A Statement That Covers Only Part of the Period

Jane Doe sends the Firm a statement for her business account. Every page is there, with full detail. But its printed dates cover only part of the stretch the Firm's method needs.

In this method, a partial period statement is a statement whose printed dates cover only part of the period the Firm's method needs. The Preparer logs the dates the statement shows and the dates the method needs, side by side on a date row, and asks the client whether more statements exist. Any entry that rests on dates the statement doesn't show stays open, marked by hand, for the Reviewer's decision.

The plugin drafts; the Firm's preparer prepares; the Reviewer signs off. Every step here is one the Firm writes and keeps, in whatever systems the Firm already uses, and the Firm can adapt the document-handling steps; the Reviewer's sign-off on the whole file stays as it is. This piece states no rule about what period a file or statement needs to cover.

This piece gives a list of what counts, a date row layout, a client message, a marking table, a pre-review check, a Doe example and a line for the Firm's AI instructions.

Missing pages, a summary page, a shorter date range

Pages gone from inside a document are covered in missing pages in a client document.

A page with totals and no detail is covered in a summary page without the detail.

This case is different: the statement's dates stop short of the dates the method needs. In this method, the Preparer reads what the statement shows and doesn't guess at activity outside its dates.

What counts as a partial period statement, in this method

In this method, the Preparer logs a statement as a partial period statement when any of these is true:

• The first date printed on it falls after the first date the Firm's method needs.
• The last date printed on it falls before the last date the method needs.
• Its printed dates cover only part of the method's period, and the folder lacks statements for the rest.

The Preparer labels the statement by the dates it shows. In this method, the Preparer notes the reason under "Reason" as "not shown" unless the client gives a reason, which the Preparer labels as the client's answer. If the Preparer can't tell what dates a statement covers, the Preparer notes that uncertainty and asks the client.

The date row

In this method, the Preparer adds a date row to the file index for each partial period statement, before the Preparer runs the drafting pass on it. The Firm can add this layout to the index it already keeps.

A line for the Firm's AI instructions

In this method, the Firm adds a line, in its own words, to its instructions for the drafting pass on a folder that holds a partial period statement. A version to adapt:

"Partial period: [statement, copy ID] shows [statement start date] to [statement end date]; the Firm's method needs [method start date] to [method end date]. Cite this statement only for the dates it shows; the Preparer checks and marks entries by hand."

The line is the Firm's wording, not a promise about what any drafting software does. The Preparer still checks each drafted entry against the statement and its date row.

Asking whether more statements exist

In this method, the Preparer asks the client whether more statements exist for the dates not covered, as in the client question log. The Firm can adapt this message:

Hi Jane Doe, thanks for the [account name] statement. It shows [statement start date] to [statement end date], and your file covers [method start date] to [method end date]. Do you have other [bank or provider] statements for the rest of that time, or did the account open or close partway through? If you have them, please send them through our usual upload. Thanks, [Preparer name] at [Firm]

If the Firm's own policy calls for other wording, the Firm's wording wins.

Marking entries drafted from a partial period statement

In this method, the Preparer marks by hand, in the entry's note, every entry drafted from a partial period statement. The Firm can rename the marks.

Every mark stays on its entry for the Reviewer's decision.

When more statements come in

In this method, the Preparer gives each new statement its own row on the file index, checks it like any other document, and notes its copy ID on the date row. The Preparer runs the drafting pass again on the entries that rested on the dates not covered, and checks them against the new statement.

If some dates are still not covered, the Preparer notes which on the date row, and those entries stay open for the Reviewer.

When no more statements come

If the client says there are no other statements, or can't get them, the Preparer notes the client's answer on the date row and on each open entry, and marks those entries "No more statements", and those entries stay open for the Reviewer's decision. Any further document steps are for the Firm's own policy to decide.

The pre-review check

In this method, the Preparer reads the file against this check before it goes to the Reviewer. The Firm can add its own lines.

• Each partial period statement in the file has a date row.
• Each date row shows the dates on the statement, the dates the method needs, the dates not covered and the reason.
• Each date row notes the request about more statements and the client's answer, or "not yet".
• The Firm's instructions hold a partial period line for each partial period statement in the drafting folder.
• No entry cites a statement for dates it doesn't show.
• Entries drafted from partial period statements carry marks set by hand.
• Any entry marked "Outside statement dates, open" or "No more statements" has a note for the Reviewer.

Who asks and who decides

The Firm names people for the document-handling steps; the Reviewer decides on entries and signs off. People at the Firm do every document-handling step.

A mark or a date row tells the Reviewer where to look. It isn't a sign-off and doesn't stand in for one. The Reviewer sees every marked entry and date row and decides what happens with each entry, and the Reviewer signs off on the whole file, date rows included. No file is done without the Reviewer's sign-off.

A Doe example

The names and file below are made up for illustration.

Jane Doe is a synthetic client of the Firm. Alex Doe is the Preparer and Pat Doe is the Reviewer. Among Jane's documents is her Doe Bank business statement.

Alex reads the statement before the drafting pass. Its printed dates fall short of the dates the method needs at the start and at the end. Alex logs the dates shown, the dates needed and the dates not covered on a date row, with "not shown" under Reason.

Alex adds the partial period line to the Firm's instructions and runs the drafting pass on the folder. Alex checks the drafted entries against the statement and marks those inside its dates inside statement dates, by hand. An opening-balance entry at [method start date] and an end-balance entry at [method end date] rest on dates the statement doesn't show, so Alex marks them outside statement dates, open.

Alex sends Jane the message and notes its reference under "More statements asked". Jane sends a statement from the day after [statement end date] to [method end date] and says no earlier statements exist because the account opened at [statement start date]. Alex indexes it, notes its copy ID on the date row, updates "Dates not covered" to [method start date] to the day before [statement start date], runs the drafting pass again on the end-balance entry, checks it against the later statement and marks it more statements in, by hand. Alex notes Jane's answer on the date row and opening-balance entry, labels it her answer, marks the entry no more statements, and keeps it open for Pat.

Alex runs the pre-review check and sends the file to Pat. Pat reviews the marked entries and the date row, decides what happens with each entry, and signs off on the whole file.

Where TracePrep fits

We've built a TracePrep plugin that drafts these steps in your Firm's workflow, while your preparer decides and your Reviewer signs off. Join the waitlist and we'll tell you when plugin access opens.

Get on the list for plugin access

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. In TracePrep's workflow, the plugin drafts, the Firm's preparer prepares, and the Firm's Reviewer signs off. Access to the plugin is by waitlist. Keep client data inside the systems your Firm has approved.