Understanding the Period Field

The Period field identifies the period of work that a task relates to.


For recurring work, this is often the clearest way to distinguish one task from another.

For example, a VAT task may relate to:  QE 31/12/25


This is different from the task Deadline. The Period tells you which accounting, filing or processing period the task relates to, while the Deadline tells you when the task is due to be completed.


Where to find the Period field

The Period field is available in the Tasks grid.

If it is not currently visible:

  1. Open Tasks.
  2. Click the Column Chooser.
  3. Find Period in the list of available fields.
  4. Select it to add the Period column to the grid.

How the Period is calculated

For most recurring tasks, the Period shows the relevant accounting or reporting period.

For example:

  • Accounts: YE 31/12/26
  • VAT: QE 30/09/26
  • Bookkeeping: ME 30/11/26

For Payroll tasks, the Period is calculated using the Payroll Frequency and Day settings.

For example:

  • Monthly payroll with Day set to 25 will have a period ending on the 25th of the relevant month.
  • Fortnightly payroll with Day set to Friday will move forward in two-week periods, with the relevant Friday shown as the period end.

This allows the Period to reflect the payroll cycle being processed rather than simply the date by which the task must be completed.


Other tasks

For other recurring tasks, the Period is based on the relevant accounting, filing or reporting period used by that task.


Period and Deadline

These fields serve different purposes:

  • Period identifies the work period the task relates to.
  • Deadline identifies when the task is due to be completed.

Using both makes it easier to identify and manage recurring tasks accurately.