Laskentaajanjakson

Laskentaajanjakson is a term in Finnish accounting referring to the defined window of time for which financial records are prepared and calculations are carried out. It determines the period over which revenues and expenses are recognized, assets are depreciated, inventories are evaluated, and closing entries are made. The laskentaajanjakson is the basis for compiling financial statements and for reporting results to stakeholders and, in many cases, to tax authorities.

In practice, the length of the laskentaajanjakson is usually twelve months, but it can be a calendar year (for example January 1 to December 31) or a different fiscal year defined by an organization (such as a financial year from April to March). Shorter or longer periods may occur during business start-up, liquidation, or restatements, and are subject to applicable accounting regulations. It is common for tax reporting cycles to align with the accounting period, though some taxes are calculated on monthly or quarterly cycles independent of the financial year.

In accounting software and processes, the laskentaajanjakson defines the data aggregation window for reporting, budgeting, and audit trails. The concept is closely related to other terms such as accounting period, fiscal year, financial year, and reporting period. The term derives from laskenta (calculation) and ajanjakso (period).