Bill vs Invoice ?

[Bob Smits]

On January 13, 2010 09:04:42 am Geert Janssens wrote:
> As a non-native English speaker, I am wondering about the difference
>  between the terms "Bill" and "Invoice".
> 
> Gnucash uses a "Bill" to indicate a document provided by a vendor and
> "Invoice" for a document provided by a customer.
> 
> But in my native language (Dutch, being from Belgium) the literal
>  translations of these words have a subtle difference in meaning. Only the
>  Dutch word for "Invoice" (being "Factuur") is used in a business context.
>  So we have Customer Invoices and Vendor Invoices if we want to
>  differentiate between these two.
> 
> The Dutch word for "Bill" ("Rekening") is mostly used more informally, or
> outside of business contexts. I would ask for the bill in a restaurant for
> example.
> 
> So how is this in English ? And is it different or the same in the various
> English speaking countries (UK, USA, Canada, Australia,...) ?
> 
> Feedback is appreciated, it may help me improve the wording in the Gnucash
> business functions.
> 
> Geert

I use Canadian English, even though I was born in Epe, near Amersfoort. Here 
"bill" and "invoice"  have almost the same meaning.  A vendor may bill or 
invoice a customer by sending a written statement which may also be called 
either a bill or an invoice. 

In my context, I bill my customer with an invoice. That is the act of making a 
written statement is called billing and the statement itself is an invoice, 
but not everyone makes the same distinctions since everyone receives the hydro 
bill, the phone bill, etc. 

Sorry, Geert, but English as it is spoken is quite imprecise. 

-- 
Robert Smits Email bob at rsmits.ca