Error: "Period end date is for prior year." (when issuing checks for a new year)

You are issuing checks for a new year but your period end date is in the prior year.

When your check date is in the current year, but the period end date is in the prior year, this error warns you that the period end date may be incorrect. If the period end date is correct, continue with your normal work flow to issue checks.

You should close the year in Payroll before you process or print checks for a new year. If you do not close the year before you issue payroll for a new year, the limits and totals for the previous calendar year are used to calculate the checks for the new year.

See FAQ (US) - Timing of year-end tasks: What should I do when? for more information on the effects of processing payroll before you close the year.