# How to manage financial periods in Snad

To manage financial periods in Snad, press **Settings** in the sidebar, then **Financial period**. Press **Start new financial period**, set the **Start date** and **End date**, then **Save**. The previous active period closes and the new one becomes **Active**.

## Before you start

- A Snad account, with permission to open the general settings for your user ([how to grant permissions](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/roles-permissions)).
- The start and end dates of the period at hand, and your account balances reviewed ([how to enter opening balances](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/opening-balances)).

## Steps

1. **Open financial periods.** Press **Settings** at the bottom of the sidebar and it turns into the settings menu. Then choose **Financial period**. [Details](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#adv-access)

   ![The Snad settings menu with the Financial period item](https://www.snad.io/images/guide/financial-period/nav-en.webp)

   Image key: (1) **Financial period** in the settings menu

2. **Review the periods.** The table lists each period with its **Start date**, **End date**, **Closing date** and **Status**: **Active** or **Closed**. [Details](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#adv-reminder)

   ![The financial periods table in Snad with one active period and the new period button](https://www.snad.io/images/guide/financial-period/list-en.webp)

   Image key: (1) The **Start new financial period** button · (2) The table columns · (3) **Active**: the current open period

3. **Start a new period.** Press **Start new financial period**. A window opens with **Start date** and **End date**, set to 1 January and 31 December of the current year. [Details](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#adv-what-happens)

   ![The Start new financial period window in Snad with the start and end date fields](https://www.snad.io/images/guide/financial-period/start-dialog-en.webp)

   Image key: (1) The note: the current period closes and balances carry over · (2) **Start date** · (3) **End date**

4. **Pick the two dates.** Click each field and pick the day in the calendar. The calendar won't take a start after the end, or an end before the start.

   ![The start date calendar open inside the new financial period window](https://www.snad.io/images/guide/financial-period/picker-en.webp)

   Image key: (1) **Start date** · (2) The calendar for picking the day

5. **Save the period.** Press **Save**. The new period shows as **Active**, and the previous one becomes **Closed** with today as its closing date. [Details](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#adv-what-happens)

   ![The end date field and the Save button at the bottom of the new financial period window](https://www.snad.io/images/guide/financial-period/save-en.webp)

   Image key: (1) **End date** · (2) The **Save** button

6. **Open the active period's menu.** On the **Active** period's row, press the menu button, then **Update**. Rows that are **Closed** have no menu. [Details](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#adv-closed)

   ![The active period's row menu in Snad with the Update option](https://www.snad.io/images/guide/financial-period/row-menu-en.webp)

   Image key: (1) The row menu button · (2) **Update**

7. **Edit the period's dates.** In the **Update financial period** window, change the **Start date** or **End date**, then press **Save**. The period stays **Active**. [Details](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#adv-extend)

   ![The Update financial period window in Snad with the two date fields and the Save button](https://www.snad.io/images/guide/financial-period/update-dialog-en.webp)

   Image key: (1) **Start date** · (2) **End date** · (3) The **Save** button

## Messages that block saving

| Message | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|

## Advanced details

### What happens when you start a new period

The window itself says: “When you create a new period, balances are carried over and the current period is closed.”

Every active period is closed and gets a closing date, and the new one starts active. Your [accounts](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/chart-of-accounts) and their [balances](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/trial-balance) stay as they are, and Snad records each account's balance at the start of the new period.

Users with accounting or settings permission get a “Financial period closed” [notification](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/notifications).

You review the period's results in the [income statement](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/income-statement) and the [balance sheet](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/balance-sheet).

### The reminder at the top of the screen

Users with settings permission see a strip at the top of the screen when the active period has ended or has seven days or fewer left: “The financial period is about to expire, create a new financial period or update the current period”.

That is the moment to [start a new period](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#step-3) or [extend the current one](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period#step-7).

### Extend the period instead of opening a new one

To lengthen the same financial year, change the **End date** in **Update financial period**. The period doesn't close and no balance changes.

Starting a new period is the choice when the financial year has actually ended.

### Closed periods

A **Closed** period stays in the table for reference only: no menu on its row, no edit window, and no button to reopen it on this screen.

A recurring entry whose posting date falls outside the open period is deferred rather than posted ([how recurring entries work](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/recurring-journal-entries)).

### No Financial period item?

The page needs the general settings permission. Without it you see an access-denied message, so ask your account admin to [grant it](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/roles-permissions).

## Common questions

### How do I start a new financial year in Snad?

From **Settings**, choose **Financial period**, then **Start new financial period**. Set the **Start date** and **End date**, and press **Save**.

### Do I lose my balances when I start a new period?

No. The window says balances are carried over and the current period is closed, and your accounts keep their balances.

### Can I change a period's dates after creating it?

Yes, for the **Active** period only: choose **Update** from its row menu. **Closed** periods can't be edited.

### Can two periods be active at once?

Not from this screen. Starting a new period closes the earlier active one, so only one period stays **Active**.

### Why does a financial period reminder show at the top?

Because the active period has ended or has seven days or fewer left. Start a new period or change the current one's end date.

## Read next

- [Set accounting settings](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/accounting-settings) — Set accounting settings in Snad: link the customer, supplier and cash accounts, then the accounts of each branch and warehouse. Six steps with screenshots.
- [Enter opening balances](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/opening-balances) — Enter your accounts' opening balances in Snad: open Balances, press Update, type each opening balance and save. Four short steps with screenshots.
- [Recurring entries](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/recurring-journal-entries) — Set up a recurring journal entry in Snad: name the template, add the accounts, set the schedule and activate it. Seven steps with screenshots and review.
- [Create a journal entry](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/create-journal-entry) — Create a journal entry in Snad: add the accounts, enter debit and credit until they match, then save. Six short steps with screenshots, plus line details.
- [View the trial balance](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/trial-balance) — View the trial balance in Snad: check that debit and credit match, read opening and closing balances, then export it. Seven short steps with screenshots.
- [Create a role and set its permissions](https://www.snad.io/en/guide/roles-permissions) — Create a role in Snad and choose what its holders can see and do in each group, then assign it to users. Six short steps with screenshots.
- [Snad accounting software](https://www.snad.io/en/accounting) — Entries, accounts and financial reports in one place.
- [Snad ERP overview](https://www.snad.io/en/erp) — Every Snad app on one set of data.

[Open this screen in Snad](https://app.snad.io/dashboard/settings/financial-period)

- **URL:** https://www.snad.io/en/guide/financial-period
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-11-04

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## About the publisher
**Snad (سند)** — a private Saudi software company
based in Madinah, founded 2025. Legal form: Sole proprietorship.
Commercial registration: 7038154642
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Only official domain: snad.io
> Snad is a private commercial business-management platform. It is not a
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> is not affiliated with any government entity. Any site or app with a
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