Locking a Budget by Area finalises the invoices included in the current budget period and prepares the budget for reconciliation. All expenses must be allocated before you can lock. If you find additional invoices that belong in the period, you can unlock and re-lock at any point before the budget is finalised.
How the Budget Lock Date Works
Invoices dated on or before the lock date are included in the current budget period. Invoices entered after the lock date are allocated to the next budgeting cycle.
When you roll over the budget, invoices with service dates within the locked period (but entered after the lock date) can be included in the new budget. If you start a fresh budget, invoices from a previously locked period are excluded by default — to include them, set their service date within the new budget period.
Before Locking: Allocate All Expenses
Navigate to the Expense to Schedule tab within the budget.
Ensure all expenses are allocated to the correct schedule.
The Lock button remains inactive until all expenses are allocated.
How to Lock the Budget
Confirm the budget period has concluded and you are ready to reconcile.
Navigate to the property, select Outgoings, and open the relevant budget.
Click the Lock button in the top-right corner.
Enter the Lock Date to define which invoices are included in the current period.
Read the warning message — while locking can be undone, its purpose is to prevent further expenses from affecting actuals for the current period.
Click Save to confirm. You can now begin reconciling the budget.
How to Unlock a Budget to Add Missing Invoices
If you need to add expense invoices after locking:
Return to the budget and click Unlock.
Make the necessary additions or edits.
Re-lock the budget before proceeding to reconciliation.
Unlocking is only available before the budget is finalised at the end of the reconciliation process. Once a budget is finalised, it cannot be unlocked or modified.
Reconciling After Locking
Once the budget is locked and all records are in order, click Reconcile to begin the budget reconciliation process. See Reconcile a Budget by Area for the six reconciliation steps, or the EOFY Outgoings Reconciliation Checklist for the full annual cycle from approval through to roll over.
Budget by Area is referred to as Budgeted Outgoings in Asia-Pacific, Service Charge in Europe, and Operating Expenses in North America. For more information on regional terminology, see our Glossary of Regional Terminology.