Warning Messages

Pay special attention to the messages that appear prior to the end of year actually beginning. Each message has a purpose and will prompt you to remember the things you need to do before you start the update.

For example, it will warn you if there are no transactions in that module to update, or if the wrong period update is being completed.

Further examples of these messages are detailed below. These can be applicable to a range of modules.

Warning: "No AR transactions have been entered singe last end of period".
- This warning message indicates that no transactions have updated or been entered into Accounts Receivable.
- You can check this by printing the audit trail and/or transaction list (by transaction sequence).
- Select Cancel to resolve any issues before beginning the end of period update or if you have confirmed that no transactions have been entered since the last end of period update select next to continue processing the end of year update.

Warning: "The Accounts Receivable current financial period is not in the last financial period of the year".
- This warning message indicates that you are not in the last period of the year and are trying to complete an end of year update.
- You can check this in current processing periods and compare this to your current year in Financial Years. These options are both under System.

Warning: "When rolled, Accounts Receivable will be placed more than one financial period ahead of Cashbook".
- This message indicates that if you update Accounts Receivable you will be placed more than one financial period ahead of Cashbook. This is not recommended and you should further investigate this before continuing with the end of period update.
- You can check this in current processing periods and comparing this to your current year in Financial Years. These options are both under System.

"Final Confirmation" message for end-of-year
- This message indicates the financial period that the update will move from and to.
- It also indicates that there are unresolved issues that are not recommended situations for updating the module, but it will let you continue with the end of period update.

"Exclusive Access" message
- This message indicates that another User or process has access to and has locked the 'Accounts Receivable Customer' form. The end of period update cannot begin until the lock is removed.
- If you select Ok to this message, Attaché PRO will not begin the end of period update.
- If you leave this message and remove the lock the end of period update will begin.

"End of period update error"
- If you receive an error message similar to below after beginning an end of period update, see the information detailed below regarding lock error messages.
- The above message indicates that Attaché PRO was unable to begin the end of period update as it failed to open files.
- This can occur if you are experiencing network troubles, if the files have been moved or deleted, or if there is a lock on the files that has not been released by another user or process.
- Select OK and check if there are users in the system.
- Ensure that the network is connected and there are no technical issues and re-try.

General Troubleshooting tips

Backups

Always keep a permanent copy of the backup taken prior to starting the end of year update in each module.

Errors running File Recovery

If you run a File Recovery and receive errors:

Further investigate any errors before continuing.
- Are you familiar with these errors?
- Are the changes made correct?
- Do your reports still balance?
📌Note: you may need to restore to your backup.

Reports or checks don't balance

Enter any adjustments necessary and re-check the balances.
Do not begin the end of year update until you are happy that the figures are correct and balance

Lock error messages

If you receive a 'lock' error message, this indicates that another User has entered Attaché PRO.

Check the Security User List and ask those people to exit Attaché PRO.
Do not cancel the lock. The system will continue with the end of period update. once the lock is removed. The lock message will disappear if you leave it.
If you need to cancel the lock or exit Attaché PRO during an end of period update, you must restore to a backup and try again.

Completion Messages

When the end-of-period is complete you will get a message on screen that states 'End of Period update completed successfully'.

If you cannot remember receiving this message and you think the end of period update is complete, you can print the System Event Report to check (System, Reports, Events).
If you check the system event report and the end of update has commenced (first line) and the last line reads end of period update succeeded as shown below for Accounts Receivable (AR), then the end of period update has completed successfully for that module, and you should be okay to continue.
If you check the system event report and the end of update has commenced (first line) but there is no line for AR end of period update succeeded (last line above) or if the last line reads AR end of period update failed, then the end of period update has not completed and you should restore to your backup and retry the end of year update.
If you are unsure, take a backup and run File Recovery on that module.

If you run an end-of-Month instead of an end-of-year

The system will warn you if it thinks you are doing the wrong update based on your financial periods.
If you select Yes to this message, the system will continue with the type of update it believes to be correct. In this example, an end-of-month update in place of the selected end-of-year update.
If you select No to this message, the system will continue with the type of update you have selected, in this example an end-of-year update.
If you continue and complete the wrong type of update the data will be changed substantially. the changes made by this process are irreversible.
If you do complete the wrong type of update, the only option is to restore to the backup taken prior to starting the end of period update, failure to do so will result in incorrect figures for the current and following financial year.
⚠️Warning:
- If you receive a warning or error message and are unsure of how to proceed you should always contact your Attaché PRO Consultant before continuing.
- End of period update reorganises the files substantially, and when completed, there is no way to reverse an update, so be sure you know what you are doing.

General Ledger Retain Amounts

If a General Ledger retain amount is generated, you will need to restore your data to the backup taken prior to beginning the end of period update for General Ledger and locate and correct the retain amount (normally this will require an amendment to the chart of accounts) before recommencing the end of period update.

There are a number of steps to follow which should help you to identify why a retain amount has been generated. We would recommend taking a backup of your Attaché PRO data.

Make a note of the amount that has been generated - does it ring any bells? You may immediately recognise it as an amount in one of your accounts, in which case you are well on your way to solving the problem.
Print out a copy of your chart of accounts and also a copy of your trial balance.
Check the trial balance to see if that amount appears on the report. If it does, have a look at the account in question.
- If the account is a profit and loss account and is not a closing stock account, the account should be a Z account.
- If it is the closing stock account, it should be an H account. If the account is a balance sheet account it should be an H account unless it is the retain account, in which case it should be a Z account.
- If you make any changes to the Z/H flag you should run File Recovery on the General Ledger module before performing the end-of-period update.
Check on the chart of accounts that you have at least one looping structure in your chart, i.e. at least one account that has a post-to account against it. If you don't have any loops set up, refer to Chart Structure in the Attaché PRO Help (F1) for details on setting up a loop.
Check that stock on hand in the balance sheet is the equal and opposite of the closing stock figure in the profit and loss.
- If you have several stock accounts, you should total these together and compare the totals not the individual accounts.
If you have checked all of these options and the system is still generating a retain amount, there is further information regarding retain amounts in the Attaché PRO Help.