> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/llms.txt).
# Create a month-end custom report
Build a branded month-end, quarter-end or year-end report with your statements, charts and notes, starting fresh or from last month's report.
## Before you start
A custom report is a report pack for one period: a cover, an executive summary, statements, charts and your own notes. You build it from your live books, then publish it, download it or email it. Reports are kept per company and per period.
In the left navigation, click **Custom Reports**. The list shows only the reports for the period selected at the top, so pick the period first.
## Run a new report
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### Open Run Report
Pick the period with the period picker, then click **Run Report**. The dialog is titled for the period, for example "Run Monthly Report for April 2026". Click the period in the title to change it.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Choose the sections
Tick the sections to include. All four are ticked to start with:
| Section | What it adds |
| --- | --- |
| **Executive Summary** | A page for your written summary, the **Revenue Analysis** and **Expenses Analysis**, and the **Total Cash**, **Net Burn** and **Runway** cards |
| **Profit & Loss** | The Profit & Loss for the period |
| **Balance Sheet** | The Balance Sheet at the period's end |
| **Cash Flow** | The Cash Flow for the period |
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Or copy a previous report
To reuse an earlier report's pages, text, cover and supporting files, open **Copy Previous Report…** and choose one of your 25 most recent reports. The section choices grey out, because the copy brings its own pages. It says **No previous reports** if there are none yet.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Run it
Click **Run**. The button reads **Running…**, then the report opens in the editor, ready for you to write and arrange. A new report is named **Month End Report**, **Quarter End Report** or **Year End Report** to match the period, and a copy keeps the title of the report it came from. Change the title in the cover options. See [Customize pages and the cover, and attach supporting files](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/reports-and-insights/customize-pages-cover-and-files).
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** With **All Time** selected, the report saves a fixed date range covering your posted books through today, so it doesn't keep growing later.
{% endhint %}
## Add pages and charts
On a draft, every page has **Options** and **Add** at the top. Click **Add** to put a new section after that page. The library has five tabs, each with a live preview:
| Tab | Sections |
| --- | --- |
| **Graphs** | **Cash Flow**, **Total Cash**, **Runway**, **Net Burn**, **Gross Income** |
| **Statements** | **Profit & Loss**, **Balance Sheet**, **Cash Flow** |
| **Lists** | **Top Expense Categories**, **Top Vendors**, **Top Income Categories**, **Top Customers** (five each) |
| **Dimensions** | Empty for now (see the FAQ) |
| **Custom** | **Revenue Analysis**, **Expenses Analysis**, **Text** |
Type in **Filter…** to find a section by name. To add a notes page at the end, click **Add text** in the top bar. Text sections hold up to 20,000 characters.
## Your drafts save themselves
Every change saves half a second after you stop typing. The top bar shows **All changes saved**, **Saving changes…** or **Changes waiting to save**. If a save fails, you see "Your changes could not be saved. Check your connection and try again." with **Retry save** and **Reload saved version**. Your browser also warns you before you leave a page with unsaved changes.
To pick up a draft later, go to **Custom Reports**, pick its period and click **Resume Editing** on its card.
## Reuse a report next month
On any report card, click **⋮** › **Duplicate Report…**. **Run Report** opens with that report chosen under **Copy Previous Report…**. Pick next month's period in the title and click **Run**.
## Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to save my report?
No. Drafts save automatically about half a second after each change. Look for **All changes saved** in the top bar.
Why can't I see the report I made last month?
The list shows only reports for the period selected at the top. Pick last month in the period picker.
Can I schedule a report to run every month?
No. ZeraBooks doesn't schedule reports. Each month, use **Duplicate Report…** on last month's report to start from the same layout.
Can I break a report down by department or location?
Not yet. The **Dimensions** tab is empty: "Departments and locations are recorded on documents, not on bank rows, so there is nothing to break down yet."
Do the figures update when my books change?
Yes, on a draft. Click **Refresh figures** in the top bar to reload them from your books. A published report keeps the figures it had when you published it.
How do I delete a draft report?
On its card, click **⋮** › **Delete draft…**, then **Delete draft**. Only drafts can be deleted; other reports and published copies keep their own text and files.
What does "Could not run the report" mean?
The report couldn't be created. Check your connection and click **Retry report**.
---
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