2.1 Customer master data

2.1.1 Number ranges

For each customer record created, a customer number will be assigned. Customer numbers can be externally assigned, or assigned sequentially by the SAP FI system. Once number ranges are defined, the number ranges are assigned to customer groups.

Create a number range

Because the number range maintenance transaction is not part of the SAP Easy Access menu, you must enter the SAP Reference IMG menu by following the steps:

1. Type SPRO in the command field and then press (Enter) (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1: Create customer number ranges, step 1

2. Click on SAP Reference IMG (Figure 2.2).

Figure 2.2: Create customer number ranges, step 2

3. Navigate to Financial Accounting (New) • Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable • Customer Accounts • Master Data • Preparations for Creating Customer Master Data • Create Number Ranges for Customer Accounts (Figure 2.3).

Figure 2.3: Create customer number ranges, step 3

4. Click the change intervals button .

5. Click the insert line icon .

6. Enter a number range and from and to values as shown in Figure 2.4 and click the save icon . For our example, create number range 54 which will internally assign numbers to customers.

Figure 2.4: Create customer number range, step 6

7. SAP FI returns a message regarding number range transports (Figure 2.5). As before, the discussion of transports is beyond the scope of this text however, it should be noted that special care should be taken when creating transports for number ranges in a productive environment. Many SAP FI projects maintain number ranges directly in the productive environment and this function is limited to very few individuals. Click Enter Continue to save the number ranges.

Figure 2.5: Create customer number range, step 7

8. Click the back icon to return to the Display IMG menu.

Create customer account group

Customer account groups classify customers into various categories, for example: wholesale customers, consumers, etc. Separate “bill-to” and “ship-to” customers can be used in the SAP Sales and Distribution (SAP SD) module. A “one-time” customer account group is also common for certain types of customers. The fields that are required, optional, or suppressed in the customer master record are also designated by customer account group. The fields available are quite extensive.

1. At the Display IMG menu, navigate to Financial Accounting (New) • Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable • Customer Accounts • Master Data • Preparations for Creating Customer Master Data • Define Account Groups with Screen Layout (Customers) (Figure 2.6).

Figure 2.6: Define customer account groups, step 1

2. Rather than create a customer account group from scratch, copy an existing customer account group and edit settings as needed. From the list of customer account groups (Figure 2.7), select Bill-to-party and click the copy as icon .

Figure 2.7: Define customer account groups, step 2

3. Enter the Account group (in this case account group 88) and a Meaning (description of the account group) and click the enter icon (Figure 2.8).

Figure 2.8: Define customer account group, step 3

4. With the new account group selected, click the details icon (Figure 2.9).

Figure 2.9: Define customer account group, step 4

5. With company code data selected, click Expand Field Status (Figure 2.10).

Figure 2.10: Define customer account group, step 5

6. With account management selected, click the details icon (Figure 2.11).

Figure 2.11: Define customer account group, step 6

7. Note that only the Reconciliation account field is selected as required (Figure 2.12). You may recall from the introduction to AR at the beginning of this chapter, that the reconciliation account is a general ledger account that contains the summary of transactions while the detail is held in the subledger. This selection should never be changed for customer account groups. To demonstrate changes, select “Suppress” for Buying Group and Personnel number and then click the save icon to save your changes.

Figure 2.12: Define customer account group, step 7

8. When prompted for a transport request, enter a description and click the Enter Continue icon (Figure 2.13).

Figure 2.13: Define customer account group, step 8

Assign number range to account group

Now that both the number ranges and account groups are created for the customer accounts, assign the number range to the account groups.

1. From the Display IMG menu navigate to Financial Accounting (New) • Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable • Customer Accounts • Master Data • Preparations for Creating Customer Master Data • Assign Number Ranges to Customer Account Groups (Figure 2.14).

Figure 2.14: Assign number range to account group, step 1

2. Scroll to new account group 088 and enter “54” in the Number range column (Figure 2.15). Click the save icon to save the change.

Figure 2.15: Assign number range to account group, step 2

2.1.2 Payment terms

Payment terms are an important attribute for processing accounts receivable transactions. Payment term definitions include the number of days from invoice date that a customer is allowed before payment is due. In addition, any discounts for making a payment prior to the due date is included in the payment terms record. Payment terms may be assigned to customer records or to transactions.

1. From the Display IMG menu navigate to Financial Accounting (New) • Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable • Business Transactions • Outgoing Invoices/Credit Memos • Maintain Terms of Payment (Figure 2.16).

Figure 2.16: Create payment terms, step 1

2. Click (Figure 2.17).

Figure 2.17: Create payment terms, step 2

3. Enter the payment terms information and click the save icon to save the new terms code (Figure 2.18).

Figure 2.18: Create payment terms, step 3

4. When prompted for a transport request, enter a description and select the Enter Continue icon (Figure 2.19).

Figure 2.19: Create payment terms, step 4

In our example, we entered only the most common fields required which also meet our specific requirements. Below is a list of the fields available for payment terms.

Field

Description

Payt terms

4-character unique identifier for payment terms

Sales text

30-character explanation of terms to appear on invoices

Day limit

Used when terms are based upon the day of the month when the invoice is posted

Own explanation

Terms description

Account type

Select customer, vendor, or both to indicate which type of accounts these payment terms apply to

Fixed day

Used if the baseline date for terms should be overwritten by a specific calendar date. (Baseline date is the date from which the terms apply).

Additional months

Used if additional months are added to the calendar month of the baseline date

Block key

Results in a proposed block reason when goods issued (AR) or payment proposal is posted

Payment method

Indicates that the defined terms are applicable only if the specific payment method is used

Default for baseline date

Specifies which date is proposed for a baseline date when documents are created. If no default is selected, baseline date must be entered manually.

Installment payment

Used when invoice amount will have partial amounts with different due dates. When entering documents, system prompts for the breakdown.

Rec. entries

If this indicator is selected, and recurring entries are being posted, the terms will be derived from the customer/vendor master record rather than the original recurring document entry.

Term %

Percentage to be used for the discount

No. of days

Number of days from the baseline date for which the discount is allowed

Fixed date

Calendar date that the discount ends if baseline date is not used

Additional months

Used if additional months are added to the calendar month of the baseline date for the invoice to be eligible for discount