diff --git a/images/gl-year-end-closing.png b/images/gl-year-end-closing.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0c42e40 Binary files /dev/null and b/images/gl-year-end-closing.png differ diff --git a/part-processes.tex b/part-processes.tex index 336baff..9d62915 100644 --- a/part-processes.tex +++ b/part-processes.tex @@ -947,56 +947,71 @@ \subsection{Importing bank transactions - CSV} \section{Period closing} \label{sec-business-processes-accounting-period-closing} -Period closing is a concept used by accountants to ensure that audited and -known-correct accounting data stays correct by ``freezing'' it: by closing -an accounting period no modifications can be made to the accounting data -before a certain date. +Period closing\index{closing}\index{period closing} is a concept used by accountants to ensure that accounting data is not allowed to change without proper authority. +This helps protect against errors when entering new transactions and fraud. +The best practice is to close an accounting period, usually monthly, as soon as it is reconciled. -LedgerSMB supports this concept through the \menupath{System \ma Audit Control} -menu, where you'll find the ``Close Books up to'' item. By filling out a date -in the input field and hitting Continue posting to dates before the entered -date will be disallowed. +When a period is closed no transactions can be entered prior to the end date of the period, including previous periods. -% @@@ screenshot +To open or close a period the user must have be assigned the \texttt{yearend\_run}\index{yearend\_run} role, then they can navigate to the screen "Period closing dates" using \menupath{General Journal \ma Year End}. +For an example, see \figref{fig:sec-year-end-closing}. + +In the bottom part of the screen the user can add a date +in the input field and hit the corresponding button \texttt{Close Period} to close all periods prior to that date. +Note that periods are normally closed one-by-one in successive order. + +Re-opening a period also opens all succeeding periods. + +\begin{figure}[ht] + \centering + \includegraphics[width=\graphicswidth]{images/gl-year-end-closing.png} + \caption{Period and Year End Closing} + \label{fig:sec-year-end-closing} +\end{figure} + +Note that due to a design limitation prior to the release of LedgerSMB 1.7, +invoices in foreign\index{foreign currency} currencies\footnote{This pertains exclusively + to invoices and transactions in foreign + currencies and has no effect in case of invoices and transactions in the default + currency.} can't be reversed\index{transaction reversal} on dates +other than their original posting date. That is: they can, but their +reversal will result in P\&L and balance sheet effects which are not desirable. +Since period closing disables posting before a certain date this +functionality may have negative side effects in versions prior to 1.7. -\begin{quote} -Note that due to a design limitation in LedgerSMB 1.3 - to be lifted with the -general AR/AP redesign - invoices in foreign currencies can't be reversed on -other dates than their original posting date. That is: they can, but their -reversal will result in P\&L and balance sheet effects which presumably isn't -desirable. Since period closing disables posting before a certain date this -functionality may have negative side effects in some set ups. - -Also note that this pertains exclusively to invoices and transactions in foreign -currencies and has no effect in case of invoices and transactions in the default -currency. -\end{quote} \section{Year-end processing} \label{sec-business-processes-accounting-year-end-processing} -Year end closing is a concept which prepares the accounting books for the next -accounting year. Note that this is unrelated to the calendar year but to the -accounting year of the company instead. To muddy the waters even more: there's -no inherent requirement for this process to be run at least once a year. If the -first book year of the company spans more than a year, then this procedure will -be run more than a year after starting up the company. - -This procedure freezes the accounting data in the year to be closed as described -in the previous section. Additionally it clears out the profit and loss accounts: -setting all the account -balances to zero by posting their balance to the retained earnings account. Some -businesses prefer to create a retained earnings account for each book year they +Year end closing\index{year end} is a concept which prepares the accounting books for the next +accounting year\footnote{Not the calendar year.}\index{accounting year}. There's +no inherent requirement for this process to be run at least once a year. +This procedure closes the books up to the given date. +If the first book year of the company spans more than a year, +then the closing will span more than a given year. +If it has been more than a year since the last year end close then +this closing will span all data since the last year end close. + +This procedure freezes the accounting data as described in \secref{sec-business-processes-accounting-period-closing}. Additionally it clears out all of the profit and loss accounts by +setting the balances to zero and posting their balance to the retained earnings account. + +Some businesses prefer to create a retained earnings account for each book year they close. LedgerSMB supports that use-case by allowing the user to select which retained earnings account the balance should be posted to. -Some companies want may to include additional transactions related to dividend -payment regarding the current year: reduce the equity by the amount paid as -dividends in transactions marked as ``year-end transaction''. Support -for this use case isn't available in LedgerSMB 1.3. +In order to run year end closing the user must have the role \texttt{yearend\_run}\index{yearend\_run}. -% @@@ screenshot +In order to re-open a year end closing the user must have the role \texttt{yearend\_reopen}\index{yearend\_reopen}. +Typically the role to re-open an accounting period is reserved for upper management as any changes to previous periods may have tax, legal, or other government reporting impacts. + +The year procedure is run by filling in the data in the top part of the "Period closing dates" view, then clicking the button \texttt{Post Yearend}. For example, see \figref{fig:sec-year-end-closing}. + +Be careful here, because the UI default value is the first G/L account available for this procedure, +not necessary the correct retained earnings account. +Some companies want may to include additional transactions in the year end close. +Direct support for this use case isn't currently available. +Use a manual G/L transactions to accomplish this. \section{Fixed asset accounting}