Do you avoid short or ambiguous dates?
Last updated by Tiago Araújo [SSW] about 2 months ago.See historyIf you sign a document and write a date like 2/1/12, you’ve left the door open for trouble. That shorthand can be misread (is it January 2nd or February 1st?) or even tampered with (someone could easily change it to 12/11/2012), and you’d never know.
It's a small habit, but writing dates properly can prevent fraud, confusion, and embarrassment.
Video: Do you avoid short / ambiguous dates? SSW Rules (48 sec)❌ Avoid short formats
2/1is not helpful at all2/1/12is vulnerable to tampering and misreading
❌ Avoid ambiguous formats
-
08/09/25could mean August 9, 2025 or September 8, 2025, depending on the region date format being used:- U.S. uses
MM/DD/YY - Most of the world use
DD/MM/YY
- U.S. uses
✅ Best options for clarity in documents
- Formal / technical docs -
2025-02-12(ISO 8601 standard) - Readable docs / mixed audiences -
12 Feb 2025(use a 3-letter month to avoid confusion)
Signed on 2/1/25
Figure: Bad example – Ambiguous and easy to tamper with
Signed on 2012-01-02
Figure: Good example – Clear, unchangeable, ISO standard
Signed on 12 Feb 2025
Good example – Uses 3-letter month for clarity across regions
Format for clarity and integrity
- Day - Always two digits (
01to31) - Month - Use two digits (
01to12) when you can't use letters - Year - Always four digits (e.g.
2025– unless you're from the future after year 9999) - Separators - ISO 8601 prefers dashes (spaces if using 3-letter month)
A document is only as reliable as the details on it. Don't let a shortcut make it questionable.
This rule isn't about style but about trust. Whether it's a legal contract, client invoice, or project brief, using full numeric dates to ensure:
- The date can't be easily altered
- Readers across regions (US, AU, EU) understand it clearly
- The document remains valid long into the future
