> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fusioncore.us/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating a Financial Period

> Create a Financial Period record that defines the accounting date range you want to gather and close out.

A **Financial Period** is a record that defines an accounting date range you want to close out, such as a calendar month, quarter, or fiscal year. Creating one is the first step before you fetch and lock the financial data that falls inside that range.

fusionCore does not post journal entries or create debit and credit transactions. A Financial Period organizes and locks the supporting financial data for a timeframe so your general ledger system can import it. It does not replace your accounting system.

## Prerequisites

* You can access the **Financial Periods** object.
* You know the start and end dates of the accounting period you want to create.

## Creating a Financial Period Record

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Financial Periods list">
    Click the **App Launcher**, then search for **Financial Periods**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/fusionspan/4u-JGPkRA8QDMGYi/images/end-user-guides/4857397292/Screenshot_2025-01-03_at_3.02.31-PM.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=4u-JGPkRA8QDMGYi&q=85&s=4c061c1bed15866b61fc493c11a504bf" alt="App Launcher search for Financial Periods" width="347" height="303" data-path="images/end-user-guides/4857397292/Screenshot_2025-01-03_at_3.02.31-PM.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start a new record">
    In the top-right corner, click **New**.

    <Frame caption="image-20241025-180415.png">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/fusionspan/4u-JGPkRA8QDMGYi/images/end-user-guides/4857397292/image-20241025-180415.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=4u-JGPkRA8QDMGYi&q=85&s=b8e82a90a1f1738cb105bd0f6d34c126" alt="New button on the Financial Periods list view" width="3420" height="1702" data-path="images/end-user-guides/4857397292/image-20241025-180415.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the period details">
    Fill out the fields for the new Financial Period. Both **Start Date** (`Start_Date__c`) and **End Date** (`End_Date__c`) are required. **Status** (`Status__c`) defaults to `Open`.

    For example, to close out a single month, set **Start Date** to `5/1/2025` and **End Date** to `5/31/2025`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/fusionspan/4u-JGPkRA8QDMGYi/images/end-user-guides/4857397292/Screenshot_2024-11-18_at_1.54.07-PM-20241118-195412.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=4u-JGPkRA8QDMGYi&q=85&s=e55ad2f019e9daf94d04a2a9c0c387f2" alt="New Financial Period record with start and end dates filled in" width="3376" height="1732" data-path="images/end-user-guides/4857397292/Screenshot_2024-11-18_at_1.54.07-PM-20241118-195412.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>
</Steps>

After you save, the period starts in `Open` status. From here you fetch the financial data into the period and then lock it:

* [Fetching Financial Event Lines](/end-user-guides/accounting/financial-periods/fetching-financial-event-lines)
* [Locking Financial Periods](/end-user-guides/accounting/financial-periods/locking-financial-periods)

## Status and Batch Job Fields

You can view and edit the period's status on the record detail page:

* **Status** (`Status__c`) is either `Open` or `Closed`. The **Fetch** and **Lock** actions both run only while the period is `Open`. The period flips to `Closed` automatically when a Lock finishes successfully.
* **Batch Job Status** (`Batch_Job_Status__c`) tracks the background job that powers Fetch and Lock. Its values are `Processing Fetch`, `Completed Fetch`, `Fetch Error`, `Processing Lock`, `Completed Lock`, and `Lock Error`.
* **Batch Job Error Message** (`Batch_Job_Error_Message__c`) shows the detail of any failure. If a Fetch or Lock job hits an error, check this field for the cause.

## Limitations and Common Pitfalls

* **Start Date must not be after End Date.** Salesforce rejects a period whose `Start_Date__c` is later than its `End_Date__c`.
* **Open periods cannot overlap.** You cannot save an `Open` period whose dates overlap another `Open` period. The error reads "Provided dates are overlapping with other Open Financial Period." Close or adjust the existing period first.
* **A closed period is locked down at the field level.** Once `Status__c` is `Closed`, you cannot edit the **Start Date**, **End Date**, or **Status** fields. The error reads "Cannot edit Closed Financial Period." There is no built-in action to reopen a closed period.