Posting dates and backdating: planned dates, future documents and corrections
The posting date decides which day a transaction counts for: it changes report periods, not current stock. Save future documents as drafts and post them when they happen; correct a wrong date by reversing and posting again within the days a posting may be backdated.
Planned date and posting date
Planned date: when something is meant to happen. Optional and for planning only: it does not change stock or reports, and it can be used to search documents. Receipts call it the expected date and counts the planned count date; adjustments do not have it.
Posting date: the day a transaction counts for. Required and starts on today. It decides which period reports such as the movement summary count the quantity in; it does not change current stock.
Actual posting time: when the system really wrote the entry. It cannot change and is kept for audit.
Example: goods are expected on 10/5, arrive on 10/7 and are entered on 10/9. The expected date is 10/5, the posting date you choose is 10/7, and the actual posting time is 10/9.
Future documents: save a draft first
When you fill in a planned date, the posting date follows it; you can also choose another day. A draft writes nothing to the stock ledger, so stock and reports stay the same.
1. Create a receipt, transfer or count, fill in the planned date and save the draft.
2. When the goods arrive or the work happens, post with Receive, Ship or Approve.
3. If it happens early, the screen starts on today; a posting date cannot be in the future.
4. If it is handled after the planned date, the screen starts on that date; change it to the day it really happened.
Correcting a wrong posting date
Before posting: change the date on the draft.
After posting: moves are only ever added, so the date cannot be edited. Reverse the original entry and post again on the right day. By default only administrators can reverse.
Example: a receipt of 10 counts for 10/1 and should count for 10/2. The reversal adds -10 on 10/1, so that day nets to 0; receiving again adds +10 on 10/2. Reports show the new numbers the next time you search.
Receipts: reverse the receiving (in two steps, reverse the putaway first) and receive again on the right day; reversing on a completed receipt reopens it.
Transfers between warehouses: reverse that receipt and receive again. If the shipping date is wrong, reverse every receipt, then the shipment, and create a new transfer.
Internal moves, counts and adjustments: reverse the whole document and create a new one.
How the backdating limit works
The days a posting may be backdated count back from today in calendar days, weekends and holidays included. The default is 31; administrators can change it on the Warehouse system page, and 0 means today only.
The earliest posting date is the latest of three days: today minus those days, the day the book was opened, and the posting date of the last posted count in that warehouse.
Example: today is 10/31, so 31 days back is 9/30; the book opened on 10/20; a count posted on 10/25. The earliest posting date is 10/25.
The limit moves forward every day: with no opening date or count in the way, a document of 10/1 can still be corrected on 11/1 but not on 11/2. A new number applies at once and posted entries stay as they are.
Beyond the limit
A new posting date beyond the limit is refused, and the message gives the earliest day. A reversal goes back to the original day while that day is within the limit, which corrects the old period; beyond the limit it counts for today, and the old period stays as it was.
Who can backdate
Choosing a posting date other than today needs the backdating permission, which supervisors and administrators have by default; for everyone else the field stays on today. If backdating takes a past day below zero, you are asked to confirm first. Stock moves show the posting date beside the real posting time, and backdated moves are marked. Opening a book, release and reservations always count for today.
What is the difference between the planned date and the posting date?
The planned date is when something is meant to happen and does not touch the ledger. The posting date is the day a transaction counts for and decides the report period. Neither is the time the system wrote the entry.
Goods arrive next week. Can I create the receipt now?
Yes. Save a draft with the expected date and the posting date follows it. Nothing is written to the ledger until you receive the goods.
How long can I correct a wrong posting date?
Within the days a posting may be backdated, 31 by default, by reversing and posting again; not before the book was opened or the last count of that warehouse. A draft can simply be changed.
Is the 7-day list default the same as the backdating limit?
No. The 7 days are only what a list shows first; widen the filters to see older documents. The backdating limit is what can be posted.