Closing a Starting Period for the First Time

Closing a period for the first time is an important step since it makes the starting period you selected permanent. For that reason, the system shows a prompt, with one or more questions, to ensure that you are ready to take that step and, if needed, gives you an opportunity to change the starting period.

Click the radio bullet on the line of your starting period.
When prompted, answer one or more questions. Remember, once you close your first period, you cannot go back and change the starting period.
Verify the starting period. If you are sure, click Yes, my starting period is correct.
If there are periods prior to the one you selected, the system will show a warning that those periods will be ignored. If you are okay with ignoring these periods, click Yes ignore those periods.
If you answered the question(s) in the affirmative, click Close now to close your first accounting period. The page reloads and displays:
- A check mark next to the closed period
- The next period in succession as: "Close now" if the period is in the past
- "Review now" if the period is in the past but contains unallocated charges, payments, or adjustments
- "days left in the period" if the period is the current period

From this point forward:

You can only close accounting periods in sequential order - always the oldest period first.
The system will ignore all charges and credits users added prior to the starting period.
Users will receive an error message if they try to enter a claim with a date of service that falls within the range of an ignored accounting period.
When a user adds a charge to a claim with a date of service that falls within a closed accounting period, the system assigns the charge to the oldest open period.
When an adjustment request comes in for a payer, the system posts the adjustment to an accounting period. If the period for which the date of service resides is closed, the system will assign the adjustment request to the next open period.