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Flux analysis compares current-period account balances to a baseline - prior period, same period last year, or budget - and flags variances that exceed your materiality thresholds. In DualEntry, flux analysis is built into the close workflow so that material movements are explained before the period is locked.

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Configure materiality thresholds

Before running your first flux analysis, set the thresholds that define what counts as a material variance.
  1. Navigate to Close Management → Flux Analysis → Settings.
  2. Set thresholds for each comparison type:
ThresholdDescriptionExample
Absolute amountFlag if the dollar change exceeds this value.$5,000
Percentage changeFlag if the percentage change exceeds this value.10%
Both (AND)Flag only if both thresholds are exceeded.$5,000 AND 10%
You can set different thresholds for income statement accounts and balance sheet accounts. Balance sheet thresholds are often tighter because balance sheet movements may indicate errors in accruals or reconciliation. DualEntry applies thresholds at the account level by default. Override thresholds on specific accounts if they have known seasonal patterns or expected large swings - for example, a revenue account that spikes in Q4.

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Run a flux analysis

Generate the analysis for a close period.
  1. Navigate to Close Management → Flux Analysis.
  2. Select the company and period.
  3. Choose the comparison basis:
    • Prior period - compare April 2026 to March 2026.
    • Same period prior year - compare April 2026 to April 2025.
    • Budget - compare actual to budgeted amounts.
  4. Choose Run Analysis.
DualEntry calculates the variance for every account and flags those that breach your thresholds. The results appear in a table you can filter and sort. You can run multiple analyses against different comparison bases for the same period - for example, run both a prior-period and a budget comparison to catch variances that only surface against one baseline. Each analysis is stored independently, so commentary entered on one does not carry over to the other. If you select the budget comparison, DualEntry pulls amounts from the budget you’ve uploaded or entered in the Reporting & Analytics module.

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Review flagged variances

The flux analysis results show every account with its current balance, comparison balance, dollar change, and percentage change. Flagged accounts are highlighted and require commentary before the analysis is considered complete. For each flagged account:
  1. Select the account to open the detail view.
  2. Review the underlying transactions by drilling into the journal entries that make up the balance.
  3. Enter commentary explaining the variance - what caused it and whether it’s expected or requires investigation.
Commentary is stored on the flux analysis record and visible to reviewers and auditors. Be specific: “Revenue increased due to a one-time contract renewal” is useful; “expected variance” is not. If the variance results from multiple contributing factors, list each one with its approximate impact so reviewers can assess whether the explanation fully accounts for the movement.
DualEntry’s AI copilot can suggest commentary for flagged accounts based on the transactions posted during the period. Review and edit AI suggestions before submitting - they’re a starting point, not a finished explanation.

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AI-suggested commentary

When you open a flagged account, DualEntry can generate a draft explanation based on the period’s transaction activity. The AI examines the largest transactions, new vendors or customers, and unusual posting patterns to produce a suggested narrative. To use AI commentary:
  1. Open a flagged account in the flux detail view.
  2. Choose Suggest Commentary.
  3. Review the generated text. Edit it to add context the AI can’t infer - management decisions, contract changes, known timing differences.
  4. Save the commentary.
AI suggestions work best on accounts with clear transaction drivers - a single large invoice, a new integration sync, or a one-time accrual. For accounts with diffuse activity across many small transactions, you’ll likely need to write the explanation yourself. The AI also performs better when journal entry memos are descriptive, because it uses those memos as input when generating commentary. You can regenerate a suggestion after adding more detail to the underlying journal entries if the first draft wasn’t specific enough.

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Close checklist integration and export

Flux analysis ties into the month-end close checklist. When you create a checklist from a template, include a “Run flux analysis” task. Once all flagged variances have commentary and the analysis is marked complete, the corresponding checklist task updates to Complete automatically. If new entries are posted after the flux analysis is run - for example, a late accrual - re-run the analysis to capture the updated balances. DualEntry preserves existing commentary so you only need to address newly flagged accounts. You can export the flux analysis for distribution to management, audit, or the board. From the flux analysis results, choose Export and select the format: PDF for a formatted report, or CSV for raw data. The export includes account balances, variances, threshold flags, and all commentary. A summary section shows the total number of flagged accounts, the number with commentary, and any accounts still pending explanation. Use the Reporting & Analytics module for additional financial statement presentations.
Do not lock the period with unexplained flagged variances outstanding. Auditors treat missing variance explanations as a control gap. Complete all commentary before proceeding to period locking.
After completing flux analysis, every material variance in the period is identified, explained, and documented. The commentary is stored alongside the close record for audit review. Combined with account reconciliation and the close checklist, flux analysis completes the evidence trail for a well-controlled close. For deeper variance reporting beyond the close workflow, see Flux Reporting.
Last modified on June 22, 2026