SAP Special G/L Indicator Configuration

This tutorial walks through SAP special G/L indicator configuration for special G/L transactions. After completing this lesson, you will understand the configurations involved in this activity as well as how to view special G/L postings in SAP. For an overview of SAP special G/L transactions, read through our other tutorials of our free online SAP FI training.

SAP Special G/L Indicator Configuration

Special G/L transactions are posted using special posting keys and special G/L indicators. We discuss special posting key configuration in another tutorial, but to summarize, special posting keys define the account type, the debit/credit indicator and the line layout for each line item of a posting. The standard special G/L posting keys are as follows:

SAP special G/L indicator configuration must be done based on the combination of account type (vendor, customer, asset, etc.) and the special G/L account indicator (down payment, bill of exchange receivable, guarantee, etc.). The easiest way to configure all relevant transaction types is in the maintain accounting configuration tool via transaction code FBKP. Click the Special G/L button in either of the locations highlighted below:

Select an account type/indicator combination from the list or, to configure a new combination, click Create and enter the following information:

1. Specify account type
2. Select pre-existing special G/L indicator
3. Enter a name
4. Enter a description for the purpose of the indicator

Hit Enter.

Enter the chart of accounts and hit Enter again:

There are two components of SAP special G/L indicator configuration which must be performed:

1. Special G/L Account Determination
2. Special G/L Properties

We will discuss these in the following sections.

Special G/L Account Determination

The first step in SAP special G/L indicator configuration is the account determination. With account determination, special G/L transactions are posted to an alternative reconciliation account. As a prerequisite, alternative reconciliation accounts should be created within the specified chart of accounts. Let’s link the normal reconciliation account with a special G/L account as shown below:

Let’s define the special G/L account determination fields:

• Recon. acct: Enter the normal AR/AP reconciliation account maintained in customer/vendor master records.
• Special G/L account: Specify the alternative reconciliation account to which all special transactions for this indicator should post. The same special G/L account can be assigned to more than one reconciliation account.

From the special G/L account determination screen, we can navigate to the properties step. Click the Properties button to maintain the account determination. In the pop-up window, click Yes to save your special G/L account determinations:

Special G/L Properties

Now let’s maintain the properties of the SAP special G/L indicator configuration. The property characteristics are shown below:

Let’s define the special G/L properties:

• Noted items: When this box is ticked, the posting is a one-sided entry that does not update G/L account balances. However, the entry will appear in line item reporting
• Rel.to credit limit: This indicator marks if the posting should be checked against customer credit limit
• Commitments warning: When this box is ticked, a warning message will be displayed to a user when they attempt to make a posting to a specific customer or vendor account if a special G/L balance exists on that account. This is particularly useful with down payments.
• Target sp. G/L ind.: This setting is used in conjunction with noted items. It represents the indicator that may be a follow-on transaction for the special G/L indicator in question. For example, the indicator of the down payment should be placed in this field in the properties for the down payment request indicator.
• Special G/L transaction types : Define the type of business transaction here. It can be down payment related, bill of exchange related or any other user-defined business transaction.
• Posting Key: The appropriate posting keys as mentioned in the previous section, are maintained here.

Update or enter the properties as necessary.

Hit Enter then Save . The special G/L indicator will be saved with a confirmation message: .

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