Check the lock date in Xero

Problem Statement

Xero shows errors such as "The document date cannot be before the period lock date" or "The document date cannot be before the end of year lock date". You need to resolve them and know where to check the lock date in Xero.

Solution

These errors occur when Xero has a lock date set and the invoice (or other document) date is before that lock date. Locked periods cannot be changed via the API. If sync failed earlier and you retry after locking, the sync will fail with this error.

Fix: Resolve any sync issues before the period is locked. If the document date must fall in a locked period, you would need to change or remove the lock date in Xero (if your process allows it).

Steps to Set It Up

1. In Xero, go to Accounting → Advanced → Financial Settings.
2. Check Period lock date (or End of year lock date) to see which dates are locked.