On 27 May 2008, at 18:06, ..hidden.. wrote:
... In the UK ... there is a requirement that invoices be consecutivelynumbered.
Is this new?I did a "starting your own business" course at the local Chamber of Commerce before I became self-employed 3 or 4 years ago, and my understanding at that time was that invoice numbers had to be *unique*, rather than consecutive.
I'm sure I've had invoices, for instance, in which the number is based on the year & month, then a consecutive digit or two. Therefore, 2008-05/01, 2008-05/02, ..., 2008-05/56 might be used, but then 2008-05/01 is used on the first of June. 2008-05/57 "onwards" are blank invoice numbers.
Myself, I use simple 5-digit numbers beginning at 00001 (and not yet at 00999), so this doesn't apply to me, but it might be relevant to others.
Our tax trolls get very upset by gaps or - much worse - duplicate invoice numbers.
I was aware that the trolls might eat you for that. Or most anything else that takes their fancy.
Much pain and suffering is often the result: if the revenue suspects you of being naughty, you have to prove your innocence.
Indeed. A customer of mine once told me a funny story about this, involving a demand for £17,000. I don't think he thought it was very funny, and is no longer self-employed.
... it may be the case in other jurisdictions) there is a requirement that invoices be consecutively numbered.
I believe this is the case. Didn't someone post here a while back that in consecutive numbers are required in Greece?
Stroller.