# Create and manage tax filing periods

Create dated filing records and enter the amounts used to track filing and payment status.

Canonical: https://demo.qixcount.com/help/taxes/filing-periods

Who can do this: Owners, or people with *View financial reports* for the Filing periods sidebar pages

Where: Tax, then Filing periods

You'll need: Tax turned on in Features

A filing period is a tracking record with a date range, due date and amounts. Creating one starts its amounts at zero; QixCount does not calculate them from invoices.

## Create a filing record

1. Open **Tax**.
2. Select **Filing periods**.
3. Select **New Filing Period**.
4. Enter **Period Name**.
5. Select **Frequency**: Monthly, Quarterly or Annually.
6. Enter **Period Start Date**.
7. Enter **Period End Date**. It cannot precede the start.
8. Enter **Due Date**. It cannot precede the period end.
9. Enter **Notes** if needed.
10. Select **Create Filing Period**. You return to the list.

![Create Tax Filing Period with name, frequency and date fields](https://demo.qixcount.com/images/help/taxes-filing-period-create.webp)

## Enter the amounts

1. Select the open period's **Edit** icon from the list.
2. Enter **Tax Collected** under **Tax Amounts**, using zero or a positive amount.
3. Enter **Tax Owed**, using zero or a positive amount.
4. Enter **Tax Paid**, using zero or a positive amount.
5. Select **Update Filing Period**.

The balance shown is tax owed minus tax paid, with a minimum of zero. Changing amounts through Edit does not automatically change the status. You can delete an open period from its details page's **Actions** menu after confirming the deletion.

## Use the Sales Tax entry point

On **Sales tax**, select **View All** under **Recent Filing Periods**, then **Add Filing Period**. This opens the same records through a different form. Its date rules are stricter: period end must follow start, and due date must follow end. It does not provide the amount-editing form described above.

Next, [record a filing and payment](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/taxes/record-a-tax-return).

## Good to know

If **Filing periods** isn't in the sidebar, someone with settings access can turn on **Tax** in [Features](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/setup/features-and-presets).

The **Filing periods** sidebar page requires *View financial reports*, including its create and edit actions. The separate filing-period pages reached through **Sales tax** require *Manage business settings, roles & permissions*.