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Help → Skipped: the document is inside a locked period

Skipped: the document is inside a locked period

Its date is on or before a lock date, so the accounting system will not accept a change from anyone.

The message you saw

Skipped: the document is dated inside a locked period.

Why this happens

Xero has two lock dates: one that stops everyone except advisers, and a year-end one that stops everyone. A document dated on or before whichever applies to you cannot be changed, voided or copied into that period.

This is enforced by the accounting system itself. We check for it before the run so that you see one clear line in the preview instead of a failure halfway through a batch.

It usually means the period has already been reported on — a VAT or GST return, a set of accounts, or a close that someone has signed off.

What to do

  1. Check the document date against Advanced settings → Financial settings in Xero, where both lock dates are shown.
  2. If the period really is closed, stop. The right fix is normally a credit note or an adjustment dated in the open period, not reopening a reported period.
  3. If the lock was set too early, or the period has not actually been reported, ask whoever owns the books to move the lock date, then run the selection again.
  4. If you only have standard user access, you will not be able to move it yourself — the organisation owner or the adviser has to.

What happened to your document

Nothing was written. The document is still approved and still inside the locked period.

Other help articles

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