What is a due date?
Published
The due date is the last day on which paying the invoice counts as on time. It creates no accounting entry - revenue and the receivable arose with the invoice - but it is the clock governing everything after it: reminders, ageing classification, and "overdue" status.
The formula
Due date = Invoice date + Payment terms periodAl-Waha's invoice issued 20 June on "net 30" falls due 20 July. Under the "end of month + 30" convention common with distributors, all June invoices fall due 30 July - two different conventions, so state which one applies explicitly.
What the date drives
| Before due | After due |
|---|---|
| A friendly reminder shortly before | The invoice moves into overdue buckets (1-30, 31-60…) |
| "Not yet due" in the ageing report | Escalating reminders and collection |
| - | Any contractual consequence tied to lateness |
Frequently asked questions
An invoice with no due date - what does that mean in practice?
Ambiguity that serves the late payer: no reference for the claim or the classification. The date (or the terms it derives from) goes on every invoice without exception.
Can the due date change after issuance?
Extending a customer's deadline is a commercial decision, documented by agreement and updated in the system so the ageing report doesn't lie - without touching the tax invoice's own data.
Invoice date vs supply date vs due date?
Supply: when delivery happened - the tax reference point. Invoice: when the document issued. Due: when payment must arrive. Three dates, three jobs, and all three can differ.