Proving your deadline: the notices, invoices and contracts that speed things up

“I need $60k by Thursday” is a good start. “Here’s the supplier’s COD notice, the pro-forma invoice for $58,400 and their email saying dispatch is Thursday at 2pm on cleared funds” is a much better one.

The second version answers the questions a specialist would otherwise have to ask, and it lets them size the funding exactly. This page covers what counts as proof of a deadline for the most common situations, and how to present it.

What does good deadline evidence show?

Three things, ideally in one document:

1. The amount — the exact figure, including GST, penalties or adjustments
2. The payee — who the money is owed to
3. The due date — and, if it matters, the time

If one document doesn’t show all three, add a second. An invoice plus an email confirming the dispatch cut-off does the job.

Which documents prove which deadlines?

Situation	Best evidence	Add if needed
ATO payment or BAS	Statement of account from online services	The BAS or notice showing the due date
Director penalty notice	The DPN itself	Statement of account with payment reference numbers
Supplier COD or deposit	Supplier’s notice and pro-forma invoice	Email confirming dispatch date and payment terms
Payroll	Pay-run summary from your payroll system	Pay calendar showing the date
Contract security or mobilisation	Letter of award and security clause	Mobilisation budget
Property settlement	Contract of sale and settlement statement	Solicitor’s email confirming the shortfall
Lease bond or guarantee	Agreement for lease with the security clause	Landlord’s email on handover date
Equipment breakdown	Repair or supplier quote with lead time	Technician’s report
Insurance excess or gap	Insurer’s claim acknowledgement	Repair quotes and excess confirmation

How should you present it?

• Send originals, not summaries. A photo of the notice is better than a typed list of what it says.
• Make it readable. Flat, well-lit photos or PDFs, every page, nothing cropped.
• Name files clearly. “DPN - 14 Oct.pdf” beats “IMG_4471.jpg”.
• Highlight the key line if it’s buried in a long contract — or just tell the specialist which clause.
• Send the latest version. If late fees or penalty interest have been added, send the updated figure.

Once it’s together, send the 60-second enquiry or ring 1300 752 188 and say what you’ve got.

What if the deadline has changed?

Deadlines move — usually in the wrong direction. A supplier adds a late fee, the ATO balance grows with general interest charge, a settlement statement is revised. Tell the specialist straight away. Funding sized to last week’s figure can leave you a few thousand dollars short on the day, which is a frustrating way to miss a deadline you’d otherwise have met.

What if there’s nothing in writing?

Get something in writing, quickly. A short email to the creditor asking them to confirm the amount, due date and payment method takes two minutes and usually gets a same-day reply. For example: “Can you confirm the amount we need to pay, by what date and time, and the account details you’d like it paid to?” That reply becomes your evidence — and it also protects you if the creditor later disputes what was agreed.

Why does proof help with paying direct?

When the deadline evidence names the payee and the amount clearly, it’s much easier to pay the creditor straight from the funding. Many owners prefer this: it’s one less transfer, the creditor sees the money arrive from a lender, and there’s a clean paper trail. The paying the bill directly page explains what’s needed.

What about the ATO specifically?

For ATO debts, your statement of account in Online services for business shows each account’s balance, any overdue amount and its payment reference number. Each account has its own PRN, and payments must use the right one. The ATO statement page walks through pulling it. For a director penalty notice, the notice itself is essential, because the 21-day clock runs from the date it was posted — see DPN: 21 days.

An illustrative evidence pack

Illustrative example only. A transport operator needs to pay a tyre and parts supplier that has moved it to cash on delivery. The evidence pack is three files: the supplier’s email confirming the switch, the pro-forma invoice for the next order, and a screenshot of the supplier’s text confirming dispatch on Thursday at noon once funds clear. With those, the specialist can size the funding to the dollar and arrange to pay the supplier directly.

Why does accurate evidence protect you too?

Clear deadline evidence isn’t just for the lender. It keeps everyone working from the same figure, stops the funding being sized on an old number, and gives you a record if the creditor later disputes what was due or when. Keep a copy of everything you send alongside the payment confirmation once it’s done.

How recent does the evidence need to be?

As recent as possible. Balances that change daily — ATO accounts with interest, supplier accounts with late fees — should be no more than a day or two old when funding is sized.

Bring the evidence and ring

The clearer your deadline evidence, the faster someone can tell you what’s possible. Enquiring involves no credit check, your details aren’t sent out to a crowd of lenders, and a real person reviews what you send and calls back.

When you complete the enquiry form, use the exact figure and due date from your documents — accuracy at this stage is what gets you matched to the right option first time. Or ring 1300 752 188.