Do you avoid short or ambiguous dates?

If 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.

❌ Avoid short formats

• 2/1 is not helpful at all
• 2/1/12 is vulnerable to tampering and misreading

❌ Avoid ambiguous formats

• 08/09/25 could 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

✅ 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)

❌ Figure: Bad example – Ambiguous and easy to tamper with

✅ Figure: Good example – Clear, unchangeable, ISO standard

✅ Figure: Good example – Uses 3-letter month for clarity across regions

Format for clarity and integrity

• Day - Always two digits (01 to 31)
• Month - Use two digits (01 to 12) 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