Why won't the purchase order tool accept my requested delivery date?

The two messages you may see

• 'This date cannot be earlier than the document date': the date is valid in itself but falls before the 'Order date'.
• 'Enter a valid date': the date is incomplete or does not exist, for instance a day and month with no year.

Delivery on the same day as the order is accepted. Only earlier days are rejected.

The three usual causes

1. An old or shifted order date: you edited an order from earlier, or typed a later order date to match something at the supplier, and now the delivery date falls before it. Fix the order date first.
2. Day and month swapped: 05/11 can mean 5 November or 11 May depending on your device settings. Look at the field after typing, or pick the day from the calendar instead.
3. The wrong year: early in January many people type last year out of habit, putting delivery a year before the order.

Fixing it step by step

1. In the Purchase-order generator, look at 'Order date' under document details and make sure it is the day you are actually sending the order.
2. Open 'Requested delivery date (optional)' and pick the day from the calendar.
3. Once the message clears, press 'Create PDF' again.
4. In the preview both dates sit in the header: 'Date' and 'Deliver by'.

No firm date? Leave it empty

Plenty of local suppliers will not commit to a day until they confirm stock. Type a date you do not really mean and the supplier may read it as a hard deadline, or as your promise to receive on that day. The clearer alternative:

• Leave the date empty, and no line is printed for it.
• Write in 'Delivery terms': 'Delivery as soon as possible; please confirm the date two days ahead'.
• When the supplier confirms, issue an updated copy with the date if you need one.

If a delay matters because stock is running low, work out in advance when you should order with the Inventory reorder-point calculator, so the date you request is realistic from the start.