Specifying the Service Date Correctly (Leistungsdatum)

The service date (Leistungsdatum) is one of the most important mandatory fields on German invoices. It indicates when you provided your service or delivered your goods.

Why Is the Service Date Important?

The tax office needs the service date to verify:

• In which reporting period the VAT is due
• Whether the input tax deduction (Vorsteuerabzug) for the client is justified
• The temporal classification of business transactions

Important: An invoice without a service date does not qualify for input tax deduction (Vorsteuerabzug)!

Single Date vs. Service Period

Single Date

Use a single date when the service was provided on a specific day.

Examples:

• Delivery of goods
• One-time consulting appointment
• Conducting a workshop

Service Period (Leistungszeitraum)

Use a period when the service was provided over several days or weeks.

Examples:

• Monthly maintenance (01/01/2026 - 01/31/2026)
• Software project (01/15/2026 - 02/28/2026)
• Ongoing consulting services

Setting Up in dVersum

1. Open the invoice
2. Scroll to the Compliance section
3. Enable the Service Period toggle if you want to specify a period
4. Enter the date or period

Special Case: Service Date = Invoice Date

If the service date is identical to the invoice date, the following note is sufficient:

"Service date corresponds to invoice date" (Leistungsdatum entspricht Rechnungsdatum)

dVersum automatically inserts this note when you set the service date to the invoice date.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: No Service Date Specified

Problem: The invoice does not qualify for input tax deduction. Solution: Always specify a service date, even if it matches the invoice date.

Mistake 2: Incorrect Period

Problem: The service period does not match the actual service provided. Solution: Specify the actual period during which the service was provided.

Mistake 3: Service Date in the Future

Problem: The service date is after the invoice date. Solution: For future services, create an advance payment invoice (Anzahlungsrechnung).

dVersum Tip

dVersum automatically reminds you when you try to send an invoice without a service date. The field is marked as mandatory and must be filled in.