Closing a file keeps your file lists current and stops new entries from being posted to finished matters. To be closed, a file needs no WIP, A/R, or retainer balance, and every entry on it must be in a closed financial period. Use this article when the balance is zero but the file won't close, you see an error about a closed General Ledger period, the file still has unbilled time, or closing the file also closed the client contact.
"All Entries Are in a Closed General Ledger Period (Date)" Error
Possible cause: The file has entries dated after your firm's last closed period. The date in the error is that last closed period.
Note: Bank reconciliation doesn't close a period.
To do this:
- Check the date of the file's last entry on its ledger.
- Go to Financials > Close Period.
- Click Previous Periods to confirm your last closed end date.
- Close periods up to at least the month of the last entry.
- Close the file.
Tip: If you don't want to keep the period closed, you can close it, close the file, and then reopen the period.
File Has Unbilled Time or Fees
Do one of the following:
- Bill or write off the unbilled entries.
- Have an admin toggle Allow files to be closed with unbilled time/fees to on under Administrator Settings > Firm > Settings > File. When this setting is on, files can be closed even if they still have unbilled time or fees.
Note: This setting doesn't remove the closed-period rule.
File Has a Retainer Balance
- Apply the retainer to a final bill or refund it to the client, and then close the file.
Closing the File Also Closed the Contact
Possible cause: The setting Close contact when closing last file is on. When this setting is on, closing a client's last open file also closes the client contact.
To do this:
- Have an admin go to Administrator Settings > Firm > Settings > File > Closing Files.
- Change Close contact when closing last file.
- Click Save.
Contacting Actionstep Support
If none of these solutions work, contact Actionstep Support. Include your license number (click your initials > Firm License Information), the file number, and a screenshot of the error.
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