This guide explains how the posting date and period locks work in relation to purchase invoices. The posting date affects the date of the voucher, and period locks regulate what actions can be performed during closed periods.

In addition to the invoice date, a posting date has been added to purchase invoices, based on which the date of the voucher is determined. This article describes the functionality of the posting date and period locks.

You can open additional information about locks by selecting Financial periods > Financial period management > financial period management help. A locked period refers to a point in time when the financial period lock, VAT lock, or accounts payable lock is active. An open period refers to a point in time when none of the locks are active. Read more about locks in the financial period management help.

  • When you handle a purchase invoice, proceed as follows regarding the posting date and invoice date:

    • Enter a posting date for the invoice if you want the voucher to be posted on the posting date.
    • Note that the period lock check is done against the posting date.
    • If you do not enter a posting date, the system uses the invoice date as the date of the voucher and for the period lock check.

  • When you edit the invoice date or posting date, proceed as follows:

    • Edit the invoice date if necessary also on e-invoices.
    • Consider carefully whether to edit the invoice date, because the invoice date must be the same for both the sender and the receiver.
    • Prefer editing the posting date, because the posting date determines the date of the voucher.

  • When the system automatically updates the invoice dates to an open period (for example, in connection with approval or posting), the system works as follows:

    • The system always sets the new date as the posting date.
    • The system sets the posting date as the first day of the open period.

  • When you edit the posting date manually or via the interface, proceed as follows:

    • Enter a posting date that is within an open period.
    • Before saving, make sure that the new posting date is not in a locked period.

  • If the invoice is in a locked period and the invoice has a voucher, the system works as follows:

    • If the invoice is approved, do not make any changes to the invoice. The system does not allow changes.
    • If the invoice is not approved, you can review and approve the invoice. The invoice information does not change.

  • If the invoice is in a locked period but the invoice does not have a voucher, proceed as follows:

    • Confirm the update of the posting date when the system requests it. The system sets the posting date as the first open day. After this, the invoice is no longer in a locked period, and you can make changes to the invoice.
    • If you have bypassed the lock (Accountant and only accounts payable lock or VAT lock bypass), note that the system calculates the first open day according to the lock bypass.

  • When you use only the accounts payable lock, the system works as follows:

    • The accounts payable lock does not apply to the Accountant, so the Accountant can act as if there were no lock.
    • If you run purchase invoice automation on an invoice in a locked accounts payable period and the automation makes a change to bookkeeping (for example, posts the invoice), the system changes the posting date of the invoice to the first non-locked day.

  • When you save purchase invoices for the same vendor in the same financial period, note the following condition:

    • Do not save multiple invoices with the same invoice number for the same vendor in the same financial period based on the posting date, because the system does not allow this.

Notifications

You can view notifications in the purchase invoice view by selecting Purchases > Purchase invoices > select purchase invoice. If the invoice date is in a locked period and the posting date is in an open period, the system displays a notification about this in the purchase invoice view:

If the posting date is updated by the system, for example when approving the invoice, the system displays a notification about this:

Frequently asked questions

Question: What does the posting date affect in purchase invoices?

Answer: The posting date affects the date of the voucher and the period to which the voucher is posted in the period lock check.

Question: What is the difference between the invoice date and the posting date?

Answer: The invoice date is the date of the invoice, which must be the same for both the sender and the receiver. The posting date determines the date of the voucher and the period to which the posting is made.

Question: Can I edit the invoice date on e-invoices?

Answer: You can also edit the invoice date on e-invoices, but editing should be considered carefully, because the invoice date must be the same for both the sender and the receiver. Editing the posting date is recommended instead.

Question: What happens if the posting date is in a locked period?

Answer: If the posting date is in a locked period, the system prevents setting the posting date in a locked period. The posting date must be in an open period, or the system moves the posting date to the first open day when the dates are updated automatically.

Question: What can I do with an invoice that is in a locked period and has a voucher?

Answer: If the invoice is approved, you cannot make any changes to the invoice. If the invoice is not approved, you can review and approve the invoice, but the invoice information does not change.

Question: What happens if the invoice is in a locked period but does not have a voucher?

Answer: The system asks you to confirm the update of the posting date. The posting date is set as the first open day, after which the invoice is no longer in a locked period and you can make changes to the invoice.

Question: Does an accounts payable lock alone affect the Accountant’s actions?

Answer: An accounts payable lock alone does not apply to the Accountant, and the Accountant can act as if there were no lock. If purchase invoice automation makes a change to bookkeeping for an invoice in a locked accounts payable period, the posting date changes to the first non-locked day.

Question: Can the same vendor have multiple invoices with the same invoice number?

Answer: The same vendor cannot have multiple invoices with the same invoice number in the same financial period based on the posting date.

Keywords: posting date, period locks, purchase invoice, financial period, VAT lock, accounts payable

This article has been translated using an AI-based translation tool. The contents or wording of these instructions may differ from those in other instructions or in the software.


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