Inform Direct applies a number of date rules to help ensure the accuracy of filings. However, when preparing an action, the date on which it will become active may not always be known or could be in the future. It is therefore possible to enter the information without confirming the date, or entering a date in the future.

Please note, the option to leave a blank date or use a future date is currently only available for the processes listed below:

• Appointing an officer
• Terminating an officer
• Adding a PSC
• Removing a PSC

The blank or future date can be used when entering the details and saved, but the filing will only become possible when the date entered is the day of submission or a previous date. 

1. The date of an action can be entered at the first step of processes completed within Inform Direct. The example shown below is appointing an officer.

While the date will become a mandatory field before submitting the action to Companies House, at the stage shown below, it can be left blank or a future date used.  

2. You will then be able to complete the remaining steps of the required process, at which point you will have the chance to generate a pending approval. 

2a. If you select Yes to approval, the PDF document generated will show the future date or a blank date as displayed below:

2b. If No is selected for approval, it will raise the below red text. This explains that you can proceed, but no PDF summary is generated. It will remain accessible from the company Dashboard. 

Selecting continue will provide further details, as shown in the example below with a future dated officer appointment. 

3. The saved actions will appear on the company dashboard tab in the Pending Approvals & Saved Processes table. 

The Awaiting column highlighted in the image below confirms the status of the saved data:

• Filing - No approval PDF has been generated, the action is awaiting submission to Companies House.
• Approval - An approval document has been generated and is awaiting confirmation that it is correct.
• Data input - The process is awaiting data to be input, such as a blank date.
• Filing from XX/XX/XXXX - No approval PDF has been generated, but the process contains a future date, it therefore cannot be submitted until the date entered.

4. The yellow pencil options allow you Complete, edit, change the date or remove the saved action. 

Submissions which have a blank or future date cannot be submitted, the software will therefore raise an opportunity to change the appointment date. If you attempt to continue with blank or future date, the action will remain saved in the Pending Approvals & Saved Processes.