> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arcuserp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fiscal Year

> Use Fiscal Year to set the month and day your fiscal year starts, which shapes the accounting periods Arcus generates, and to set how far back a manual journal entry may be dated.

Fiscal Year sets when your company's accounting year begins and how far back a person may date a manual journal entry. Set it when you onboard, before you generate accounting periods, and review it when your accountant changes your fiscal calendar.

## Before You Start

* You need **settings.edit**. Roles without it do not see Fiscal Year in Settings, and opening the page from a link shows **Access Restricted** with a **Back to Settings** button.
* Talk to your accountant before changing the fiscal year start on an entity that already has accounting periods.

## Open Fiscal Year

1. In the deck, open **Settings**.
2. Under **System**, choose **Fiscal Year**.

The breadcrumb reads **Settings > System > Fiscal Year**.

## Set The Fiscal Year Start

1. Choose the **Start month**.
2. Enter the **Start day (1 to 28)**. The day stops at 28 so the year always starts on a day that exists in every month.
3. Read the preview banner.
4. Click **Save fiscal year**.

The default is January 1, a calendar year. The banner then reads that your fiscal year runs January 1 to December 31, with periods Jan through Dec and a fiscal-year wrapper for each year.

For any other start, the banner names the current fiscal year and its dates, for example a year that starts July 1. A fiscal year is named by the calendar year in which it ends, so a year running July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 is FY 2027. New accounting periods follow this window: 12 monthly periods plus a fiscal-year wrapper.

<Warning>
  Changing the fiscal year start only affects accounting periods generated from now on. Periods that already exist, closed periods, and posted journal entries are left exactly as they are. Generate new periods from Period Close, or wait for the monthly automatic set-up of periods.
</Warning>

## Set The Journal Entry Backdate Window

**Days a journal entry may be backdated** controls how old a manual journal entry's date may be. The default is 180 days, and you can enter any whole number from 0 to 3650.

* A manual journal entry dated further back than the window is refused.
* A person holding **accounting.close\_period** can still post one outside the window by giving a reason. The reason is recorded on the entry's audit trail.
* The override never reaches a closed period. A prior-period entry still has to land in a period that is open.

Click **Save fiscal year** to save the window. It saves together with the fiscal year start.

## Messages You May See

| Message                                                                                                      | What it means                                        |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| "Fiscal year configuration saved"                                                                            | The start date and backdate window are saved.        |
| "Start day must be between 1 and 28 (so the fiscal year always starts on a day that exists in every month)." | Enter a day from 1 to 28.                            |
| "Journal entry backdate window must be a whole number of days between 0 and 3650."                           | Enter a whole number in range.                       |
| "Failed to save fiscal year configuration", or a reason from the server                                      | Nothing saved. Check the values and your permission. |

**Save fiscal year** stays disabled until you change something.

## What Changes Elsewhere

* **Accounting periods**: periods generated after the save follow the new fiscal year. Existing periods do not move.
* **Journal entries**: the backdate window applies to every manual journal entry from the moment you save.
* **Audit trail**: saving the fiscal year start or the backdate window is recorded in the Audit Log.
* **Other open sessions**: when another admin saves this page, your page refreshes to show it.

## Related Articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Period Close" href="/support/accounting/period-close">
    Generate, close, and reopen accounting periods.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Journal Entries" href="/support/accounting/journal-entries">
    Create manual journal entries and understand posting rules.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Month-End Checklist" href="/support/getting-started/month-end-checklist">
    Work through the month-end close in order.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Business Profile" href="/support/settings/business-profile">
    Set the business time zone that decides the business date.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>