an invoice when they don’t coincide.