> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/llms.txt).

# Choosing a reporting period

One period picker sets the dates on Dashboards, Financials, Custom Reports and most other pages. Here are the presets, custom ranges and how the arrows step.

## Where the period picker is

The same period picker sits at the top of **Dashboards**, **Expenses**, **Revenue**, **Cost of Revenue**, **Financials**, **Custom Reports**, **Banks & Cards**, **Ledger** and **Reconciliations**. It shows the period you're looking at, with an arrow on each side.

## Pick a preset

1. Click the period in the middle of the picker.
2. Click a preset. The page updates straight away.

![The period picker open: the arrow steps back a period; presets run from This Month to All Time, then Custom](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/shots/dash-period-presets.png)

| Group | Presets |
| --- | --- |
| Months | **This Month**, **Last Month**, **Last 3 Months**, **Last 12 Months** |
| Quarters | **This Quarter**, **Last Quarter** |
| Years | **This Year**, **Last Year**, **Year to Date**, **Last 10 Years** |
| Everything | **All Time** |

**Year to Date** and **Last 10 Years** run up to today. **This Year**, **This Quarter** and **This Month** cover the whole calendar period, including days still to come.

## Set a custom range

1. Open the picker and click **Custom ›**.
2. Choose how to count: **Day**, **Month**, **Quarter** or **Year**.
3. Click the first unit of your range, then the last one.
4. Click **Set**. Click **Cancel** to leave without changing anything, or **Back to presets** to return to the list.

## Step back or forward

Click the left arrow to move back one period and the right arrow to move forward. The arrows step by the shape of your period: a month moves by a month, a quarter by a quarter, and a custom range by its own length. With **All Time** selected, the arrows are off.

## Which period each page opens on

- **Dashboards**, **Financials**, **Expenses**, **Revenue** and **Cost of Revenue** open on **the last complete month**.
- **Dashboards** then moves once to the newest month with activity. It doesn't remember a period you picked when you leave.
- **Financials**, **Expenses**, **Revenue**, **Cost of Revenue**, **Custom Reports**, **Banks & Cards**, **Ledger** and **Reconciliations** remember your last period for each company and page, until you close the browser tab.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** Some reports show a balance on one date rather than activity over a range: the **Balance Sheet**, **Trial Balance** and aging reports use the last day of the period you pick. See [Reading your Financials](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/reports-and-insights/read-your-financials).
{% endhint %}

## Frequently Asked Questions

<details>
<summary>Why does a page open on last month instead of this month?</summary>

Because the last complete month is the latest one with a full month of activity. Click **This Month** to see the running month.
</details>

<details>
<summary>Can I report on my fiscal year instead of the calendar year?</summary>

Yes, with **Custom ›**: choose **Month** and click your fiscal year's first and last months. The presets **This Year** and **Last Year** follow the calendar year.
</details>

<details>
<summary>Why are the arrows greyed out?</summary>

**All Time** is selected. It has no period before or after it, so there is nothing to step to.
</details>

<details>
<summary>Does the period I pick carry over to other pages?</summary>

No. Each page keeps its own period. Most pages remember theirs for each company until you close the browser tab.
</details>

<details>
<summary>What does "Detailed activity begins…" mean after I pick a period?</summary>

The period is before your books start date. ZeraBooks holds only opening balances for that time, not individual transactions. Pick a period on or after that date.
</details>

<details>
<summary>Why do aging reports ask me to "Choose a reporting date"?</summary>

Aging needs one date to measure from, and **All Time** doesn't have one. Click **Use last month** or pick a period.
</details>

---

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