diff --git a/docs/docs/report/helpers.md b/docs/docs/report/helpers.md
index 558561c9eb..1aa82e2f29 100644
--- a/docs/docs/report/helpers.md
+++ b/docs/docs/report/helpers.md
@@ -409,9 +409,22 @@ For rendering date and datetime information, the following helper functions are
 
 Both functions resolve their output using the following priority order:
 
-1. **`fmt=` argument** — a [strftime format string](https://docs.python.org/3/library/datetime.html#format-codes). When provided, this takes full priority and the `locale` argument is ignored.
-2. **`locale=` argument** (or the default system locale setting) — when no `fmt` is given, Babel formats the value in a locale-aware *medium* style (e.g. `Jan 12, 2025` for `en-us`).
-3. **ISO 8601 fallback** — when neither `fmt` nor a locale is available, the value is returned in ISO format (e.g. `2025-01-12`).
+1. **`fmt=` argument** — a [strftime format string](https://docs.python.org/3/library/datetime.html#format-codes). When provided, this takes full priority; `locale` and `date_format` are ignored.
+2. **`locale=` argument** — when no `fmt` is given, Babel formats the value using the style set by `date_format` (default `medium`).
+3. **Server `LANGUAGE_CODE`** — used as the locale when no `locale=` argument is supplied.
+
+#### Date Format Styles
+
+The `date_format` argument controls how Babel renders the date when locale-aware formatting is used. The four named styles are:
+
+| Style | `format_date` example (en-us, 2025-01-12) | `format_datetime` example (en-us, 2025-01-12 14:30) |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `full` | `Sunday, January 12, 2025` | `Sunday, January 12, 2025 at 2:30:00 PM UTC` |
+| `long` | `January 12, 2025` | `January 12, 2025 at 2:30:00 PM UTC` |
+| `medium` *(default)* | `Jan 12, 2025` | `Jan 12, 2025, 2:30:00 PM` |
+| `short` | `1/12/25` | `1/12/25, 2:30 PM` |
+
+The exact output varies by locale — the table above uses `en-us`.
 
 ### format_date
 
@@ -426,23 +439,25 @@ Both functions resolve their output using the following priority order:
 {% raw %}
 {% load report %}
 
-<!-- ISO fallback (no fmt, no locale) -->
+<!-- Default: medium style, locale from LANGUAGE_CODE -->
 {% format_date my_date %}
-<!-- output: 2025-01-12 -->
+<!-- output (en-us): Jan 12, 2025 -->
 
-<!-- Explicit strftime format string — locale is ignored -->
+<!-- Explicit strftime format string — locale and date_format are ignored -->
 {% format_date my_date fmt="%d/%m/%Y" %}
 <!-- output: 12/01/2025 -->
 
-<!-- Locale-aware medium format -->
+<!-- Locale-aware, default medium style -->
 {% format_date my_date locale='en-us' %}
 <!-- output: Jan 12, 2025 -->
 
-{% format_date my_date locale='de-de' %}
-<!-- output: 12.01.2025 -->
+<!-- Short style -->
+{% format_date my_date locale='en-us' date_format='short' %}
+<!-- output: 1/12/25 -->
 
-<!-- Convert from a different timezone before formatting -->
-{% format_date my_date timezone="Australia/Sydney" locale='en-au' %}
+<!-- Full style -->
+{% format_date my_date locale='en-us' date_format='full' %}
+<!-- output: Sunday, January 12, 2025 -->
 
 {% endraw %}
 ```
@@ -460,20 +475,21 @@ Both functions resolve their output using the following priority order:
 {% raw %}
 {% load report %}
 
-<!-- ISO fallback (no fmt, no locale) -->
+<!-- Default: medium style, locale from LANGUAGE_CODE -->
 {% format_datetime my_datetime %}
-<!-- output: 2025-01-12T14:30:00+00:00 -->
+<!-- output (en-us): Jan 12, 2025, 2:30:00 PM -->
 
-<!-- Explicit strftime format — locale is ignored -->
+<!-- Explicit strftime format — locale and date_format are ignored -->
 {% format_datetime my_datetime fmt="%d-%m-%Y %H:%M" %}
 <!-- output: 12-01-2025 14:30 -->
 
-<!-- Locale-aware medium format -->
+<!-- Locale-aware, default medium style -->
 {% format_datetime my_datetime locale='en-us' %}
 <!-- output: Jan 12, 2025, 2:30:00 PM -->
 
-{% format_datetime my_datetime locale='de-de' %}
-<!-- output: 12.01.2025, 14:30:00 -->
+<!-- Short style -->
+{% format_datetime my_datetime locale='de-de' date_format='short' %}
+<!-- output: 12.01.25, 14:30 -->
 
 <!-- Convert to a specific timezone before formatting -->
 {% format_datetime my_datetime timezone="Australia/Sydney" locale='en-au' %}
diff --git a/src/backend/InvenTree/report/templatetags/report.py b/src/backend/InvenTree/report/templatetags/report.py
index bf49e55c0b..8561deb2e5 100644
--- a/src/backend/InvenTree/report/templatetags/report.py
+++ b/src/backend/InvenTree/report/templatetags/report.py
@@ -982,6 +982,7 @@ def format_number(
     max_decimal_places: Optional[int] = None,
     fmt: Optional[str] = None,
     locale: Optional[str] = None,
+    **kwargs,
 ) -> str:
     """Render a number with optional formatting options.
 
@@ -1065,14 +1066,17 @@ def format_datetime(
     timezone: Optional[str] = None,
     fmt: Optional[str] = None,
     locale: Optional[str] = None,
+    date_format: str = 'medium',
+    **kwargs,
 ):
     """Format a datetime object for display.
 
     Arguments:
         dt: The datetime object to format
         timezone: The timezone to use for the date (defaults to the server timezone)
-        fmt: The strftime format string to use. When provided, takes priority over locale.
+        fmt: The strftime format string to use. When provided, takes priority over locale and date_format.
         locale: Optional locale override (e.g. 'en-us', 'de-de'). Used for locale-aware formatting when no fmt is given.
+        date_format: Babel date format style. One of 'full', 'long', 'medium' (default), 'short'.
     """
     check_nulls('format_datetime', dt)
 
@@ -1081,10 +1085,7 @@ def format_datetime(
     if fmt:
         return dt.strftime(fmt)
 
-    return babel_format_datetime(dt, format='medium', locale=get_locale(locale))
-
-    # Final backup - return an ISO formatted string
-    return dt.isoformat()
+    return babel_format_datetime(dt, format=date_format, locale=get_locale(locale))
 
 
 @register.simple_tag
@@ -1093,14 +1094,17 @@ def format_date(
     timezone: Optional[str] = None,
     fmt: Optional[str] = None,
     locale: Optional[str] = None,
+    date_format: str = 'medium',
+    **kwargs,
 ):
     """Format a date object for display.
 
     Arguments:
         dt: The date to format
         timezone: The timezone to use for the date (defaults to the server timezone)
-        fmt: The strftime format string to use. When provided, takes priority over locale.
+        fmt: The strftime format string to use. When provided, takes priority over locale and date_format.
         locale: Optional locale override (e.g. 'en-us', 'de-de'). Used for locale-aware formatting when no fmt is given.
+        date_format: Babel date format style. One of 'full', 'long', 'medium' (default), 'short'.
     """
     check_nulls('format_date', dt)
 
@@ -1112,7 +1116,7 @@ def format_date(
     if fmt:
         return dt.strftime(fmt)
 
-    return babel_format_date(dt, format='medium', locale=get_locale(locale))
+    return babel_format_date(dt, format=date_format, locale=get_locale(locale))
 
 
 @register.simple_tag()
diff --git a/src/backend/InvenTree/report/test_tags.py b/src/backend/InvenTree/report/test_tags.py
index 3e40ae0a65..04c3ca9295 100644
--- a/src/backend/InvenTree/report/test_tags.py
+++ b/src/backend/InvenTree/report/test_tags.py
@@ -730,6 +730,25 @@ class ReportTagTest(PartImageTestMixin, InvenTreeTestCase):
         with override_settings(LANGUAGE_CODE='en-us'):
             self.assertEqual(report_tags.format_date(dt), 'Mar 13, 2024')
 
+        # date_format controls the Babel style
+        self.assertEqual(
+            report_tags.format_date(dt, locale='en-us', date_format='short'), '3/13/24'
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            report_tags.format_date(dt, locale='en-us', date_format='long'),
+            'March 13, 2024',
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            report_tags.format_date(dt, locale='en-us', date_format='full'),
+            'Wednesday, March 13, 2024',
+        )
+
+        # fmt= wins over date_format=
+        self.assertEqual(
+            report_tags.format_date(dt, fmt='%Y', locale='en-us', date_format='full'),
+            '2024',
+        )
+
         # Invalid locale raises ValidationError
         with self.assertRaises(ValidationError):
             report_tags.format_date(dt, locale='xx-zz')
@@ -758,6 +777,24 @@ class ReportTagTest(PartImageTestMixin, InvenTreeTestCase):
         with override_settings(LANGUAGE_CODE='de-de'):
             self.assertEqual(report_tags.format_datetime(dt), '19.06.2026, 15:30:00')
 
+        # date_format controls the Babel style
+        self.assertEqual(
+            report_tags.format_datetime(dt, locale='de-de', date_format='short'),
+            '19.06.26, 15:30',
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            report_tags.format_datetime(dt, locale='de-de', date_format='long'),
+            '19. Juni 2026 um 15:30:00 UTC',  # codespell:ignore "Juni"
+        )
+
+        # fmt= wins over date_format=
+        self.assertEqual(
+            report_tags.format_datetime(
+                dt, fmt='%H:%M', locale='en-us', date_format='full'
+            ),
+            '15:30',
+        )
+
         # Invalid locale raises ValidationError
         with self.assertRaises(ValidationError):
             report_tags.format_datetime(dt, locale='xx-zz')