The 13th Month refers to the practice of keeping an annual accounting period open for 20 additional days into the next accounting period for expenses incurred during the prior period and paid within the 20 day window. For those with calendar fiscal years, any services rendered or goods received in December and paid before January 20th, must be back dated to December.
According to Paragraph 3.1.740 in the BARS Manual "Open periods are required by statute for cities (RCW 35.33.151 and RCW 35A.33.150) and allowed for counties (RCW 36.40.200). Special purpose districts which use the county or a city as their treasurer may use the same open-period as their treasurer. If a district acts as its own treasurer, no open period is allowed by statute."
Go to Transactions > Accounts Payable
In January, there will be two batches of Accounts Payable entries.
- Enter Accounts Payable Due Date as 12/31 for all 13th Month items. Use the normal legislative meeting date for expenses incurred in January.
- Click Print
- Check Report for an Accounts Payable Report to review each batch using the Due Date to segregate 13th month and normal January Items.
- Click Preview, Printer or PDF
The default settings will work for this report.
- Click Pay to pay Accounts Payable.
- Check Select for any transactions with a 12/31 Due Date.
- Click Continue
- The transaction date and the 13th month check box will fill automatically
- Finish process the payments they same way you would using batching or without batching. If you are uncertain, click the links to With Batching or Without Batching .
Repeat steps 5-9 for normal January items using your normal due date.
To identify 13th month items easily in the General Ledger Change the drop down year to the prior year and all o f the 13th Month transactions will have the 13 Mo check box checked.
