Close a month

Closing a month locks it: nobody can post into it any more, so your reports for that month stop changing. Books checks a short list first, so you do not lock a month that is not finished.

Before you start

• You need Set up Books and lock periods and access to every branch.
• The month must have ended.

Steps

1. Open Books → Period locks and select Month-close checklist.
2. Choose the Month and select Show. Each check shows Yes or No.
3. Fix every No:
   • No unfinished posting batches: finish any opening balance that is still posting.
   • Suspense is zero in every branch: move anything left in suspense to the right account with a journal entry.
   • Depreciation is posted through this month: run the month's depreciation in Fixed assets, if you use it.
   • Tax summary is indexed, reviewed and agrees with the ledger: open the VAT return and review it.
   • Bank reconciliations are current through month-end: reconcile each listed bank account to the last day of the month.
   • Any optional currency valuation is up to date: revalue again if needed.
4. When everything is ready, type a Reason and select Lock month.

To reopen a month, open the checklist or Period locks, type a Reason and select Reopen month.

Good to know

• Locking blocks new entries for every date in that month, from every screen and app.
• Each bank account that had activity needs a reconciliation dated on the last day of the month. A backdated entry makes that reconciliation out of date: finish it again.
• Reopening does not undo entries or a filed VAT return. Filed VAT months cannot be changed.
• After your first close, opening balances can no longer be edited, even if you reopen the month.
• A year-end close needs all twelve months closed: see Close the year and set budgets.
• The Books overview lists earlier months still open under Earlier periods to close.
• VAT returns and their checks: Egypt, UAE.
• International pack: a tax summary. Organisations on the International pack get Books → VAT return → Tax summary instead of a return form: output tax, input tax and the net, by rate and by month, in the base currency, for a range of up to 12 months. Download it as CSV or Excel, or print it or save it as PDF. It is a summary of what Books recorded, not a filed return: your organisation files its own return with its tax authority. Egypt and the Emirates keep their returns.
• Related: Match bank lines and reconcile, Foreign currency.