Every day you close, the system compares the fuel you actually measured in each tank with the fuel it expected to be there. The difference between the two is your variance. Small variances are normal; this article explains where they come from and how to handle them.
What is a Daily Close variance?
A variance is the gallons you measured in a tank minus the gallons the system expects.
Expected balance (book): what the system calculates should be in the tank. It adds up every fuel load, fueling, transfer and adjustment since your last full inventory reset.
Measured balance (physical): the stick or gauge reading you enter at close.
A positive variance is a gain: there is more fuel than expected. A negative variance is a loss: there is less.
Tank | Expected (gal) | Measured (gal) | Variance (gal) | Result |
Jet A Tank 1 | 10,000 | 9,950 | -50 | Loss |
Avgas Tank 2 | 4,000 | 4,012 | +12 | Gain |
Variance is calculated per tank in that fuel's unit, usually gallons. The close then totals variances for Jet A, Avgas, Other and overall.
⚠️Important: Saving a daily close does not change your inventory balances. It is a record of your readings. To post the variance and correct your inventory, you run Close Period as a separate step.
Why do variances occur?
A variance means the measured reading and the system's math disagree. The most common reasons:
Temperature changes. Fuel expands when warm and contracts when cool. Readings are not corrected for temperature, so the same fuel can measure differently from one day to the next.
Reading and entry errors. A misread stick or gauge, or a typo when entering gallons, shows up directly as a gain or loss.
Missing or late transactions. The expected balance only knows about fuel loads, fuelings, transfers and adjustments that have been recorded. Anything not yet entered, or entered with the wrong date or time, throws the math off.
Meter reading gaps or overlaps. If meter readings don't line up between fuelings, the gallons recorded may not match what was actually pumped. The close flags these as warnings.
Variances not yet posted. Until someone runs Close Period, past variances aren't applied, so the expected balance keeps carrying the old difference forward.
Different starting points. The close summary starts from your last measured reading, while the variance report starts from your last expected balance. The two can show different numbers for the same period.
Hydrants. Hydrants save a measured balance of 0, so a hydrant's variance may not match what you'd expect from that figure.
Running a Daily Close
Pick the close date and time. The system loads every active tank, truck and hydrant with its expected balance at that moment, plus each meter's last reading.
Enter your readings. Type the measured gallons for each tank and the ending reading for each meter. The variance appears as soon as you enter a tank reading.
Review warnings. The system flags gaps and overlaps in meter readings between fuelings. These are warnings only and won't stop you from saving.
Review the summary. It shows gallons pumped, received and sold, arrivals, departures and number of fuelings, plus variance totals for Jet A, Avgas and Other.
Save as draft (optional). You can reopen a draft and finish it later.
Save the close. The system stores each tank's expected balance, measured balance and variance, links every fuel transaction in the period to this close, and updates each meter's current reading.
Posting the variance with Close Period
Close Period is the only step that corrects your inventory. It posts the saved variance as an inventory adjustment, which updates the expected balance and the fuel lots behind it.
Close Period is optional and runs separately from the daily close. Until someone runs it, the expected balance stays as it was, even after a Daily Close is saved.
Good to know 💡
Large variances are not flagged. There is no tolerance or limit, so a large loss saves exactly like a small one. Check each variance before saving.
Saved Daily Closes can't be edited. To fix a mistake, delete the latest close and redo it. Only the most recent close can be deleted.
Deleting a close doesn't undo everything. Meter readings are not rolled back, and any Close Period already posted stays in place.
Daily Close dates must move forward. You can't save a close dated before your last close. More than one close on the same day is allowed.
Drafts count as your last close. An unfinished draft can set the starting figures for your next close. Finish or delete drafts before starting a new one.
New sites need a starting inventory. A site that has never run a starting inventory or full close will get an error when you try to close.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Does saving a close change my inventory? No. Only Close Period posts the variance and changes the expected balance.
Will the system warn me about a big loss? No. Review your variance totals in the summary before saving.
Does the close compare meter readings with recorded fuelings? No. It only flags gaps and overlaps between meter readings.
Are readings corrected for temperature? No. Variance uses the gallons you enter, with no net-gallon correction.
Can I change a close after saving it? No. Delete the latest close and redo it.
Need more help? Contact X‑1FBO Support for further assistance 📞