In professional communication, the term End of Business Day (EOD)—sometimes written as EOB—is a commonly used acronym that signals a deadline:
EOD = End of Day or End of (Business) Day
It typically means:
đź“… “Please finish this task or send a reply by the time the workday ends.”
But depending on your workplace culture, EOD can carry different nuances—from strict, formal urgency to gentle reminders of timeline expectations.
So let’s look at 30 smart alternatives you can use in writing and speech to communicate the same idea as EOD, but with varied tone, context, and clarity.
đź“š Understanding EOD in Context
What It Implies:
- A deadline or expected time of completion
- Often 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. in a business’s local timezone
- Can signal formality or pressure depending on tone
Common Nuances:
- “Get it done today.”
- “Send your reply before you log off.”
- “This is urgent but not immediate.”
⏳ 30 Alternatives to “End of Business Day”
Each phrase is accompanied by:
- âś… When to use it
- đź’¬ Example sentence
1. By close of business (COB)
âś… Standard corporate term, interchangeable with EOD
💬 “Please submit your timesheet by close of business Friday.”
2. Before the end of the day
âś… Slightly more casual; widely understood
💬 “Can I have your edits before the end of the day?”
3. By the end of the day
âś… Friendly and clear; often used in internal messages
💬 “Let’s wrap this up by the end of the day.”
4. By day’s end
âś… More formal or poetic; used in reports or leadership memos
💬 “The data should be finalized by day’s end.”
5. Today
âś… Clear and simple; use when timing is obvious
💬 “We need your feedback today.”
6. By 5 PM
âś… Most precise; good for remote teams across time zones
💬 “Please confirm by 5 PM Pacific.”
7. No later than today
âś… Slightly firmer tone
💬 “Please return the signed document no later than today.”
8. By end of shift
âś… Best for hourly or shift-based roles
💬 “Log your notes by the end of your shift.”
9. Close of play (COP)
âś… UK-based version of COB; common in finance
💬 “I’ll get that to you by close of play.”
10. By the day’s conclusion
âś… Very formal; used in legal or corporate writing
💬 “The report is due by the day’s conclusion.”
11. Before you log off
âś… Casual, team-friendly language
💬 “Please send your updates before you log off.”
12. By business close
âś… Similar to COB; a little softer
💬 “Let’s resolve this by business close.”
13. By quitting time
âś… Informal, friendly; not for formal emails
💬 “Send me the summary by quitting time.”
14. Before clock-out
âś… Good for hourly roles or field teams
💬 “Complete the checklist before clock-out.”
15. Today’s deadline
âś… Emphasizes urgency and clarity
💬 “Don’t miss today’s deadline.”
16. Before sunset
âś… Poetic or used in creative industries
💬 “Let’s finish this before sunset.”
17. By tonight
âś… Can create ambiguity; good for casual, late-day requests
💬 “Can I get your part by tonight?”
18. By this evening
✅ Softer version of “by tonight”
💬 “Let’s have the budget draft ready by this evening.”
19. Before COB today
âś… Combines specificity and clarity
💬 “Please submit your code review before COB today.”
20. By today’s wrap-up
âś… Internal/casual tone for collaborative teams
💬 “Have your items in by today’s wrap-up.”
21. Wrap up today
âś… Informal; more task-focused than time-focused
💬 “Let’s wrap this up today.”
22. Complete by EOD
âś… Use when referencing tasks, not just replies
💬 “Make sure the testing is complete by EOD.”
23. Today EOD
âś… Clarifies exact deadline when EOD is used loosely
💬 “Target: Submit the final file today EOD.”
24. By workday end
âś… Slightly formal, rarely used, but clear
💬 “Report needs to be in by workday end.”
25. End of today
âś… Casual, but precise
💬 “I’ll finish the outline by end of today.”
26. Before the bell
âś… Finance, trading, or stock market slang
💬 “Get those numbers in before the bell.”
27. By logout time
âś… Good for hybrid or remote teams
💬 “Send your notes by logout time.”
28. By shift’s end
âś… Great for operations or customer service teams
💬 “Email follow-ups should be sent by shift’s end.”
29. This business day
âś… Emphasizes urgency within the current day
💬 “All entries must be completed this business day.”
30. Before EOB (End of Business)
âś… Slight variation of EOD, more popular in HR/admin
💬 “Submit your expense claims before EOB Friday.”
🎯 Choosing the Right Phrase for the Right Setting
| Tone | Best Alternatives |
| 🔹 Formal | Close of business, By day’s end, EOB |
| 🔹 Friendly | By today, Before you log off, Wrap up today |
| 🔹 Urgent | No later than today, By 5 PM, Today’s deadline |
| 🔹 Casual | By quitting time, Before sunset, By tonight |
| 🔹 Precise | By 5 PM, Today EOD, Before COB today |
🧠Conclusion
“End of Business Day” is clear—but not always human.
With so many rich alternatives, you can adjust your message to sound firm, friendly, casual, or urgent, depending on what your situation calls for.
The right word or phrase doesn’t just set a deadline—it sets the tone.