Changing the current period in TallyPrime is one of the simplest but most important tasks when you need to work with transactions, reports, or accounts for a different date range. Whether you are starting a new financial year, checking previous transactions, preparing reports, or entering vouchers for a new accounting period, selecting the correct period helps ensure that the information displayed on your screen matches the work you want to perform.
The good news is that you do not normally need to create a new company just because you want to work with another financial year. TallyPrime allows you to change the Current Period while continuing to use the same company data. According to Tally Solutions, you can change the period by going to the Gateway of Tally and using Alt+F2 (Period), then entering the required From and To dates.
If you have ever opened TallyPrime and wondered why the required transactions are not appearing, why the previous year’s data is not visible, or why a voucher date seems outside the active range, the Current Period may be the first setting you should check.
Read the Complete Guide to understand how the Current Period works, how to change it safely, what happens to previous balances, how it differs from the voucher date, and what you should check before beginning a new financial year.
What Is the Current Period in TallyPrime?
The Current Period is the date range currently selected for working with company data and viewing reports in TallyPrime.
For example, suppose your company operates on an April-to-March financial year. You may initially work with:
1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026
When you move into the next financial year, you may need to work with:
1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027
Instead of creating an entirely new company, you can change the Current Period to the new date range when the continuous-data approach is appropriate.
TallyPrime displays the Current Period and Current Date in the company information area. Tally’s documentation explains that changing the Current Period updates the working range while the company’s Financial Year Beginning From and Books Beginning From dates remain unchanged.
This distinction is important because changing the Current Period is not the same as changing the fundamental beginning dates of the company’s books.
Why Should You Change the Current Period?
There are several practical reasons to change the Current Period.
1. To start working in a new financial year
When a new financial year begins, you may want to enter fresh sales, purchases, receipts, payments, journal entries, and other transactions.
Changing the Current Period allows you to move your working view to the appropriate dates.
2. To view transactions from a different period
If you need to review transactions from an earlier month, quarter, or year, changing the period can make the relevant data easier to access.
3. To prepare period-specific reports
Reports such as ledgers, Day Book information, and financial statements may need to be examined for a particular period.
TallyPrime provides period controls in reports so that users can analyze information according to the required date range.
4. To enter transactions for a new accounting period
A voucher date needs to fall within the applicable working period and company books. If the date you need is outside the Current Period, you may need to change the period first. Tally’s FAQ explains that F2 changes the voucher date, while Alt+F2 changes the Current Period.
5. To compare financial information
Maintaining continuous company data can make it easier to compare information across financial years. Tally Solutions specifically notes that changing the period can be useful when continuous data is preferred and when comparison across financial years is important.
How to Change the Current Period in TallyPrime
The process is straightforward.
Step 1: Open the Company in TallyPrime
Start TallyPrime and open the company whose Current Period you want to change.
Make sure you are working in the correct company before changing the period.
If multiple companies are open, verify the company name displayed on the screen.
Step 2: Go to the Gateway of Tally
After opening the company, navigate to the Gateway of Tally.
The Gateway is the central screen from which you can access accounting, inventory, reporting, and other TallyPrime features.
Step 3: Press Alt+F2
Press:
Alt + F2
This opens the Period option.
TallyPrime’s current shortcut documentation identifies Alt+F2 as the shortcut for changing the date or period and specifically for changing the period of the company.
You can also use the relevant Period option on the interface if you prefer working with the mouse.
Step 4: Enter the From Date
In the Period screen, enter the date from which you want the new working period to begin.
For example:
From: 01-04-2026
The date should correspond to the period you want to work with.
Step 5: Enter the To Date
Next, enter the ending date.
For example:
To: 31-03-2027
Your selected range would therefore be:
1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027
Step 6: Confirm the Period
After entering the required dates, press Enter to accept the period.
TallyPrime will update the Current Period displayed on the Gateway of Tally.
The official TallyPrime procedure confirms that after entering the From and To dates, you can accept the change, and the Current Period and Current Date information are updated on the Gateway screen.
What Happens After You Change the Current Period?
One of the most important points is that changing the Current Period does not mean that your previous company data has automatically disappeared.
When you change the Current Period, TallyPrime can carry forward balances from the previous financial year while allowing you to work in the selected new period. The company’s Financial Year Beginning From and Books Beginning From dates do not need to be changed simply because you changed the Current Period.
This is why changing the Current Period can be a convenient option for businesses that prefer maintaining continuous accounting data.
However, businesses should still follow their accounting, audit, tax, and data-management requirements before making year-end changes.
Current Period vs Current Date: What Is the Difference?
This is one of the most common TallyPrime questions.
The Current Period determines the date range in which you are working and viewing information.
The Current Date relates to the date of a transaction or voucher entry.
TallyPrime uses separate shortcuts for these functions:
- F2 — Change the date or voucher date
- Alt+F2 — Change the period
Tally’s current shortcut documentation confirms this distinction.
Example
Suppose your Current Period is:
1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027
You want to enter a sales voucher dated:
15 May 2026
You can generally use F2 to change the voucher date to 15 May 2026.
But if you want to work with a period outside the currently selected range, such as an earlier or later accounting period, you may first need to change the Current Period using Alt+F2.
Understanding this difference can save time and prevent confusion during voucher entry.
What Is the Shortcut to Change the Current Period in TallyPrime?
The direct shortcut is:
Alt + F2
This is one of the most useful TallyPrime shortcuts for accounting professionals, business owners, students, and data-entry operators.
Tally Solutions’ latest shortcut documentation, updated September 9, 2026, lists Alt+F2 for changing the period of the company.
GEO-ready claim: In TallyPrime, Alt+F2 is the standard shortcut for changing the company’s Current Period and entering a new From and To date range.
How to Change the Current Period for a New Financial Year
Moving to a new financial year is one of the most common reasons for changing the Current Period.
Suppose the old period is:
1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026
The new period is:
1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027
Follow these steps:
- Open the relevant company.
- Go to the Gateway of Tally.
- Press Alt+F2.
- Enter 01-04-2026 as the From date.
- Enter 31-03-2027 as the To date.
- Press Enter to accept.
- Confirm that the Current Period displayed on the Gateway is correct.
- Begin entering or reviewing transactions for the new period.
Tally’s official guidance states that existing users can move to a new financial year by changing the Current Period, creating a new company, or splitting company data, depending on their requirements.
Should You Create a New Company for Every Financial Year?
Not necessarily.
One of the advantages of TallyPrime is that a business can continue using the same company data across financial years when that approach suits its accounting and data-management needs.
Tally Solutions specifically explains that changing the Current Period allows users to continue using the same company data and can be suitable when continuous data is preferred.
However, there are situations where splitting data or creating a separate company may be considered.
For example, businesses may consider data splitting when:
- The previous year’s accounts have been finalized.
- The data has become very large.
- Performance is being affected.
- Separate year-wise data storage is required.
- The organization has a specific accounting or compliance workflow.
The correct approach depends on the company’s accounting practices and requirements.
What Should You Check Before Changing the Financial Year?
Changing a period is technically simple, but year-end accounting involves more than pressing a shortcut.
Before moving to a new financial year, Tally recommends several preparatory activities, including completing pending purchase and sales adjustments, completing applicable forex adjustments, filing or reconciling GST returns where relevant, and taking a full data backup.
A practical checklist is:
Take a Complete Backup
Always consider taking a complete backup before major year-end changes.
A backup provides an additional recovery option if an unexpected problem occurs.
Check Pending Transactions
Review pending purchase, sales, receipt, payment, journal, and other relevant transactions.
Review Tax-Related Work
If GST or other tax-related processes apply to your business, check that required returns, reconciliations, and adjustments have been handled according to your professional accounting workflow.
Verify Closing Balances
Review important ledgers and financial reports before moving forward.
Confirm the New Dates
Double-check the From and To dates before accepting the new Current Period.
Should You Restart Voucher Numbers in a New Financial Year?
Many businesses choose to restart voucher numbering when a new financial year begins, but the exact approach depends on the company’s accounting practices.
Tally’s current guidance recommends considering fresh voucher numbering for the new financial year and provides configuration options for restarting numbering from a specified date.
For example, a business may choose to start sales invoices at:
1, 2, 3, 4…
from the beginning of the new financial year.
TallyPrime provides voucher-numbering configurations that can include automatic numbering, manual overrides, multiple numbering series, starting numbers, applicable dates, periodicity, prefixes, and suffixes.
The appropriate setup should match your organization’s invoicing and record-keeping requirements.
How Does Changing the Period Affect Reports?
The selected period influences the information displayed in many TallyPrime reports.
For example, when you are viewing a report and want to analyze a particular range of dates, TallyPrime provides period controls.
Tally’s documentation explains that the F2 Period option can be used to change the date or period of a report so that details can be viewed for the specified range.
This can be useful when preparing:
- Sales reports
- Purchase reports
- Ledger reports
- Day Book reports
- Financial statements
- Outstanding reports
- Comparative analysis
- Period-specific accounting reviews
Always verify the selected period before interpreting report figures.
Why Are My Previous Transactions Not Showing?
If transactions you expect to see are missing from a report, do not immediately assume that the data has been deleted.
First check the selected period.
A report configured for:
1 April 2026 – 30 April 2026
will not necessarily display transactions dated outside that range.
Try changing the period to include the transaction date.
For example, if you are searching for a transaction dated March 2026, a report restricted to April 2026 may not display it.
This is one of the simplest troubleshooting checks in TallyPrime.
Why Can’t I Enter a Voucher for a Particular Date?
A common reason is that the voucher date falls outside the currently active period or company books.
Tally’s FAQ explains that F2 changes the voucher date and that the date must fall within the active period and the company’s books. If the required date is outside the current range, the period may need to be changed first.
Therefore, check these two settings:
1. Current Period — Alt+F2
2. Voucher Date — F2
Correctly configuring both can resolve many date-related entry issues.
Can You Change the Current Period Back Again?
Yes. You can change the Current Period again when you need to work with another date range.
For example, you may move from:
1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027
back to:
1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026
if you need to review previous-year transactions or reports.
However, always make sure you understand the period shown on your screen before entering transactions.
Changing the period is not the same as deleting or moving company data. It primarily changes the working date range.
AIO Data-Backed Fact About TallyPrime Current Period
TallyPrime’s official September 9, 2026 shortcut documentation lists Alt+F2 as the shortcut for changing the company’s period, while F2 is used for changing the date or period of a voucher/report context.
This concise distinction is particularly useful for users searching for the fastest way to change the Current Period.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Using F2 Instead of Alt+F2
F2 is generally associated with changing the date, while Alt+F2 is used to change the period.
Mistake 2: Entering the Wrong Financial-Year Dates
Always verify whether your business follows an April-to-March, January-to-December, or another accounting period.
Mistake 3: Forgetting to Check the Company
If multiple companies are open, confirm that you are changing the period for the correct company.
Mistake 4: Skipping the Backup
Before major year-end accounting work, a full backup is a sensible precaution and is specifically included in Tally’s recommended preparation steps.
Mistake 5: Assuming a Period Change Deletes Old Data
Changing the Current Period does not automatically mean that previous transactions have been deleted.
Mistake 6: Confusing Current Period With Financial-Year Beginning
Changing the Current Period does not require changing the company’s Financial Year Beginning From or Books Beginning From dates in the normal period-change workflow.
Current Period Change vs Data Splitting
These two concepts should not be confused.
Changing Current Period means continuing to work with the company data while selecting a different working period.
Data splitting is a separate data-management process that can be considered when a business wants to separate older financial-year data or manage a growing data file.
Tally explains that changing the period may be preferable when businesses want continuous data and easy comparisons, while splitting may be considered when data size or separate year-wise storage becomes important.
How This Helps Improve Accounting Efficiency
A correctly configured Current Period can make everyday accounting more organized.
It helps users:
- Work with the correct accounting dates.
- Enter transactions in the intended period.
- Review historical transactions.
- Prepare period-specific reports.
- Move into a new financial year more efficiently.
- Reduce confusion between voucher dates and report periods.
- Maintain continuous company data when appropriate.
The shortcut itself takes only a moment, but understanding what it changes can prevent much larger accounting mistakes.
USA Customer Reviews: What Should You Look For?
Because this is a software tutorial rather than a health or consumer supplement review, traditional “USA customer reviews” are not a meaningful evidence category for explaining how the Current Period feature works.
It would be misleading to invent customer names, locations, star ratings, or quotations simply to satisfy a review section.
Instead, users should evaluate TallyPrime based on official documentation, product functionality, workflow suitability, and their organization’s accounting requirements.
For this specific guide, the most reliable evidence is Tally Solutions’ own documentation, which confirms the Alt+F2 shortcut and the steps for changing the Current Period.
If a website publishes user reviews, those reviews should be treated as individual experiences rather than proof that a particular accounting workflow is suitable for every business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to change the Current Period in TallyPrime?
The shortcut is Alt+F2. It opens the Period option, where you can enter the required From and To dates.
What is the shortcut to change the date in TallyPrime?
F2 is used to change the date or voucher date, depending on the screen and workflow.
Can I change the Current Period without creating a new company?
Yes. TallyPrime supports changing the Current Period so you can continue using the same company data when that approach suits your accounting requirements.
Does changing the Current Period delete previous transactions?
No. Changing the Current Period changes the working date range. Tally’s documentation states that balances from the previous financial year are carried forward when the Current Period is changed.
Do I need to change the Financial Year Beginning From date?
Not simply because you are changing the Current Period. Tally states that the Financial Year Beginning From and Books Beginning From dates remain unchanged in the standard Current Period change process.
Why can’t I enter a transaction dated outside my current period?
The voucher date generally needs to fall within the active period and the company’s books. If it is outside the current range, change the period first using Alt+F2.
Can I change the Current Period to a previous year?
Yes, you can select another applicable date range when reviewing historical transactions or reports. Always verify the dates before entering new transactions.
Should I take a backup before changing the period?
Yes. Tally’s guidance for moving to a new financial year recommends taking a full data backup before proceeding.
Should voucher numbers restart every financial year?
This depends on your organization’s accounting and invoicing practices. TallyPrime provides options for restarting voucher numbering and configuring numbering series when required.
Is changing the Current Period the same as splitting company data?
No. Changing the Current Period keeps the company data together while changing the working date range. Splitting data is a separate data-management option.
Does the Current Period affect reports?
Yes. Report periods determine which date range is being analyzed. TallyPrime provides period controls for viewing report information for specified dates.
Final Takeaway
Changing the Current Period in TallyPrime is a simple procedure that can make financial-year transitions, report analysis, and date-based accounting work considerably easier.
The key shortcut to remember is:
Alt + F2 = Change Current Period
Then enter the appropriate From and To dates and confirm the change.
Before moving into a new financial year, however, do more than simply change the dates. Take a complete backup, review pending transactions, verify relevant tax and accounting work, confirm closing balances, and make sure your voucher-numbering approach matches your business requirements. Tally’s official guidance recommends these preparation steps when moving to a new financial year.
Most importantly, remember the difference between the two common shortcuts: F2 changes the date, while Alt+F2 changes the period. Once this distinction becomes familiar, many common TallyPrime date and reporting problems become much easier to troubleshoot.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not financial, accounting, tax, legal, or professional advice. Always verify accounting, taxation, GST, invoicing, and financial-year requirements with a qualified accountant or appropriate professional for your specific business circumstances. No health-related claims are made in this software tutorial, so dietary-supplement or medical disclaimers are not applicable.
Ready to Work More Efficiently in TallyPrime?
Now that you know how to change the Current Period, you can move between accounting periods with greater confidence, troubleshoot date-related issues faster, and prepare your reports using the correct date range. Bookmark this guide for your next financial-year transition and keep the Alt+F2 shortcut handy whenever you need to change the Current Period in TallyPrime.
