Yes you post to your current live file.

Yes it will change things from that point forward.

Use the date as indicated on the year end entries for each one.  Most are posted on the last day of the year but I had an accountant give a client entries that were to be posted on different dates.

Some people still keep a backup as of year end and post every entry received after year end to that backup AND the current file.  Most people these days do not do this because updating last year end will update the current year opening balances.

It won't let me post to March 31, 2023 but I can post to April 1, 2023 . It says The date entered is in the prior period and will affect prior period reports.  Do you want to continue?

Apr 1/23 should give you the "Prior Periods" message if that is the first period of the year and your session date is in Jan /24 (or any month after Apr/23).

What is the error message when you post to Mar 31/23?  These are important things we need to help you..

Invalid date.  The session date must be between 2023-04-01 and 2024-04-01

There is no need to change the session date.  You use the session date to tell the program what you think today is.  The program will then give you date-related messages to help prevent you from posting to a wrong period.

Just enter the appropriate date in the date field of the General Journal and leave the session date as today.

Ok! Thank you Richard.