Column period controls whether a statement is grouped monthly, quarterly or annually. Use Monthly for a close review, Quarterly for a broader sequence or Annually for a year-level comparison, while keeping the overall report range appropriate to the question.
Changing the column layout does not change the underlying business events. It changes how the selected period is grouped for reading. Review the labels and any partial-period indication after making the selection.
A custom date range can begin or end partway through a calendar period. Comparing that partial column with a full month or quarter may explain a large difference without any accounting error. Check the coverage before drawing a conclusion about performance.
If you copy or export the table, preserve its column labels so another reader knows the grouping. Use account drilldown when a grouped amount needs investigation. A total spread across several monthly columns can be easier to trace to posted entries than a single annual number, especially when a correction was recorded in a later period.
Was this article helpful?
Tell us whether this answered the question you came with.