An order couldn't post because of a Xero lock date

Xero can be set to stop anyone posting into a period that has already been closed off. When that is switched on and an order falls inside the closed period, Xero turns the document away and the order stops with a message naming the date, along the lines of Your Xero organisation has a lock date of 30 Jun 2024 that prevents posting to that period.

There is nothing wrong with the order itself. Xero is simply declining to accept anything dated that far back.

Why it Happens

Xero keeps two of these dates in its financial settings, one for a period you have closed and one for your year end. Either will block a document dated on or before it, and it applies to invoices, credit notes and fee bills alike.

It tends to turn up in one of two ways. Either an older order reaches Xero for the first time after the period was closed, which is common with a backdated order or one that failed months ago and has only now been re-posted. Or an order already in Xero needs changing, perhaps because it was refunded, and the invoice sitting inside the closed period can no longer be edited.

How to Fix It

1. In Xero, open Settings and then Financial Settings.
2. Move the lock date back past the order's date, or clear it.
3. In the Post to Xero app, go to Dashboard - Orders, find the order and click Post to Xero.
4. Once it has gone through, put the lock date back where it was.

If those fields are greyed out or missing, your Xero login does not have the permission to change them. Ask whoever looks after your books.

An Alternative to Reopening the Period

Reopening a closed period is not always the right call, particularly once a year has been finalised or a return has gone in. The alternative is to have orders carry the date they reach Xero rather than the date they were placed, so nothing new lands in the closed period at all.

That changes which month a sale counts in, so have a word with your accountant before switching it on. See Use the sync date as the invoice date instead of the order date.

Note that it only affects orders posted after you turn it on. It will not move the order that is stuck right now, which still needs the lock date moved.

What to Expect After You Re-post

Xero often reports several problems with the same document at once, and we show you the one you can actually do something about. So after you clear the lock date and re-post, a different message can appear.

That is not a new fault. It is the next item on the same list, and it was there all along.

Still stuck after moving the date? Email us at help@hyvelabs.co with your shop URL, the order number, and the message shown on the order.