GST period lock
Lock a tax period after you've filed it so bills in that period can't be added or changed — keeping your books and returns in sync.
Quick steps
- 1
File your return
Complete and file GSTR-1 for the period as usual.
- 2
Set the period lock
In Business Profile (Main branch), set the GST lock up to the filed period.
- 3
Locked periods are protected
New or edited bills can't be dated into a locked period.
- 4
Move the lock forward
After each filing, advance the lock to include the newly filed period.
Once you've filed a GST return, the figures for that period must not move — or your books and the filed return drift apart. The GST period lock enforces this.
What it does
Set a lock date, and Storeflea refuses any bill dated into a locked period — whether a new back-dated bill or an edit to an old one. So a filed month stays exactly as filed.
How it works with back-dating
Back-dating and the period lock work together: you can back-date a bill only if it falls within your back-date window and outside any locked period. That combination lets you fix a recent omission while protecting filed history. (See Back-date a bill.)
Where it's set
The lock lives with your legal/GST settings in Business Profile, on the Main branch for a multi-shop account (it applies to the whole GSTIN). Advance it after each filing.
Why bother
- Your Trial Balance and GSTR-1 for filed periods stay reconciled.
- No accidental edits that would make you under- or over-report.
- A clean audit trail: filed means frozen.
This is a safety rail, not a limitation on current work — only filed/locked periods are protected; the current period stays fully editable.
Frequently asked
How do I stop old bills from changing after I've filed GST?
Set the GST period lock in Business Profile (Main branch) up to the filed period. Storeflea then refuses any new or edited bill dated into a locked period, so your filed returns and books stay in sync. Advance the lock after each filing.
Why won't Storeflea let me back-date a bill into last month?
That month is probably locked because you've filed its GST return. Back-dating is allowed only within your back-date window and outside any locked period. Pick a date in the open period, or adjust the lock if appropriate.