What action does the lock dates feature in Xero provide?

The lock dates feature in Xero is designed to enhance the integrity of financial data by preventing changes to transactions from a specific past period. Once the lock date is set, users cannot modify or delete transactions that occurred before that date, ensuring that historical financial records remain accurate and unchanged. This is particularly important for maintaining reliable financial reports and ensuring compliance with accounting standards, as it protects the integrity of past accounting periods.

This feature is crucial during the end-of-period or end-of-year closing processes, where having a stable set of financial records to work from is necessary for audits and reviewing prior financial performance. By locking the dates, businesses can safeguard their financial history against unintended alterations while allowing for ongoing activity in the current reporting period.