Problem

When a bookkeeper or accountant closes a financial period, it is still possible to create invoices dated within that closed period. This means that periods that have already been reconciled can suddenly change.

The issue becomes even more significant in group structures where multiple entities operate in parallel. If one entity continues invoicing in a closed period, it creates noise in consolidation and reporting.

Proposed solution

Introduce a feature that allows invoicing to be locked up to a specific date.

When a period is locked:

New invoices cannot be created with a date earlier than the lock date

The user receives the message:

“This period is closed for invoicing. Please choose a date in the next open period.”

Only users with the appropriate permissions can change the lock.

Group level functionality

The feature should also be available at the group level, allowing a controller to:

Lock invoicing across all entities in the group

Ensure all entities follow the same period close

Prevent individual entities from “changing history” after consolidation

Possible structure

Locking per entity

Locking per group

“Lock until date” logic (e.g. 31/03/2026)

Benefits

More stable period close

Fewer adjustment entries

More reliable reporting

Less coordination needed between finance teams