General Ledger

Charts of Account

After creating Company Code, the next thing we have to do is creating Chart of Accounts (COA).In SAP R/3 term, Chart of Accounts is a unique four alphanumeric code that represents the structure of group of General Ledger (G/L) accounts. The COA contains the definition of all G/L accounts such as their account number, account name, and the type of G/L account (whether the account is a Profit &Loss; /P&L; type account or a balance sheet type account).
Each company code must have one chart of accounts (COA) for its general ledger. The COA must be assigned to the company code. A COA can be assigned to several company codes which mean that these company code’s general ledgers have the same structure.

We can define Chart of Accounts with “OB13” T-code or through “SPRO” T-code menu: Financial Accounting – General Ledger Accounting – G/L Accounts – Master Records – Preparations – Edit Chart of Account Lists.

The definition of COA determines some characteristics of the COA, which are:

§  Chart of Accounts code and its description.

§  The language of COA.

§  Length of G/L Account number of the COA (up to 10 digits, can be numerical or alphanumeric).

§  Type of integration between G/L accounts and cost elements. It controls of how a cost element can be maintained when maintaining a G/L account. A cost element classifies the company’s valuated consumption of production factors within a controlling area. A cost element corresponds to a cost-relevant item in the chart of accounts such as expense account (a P&L; account).

 The following options are available for each G/L account:

§  No maintenance of cost elements.

§  Cost elements maintained manually.

§  Cost elements maintained automatically. When we save a new G/L account, the related cost element is automatically created. A prerequisite is that a default value for the cost element category has been set up for this cost element. If no default value is found, the system will not create a cost element.

§  Group Chart of Accounts for consolidation process (if the general ledger of the company code will be consolidated to the parent company’s general ledger).

§  The status of COA: blocked or not. SAP suggests blocking COA if charts of accounts are created centrally and accounts are created locally. If this is the case, then the block prevents accounts from being created in the company codes for a chart of accounts that is not yet completed.

Assign Company Code to Charts of Account

We have Created Company Code and chart of account. The next thing we have to do is to assign company code to chart of accounts.Each company code must have one chart of accounts (COA) for its general ledger. The COA must be assigned to the company code. A COA can be assigned to several company codes which means that these company code’s general ledgers have the same structure.

We can Assign Company Code to Chart of Accounts with “OB62” T-code or through “SPRO” T-code menu: Financial Accounting – General Ledger Accounting – G/L Accounts – Master Records – Preparations – Assign Company Code to Chart of Accounts.

Posting Keys

Posting Key is a 2 digit key to control line items. Posting Key config controls.

• Whether the posting is debit or credit.
• The type of account the entry will be made to. (G/L, Customer, Vendor, Assets, Material)
• Posting key for reversal, if document is reversed.
• Screen Layout – Fields can be suppressed, required or optional.
• Field status can be controlled using Posting Key Field status as well as Field status Group assigned to G/L.

Maintain Accounting Configuration : Posting Keys List
Posting keys	Name	Debit\Credit	Account Types
1	Invoice	Debit	Customer
2	Reverse Credit Memo	Debit	Customer
3	Bank Charges	Debit	Asset
4	Other Receivables	Debit	Customer
5	Outgoing payment	Debit	Customer
6	Payment Difference	Debit	Customer
7	Other Clearing	Debit	Customer
8	Payment Clearing	Debit	G\L Account
9	SPL G\L Debit	Debit	Customer
10	G\L postings	Debit	G\L Account
11	Credit Memo	Credit	Customer
12	Reserve Invoice	Credit	Customer
13	Reserve Charges	Credit	Customer
14	Other Payables	Credit	Vendor
15	Incoming payment	Credit	Customer
16	Payment Difference	Credit	Asset
17	Other Clearing	Credit	Customer
18	Payment Clearing	Credit	Customer
19	SPL G\L Credit	Credit	Customer
21	Credit Memo	Debit	Vendor
22	Reverse Invoice	Debit	Vendor
24	Other Receivables	Debit	Vendor
25	Outgoing payment	Debit	Vendor
26	Payment Difference	Debit	Vendor
27	Clearing	Debit	Vendor
28	Payment Clearing	Debit	Vendor
29	SPL G\L Debit	Debit	Vendor
31	Invoice	Credit	Vendor
32	Reverse Credit Memo	Credit	Vendor
34	Other Payables	Credit	Vendor
35	Incoming payment	Credit	Vendor
36	Payment Difference	Credit	Vendor
37	Other Clearing	Credit	Vendor
38	Payment Clearing	Credit	Asset
39	SPL G\L Credit	Credit	Vendor
40	Debit Entry	Debit	G\L Account
50	Credit Entry	Credit	G\L Account
70	Debit Asset	Debit	Asset
75	Credit Asset	Credit	Asset
80	Inventory Taking	Debit	G\L Account
81	Cost	Debit	G\L Account
82	inventory Difference	Debit	G\L Account
83	Price Difference	Debit	G\L Account
84	Consumption	Debit	G\L Account
85	Change in Stock	Debit	G\L Account
86	GR\IR Debit	Debit	G\L Account
89	Stock inwd movement	Debit	Material
91	Cost	Credit	G\L Account
92	inventory Difference	Credit	G\L Account
93	Price Difference	Credit	G\L Account
94	Consumption	Credit	G\L Account
95	Change in Stock	Credit	G\L Account
96	GR\IR Credit	Credit	G\L Account
99	Stock Outwd Movement	Credit	Material

General Ledger Master Records

1) There are 3 steps to create and use a chart of accounts (COA)
a) Define COA
b) Define the properties of the COA
c) Assign the COA to Company codes.

2) The COAs is a variant that contains the structure and the basic information about general ledger accounts.

3) The Definition of COA contains
a) Four digit COA key.
b) COA Name.
c) Maintenance language,
d) Length of the G/L Account number.
e) Integration with Controlling (CO) – Manual/Auto creation of Cost Elements.
f) Group Chart of accounts.
g) Status – Block indicator.

4) Length of G/L accounts can be from 1 to 10 digits.

5) One COA can be assigned to several company codes.

6) GL Master contains COA segment and Company code segment.

7) The Information entered in the COA segment for a G/L account applies to all company codes using that COA.

8) The Chart of account segment contains following details:
i) Type/Description - Account group.
- P/L or Balance sheet item.
- Description – Short/Long text.
- Group Chart of Account G/L. no.
ii) Key word Translation. – Key words in COA
- Translation.
iii) Information - Info in COAs
- G/L text in COA.s

9) The Company code segment of G/L master contains:
Only bal in
a. Control Data. – Account Control local currency, Exchange rate diff, Tax Category.A/c Management in Company code.- Open/Line item management,
b. Bank interest
c. Information.

10) Account Group Controls - Number ranges of the account.
- Status of fields in the company code segment of the master record.

11) Field status has following properties - Hide. 
- Display.
- Required entry.
- Optional entry.

12) Fields displayed in G/L account master record are controlled by:

a. Account group
b. Transaction specific controls (Create/Change/Display).

13) Field status group assigned to a G/L codes in Company code segment is to control the field status of the financial transaction entered in that G/L account.

14) While creating Reconciliation account G/L master Reconciliation a/c type needs to be assigned – i.e. D – Accounts receivable or K – Accounts payable

15) You cannot post amounts directly to reconciliation accounts.

16) You can only activate or deactivate open item management if the account has a zero balance.

17) If the account currency is the local currency – the account can be posted to in any currency.

18) Account in Foreign currency as account currency can only be posted to in that foreign currency.

19) The group chart of account is assigned to each operational chat of accounts. If this is done “Group account number” in COA segment of the Operational COAs is a required entry field.

20) Country COA/Alternative COA number is entered in company code segment. This makes alternative G/L a/c field in Company code segment of the G/L master record a required entry.

21) Different accounts of one operational COAs can refer to the same group g/l account. However one country chart of a/c GL code can be referred to only one operational GL a/c. Every country chart of accounts number can only be used once.

22) If all the companies are using the same operational COA then consolidation is possible otherwise Group COA is used for Consolidation.

23) G/L accounts with open line item management must have line item display activated.

24) GL account number ranges are always external where as for customer/vendor it can be internal as well as external number assignment.

25) For Cross company code controlling, companies must use the same chart of a/cs.

26) Number intervals for G/L account master data can overlap.

27) The fields “Account currency” and “Field status Group” are always required entry fields. This status cannot be changed.

28) Reconciliation accounts are general ledger accounts assigned to the business partner master data to record all transactions in the sub ledger.

IMG: Financial A/cing>G/L A/cing>Master records>Preparations >Additional Activities>Define screen layout for each transaction 9Create/Change/Delete)