stopdatum

Stopdatum is a Dutch term that denotes an end date or cut-off date for an action, policy, or process. It marks when something should stop, become invalid, or no longer be eligible for consideration.

The term is used in a variety of contexts, including administration, procurement, contract management, education, and information technology. In contracts, the stopdatum may specify the last day for submitting bids or for ordering services; in data handling, it can define when processing or access ends.

Stopdatum is not a universally fixed legal concept like an expiry date for consumer goods. Its exact effect depends on the applicable policy, contract, or system configuration. It is often treated as a deadline or end date, rather than a guarantee of quality or safety.

In practice, stopdatum is typically presented as a specific date in documents or forms, and may be accompanied by clarifying language such as 'submitted by' or 'valid until.' Examples include stopdatum for application submissions, enrolment closures, or data retention periods.

Because the term is broad and context-dependent, organizations define its implications in their own guidelines. In software and databases, a stopdatum may disable access or trigger archival actions; in procurement, it closes eligibility for new bids.

See also: end date, deadline, cut-off date, expiry date.