Friends, at times we encounter a situation wherein follow on documents of an FI document goes missing. Yes, this inconsistency can occur because of a bug or badly written user exits(with commit work) which results in a partial rollback when update terminations happen. Now, the question is how the follow on documents can be created for which FI document already exist.

There are SAP transactions which let you post follow on documents from existing FI document or from original document(SD billing). Below are the same.

All of these transactions must be used very responsibly. Use of these transactions where not required will cause mismatch between FI and follow on modules.

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Related posts:

1. SAP Archiving – Effect of selecting ‘Retain account display balance’ in Post processing program for FI_DOCUMNT
2. How to translate documents in Google docs to various languages
3. SAP Archiving – Why XARCH Flag is Set in Secondary Indexes during Archiving FI Documents
4. SAP Archiving – Archive Index ARIX_BKPF for Accounting Documents

I have already discussed about the creation of information structure. Now, I’ll discuss how to perform various operations like view data, view status of an information structure. Here I’ll take example of info structure SAP_FI_DOC_002.

Above operation can be performed by using transaction SARI which makes a part of Archive Information System.

View data stored in information structure

1) Go to transaction SARI.

2) Click on ‘Archive Explorer’ and below screen will appear.

3) Fill archiving object and information structure name and ‘Execute’. Below screen will appear.

Fill selection criteria and ‘Execute’. Below is example of data.

Similarly, on clicking ‘Status’ after step 1 will give fill status of info structure per archive and per info structure. Just give it a try and you will understand everything.

In which table the data is stored

We have just seen the data which is stored in info structure SAP_FI_DOC_002. Does it mean that we have a table in data dictionary with name SAP_FI_DOC_002 which stores this data?

The answer is NO. If you want to know the database table corresponding to an info structure then

Go to SARJ—>Give info structure name—>’Display’—>’Technical details’. Here you can find table name against field ‘Structure table’.

That’s it for now friends.

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Related posts:

1. SAP Archiving – Creation of SAP AS/Information Structure Via Transaction SARJ
2. SAP Archiving – SAP AS or Archive Information System For FI_DOCUMNT
3. SAP Archiving Procedure
4. SAP Archiving – Why XARCH Flag is Set in Secondary Indexes during Archiving FI Documents

Friends, have already discussed that old archive index is replaced by new indexing tool called SAP AS. In SAP AS, we create Information Structure which actually stores the indexing information for archived documents.

In this post I am going to discuss creation of important information structures pertaining to archiving object FI_DOCUMNT.

Do we have to create information structures manually

Yes, inforstructures can be created manually depending on the naming convention used in an organization. One can also use SAP standard information structures.

SAP does provides standard information structures for FI_DOCUMNT as below :

It might be a bit confusing to see same names in both Infostructure and Field catalogue column. Actually, field catalogue contains all the fields which can be included in an information structure i.e if you create an information structure based on field catalogue SAP_FI_DOC_001 then you can include only those fields in infostructure which are included in field catalogue SAP_FI_DOC_001.

Some important points to remove confusion

1) Field catalogue doesn’t contain any data. These consist of relevant fields which can be included in an infostructure. Field catalogues are supplied by SAP and can be used to create various infostructures depending upon requirement and the archiving object.

2) It is the infostructure that actually contains data.

3) Infostructure can have the same name as field catalogue.

4) Both of standard infostructures are inactive by default. You have to activate them explicitly for usage.

How to View infostructures SAP_FI_DOC_001 and SAP_FI_DOC_002

1) Go to transaction SARJ and mention SAP_FI_DOC_002 in ‘Archive info structure’.

2) Click ‘Display’ and you will see below fields.

The fields which are on the left hand side(under Info structure fields) are included in information structure. The fields under ‘Optional fields’ are the fields which are included in field catalogue SAP_FI_DOC_002 and can be included in info structure SAP_FI_DOC_002 if required.

Similarly you can view other info structure SAP_FI_DOC_001.

How to view available field catalogues

All the field catalogues which are available in an R/3 system can be viewed via SARJ—>Menu option ‘Environment’—>’Field catalogs’.

Let us create info structure based on field catalog SAP_FI_DOC_002

1)Go to transaction SARJ and mention the archive info structure to be created. For example ZF_TEST_FI_002.

2) Click ‘Create’ and fill the required information as shown below

3) Click ‘Create’ again and below screen will appear.

You can choose all the required fields from ‘Optional fields’ column and move them to info structure.

4) Save and activate.

That’s it for now friends.

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Related posts:

1. SAP Archiving – Explore SAP AS/Information Structure via Transaction SARI
2. SAP Archiving – SAP AS or Archive Information System For FI_DOCUMNT
3. SAP Archiving – What Data gets Archived via Object FI_DOCUMNT
4. SAP Archiving – Why XARCH Flag is Set in Secondary Indexes during Archiving FI Documents

Archive administration SARA is a central transaction to archive data pertaining to any archiving object in an SAP R/3 system. In this post we’ll discuss about the transaction by taking example of archiving object FI_DOCUMNT. You might be thinking that if the transaction can be used for any archiving object then why archiving object FI_DOCUMNT is taken as specific example. Well, because various options in transaction SARA appears depending upon the archiving object. For example, Reload functionality is not supported by all archiving object. So, when you give object FI_DOCUMNT in transaction SARA then Reload option will appear. You can see the same via below steps :

1) Go to transaction SARA.

2) Object name : FI_DOCUMNT. Press Enter.

3) Menu option Goto –>  Reload.

So, now let us discuss about the transaction SARA with the help of archiving object FI_DOCUMNT. Below is a screen shot :

Write and Delete

I have already discussed about Write and Delete phases in my earlier post SAP Archiving Procedure.

PostProc or Post processing

This phase is used after archiving (Write, Delete and optional Storage phase) for cleaning up the secondary indexes of the line items (tables BSIS, BSAS, BSAK, BSAD, and BSIP) and the accounting archive indexes (ARIX_BKPF). Generally, secondary indexes are not deleted during archiving therefore we have a separate phase/program to delete secondary indexes. The same can be used to delete archive index as well.

Read

On clicking ‘Read’ you will be presented with various programs which can be used to read data from archive files. For example,

Index

This is used to either build or delete secondary and archive indexes.

StorageSyst

This is used to either store or retrieve archive files to/from connected storage system. You can read more about Storage phase in my post SAP Archiving Procedure.

Management

Here you can see all created archive files along their status(Complete archiving sessions, Incomplete archiving sessions etc). Below is a screen shot :

Complete Archiving Sessions : A session is moved under ‘Complete Archiving Sessions’ if both Write and Delete phases are completed for all the archive files under the session.

Incomplete Archiving Sessions : The sessions under this consists of archive sessions in which there exist at least one archive file for which delete phase is is not completed.

That’s it for now friends.

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Related posts:

1. SAP Archiving Procedure
2. SAP Archiving – Important Customizing for Archiving Object FI_DOCUMNT
3. SAP Archiving – SAP AS or Archive Information System For FI_DOCUMNT
4. SAP Archiving – Archive Index ARIX_BKPF for Accounting Documents

Friends, some days ago I discussed about archiving procedure and what data gets archived when financial documents are archived by using archiving object FI_DOCUMNT. During archiving of FI documents, data from header table(BKPF), line item table(BSEG), tax data(BSET), intercompany posting(BVOR) etc is written to archive file and then deleted from the database. But, corresponding secondary index data is not deleted. There is a flag called XARCH in all secondary index tables namely, BSIS, BSAS, BSAK, BSAD(BSID and BSIK are not considered during archiving FI documents). This flag is set to X for archived FI documents.

Why data from secondary index tables is not deleted during archiving.

It is not that data from secondary index tables cannot be deleted during archiving of financial documents. The secondary indexes data can be deleted immediately after delete phase via post processing program or we can say post processing step.

But, secondary indexes are not deleted because line item display transactions display line items from secondary index tables. Below are the line items display transactions.

Line item display transaction for G/L accounts : FBL3N

FBL3N selects line items for G/L accounts from secondary index tables BSIS or BSAS or from both depending upon whether you want to view only open items or only cleared items or all items(both open and cleared) respectively.

Line item display transaction for Vendor accounts : FBL1N

FBL1N selects line items for vendor accounts from secondary index tables BSIK or BSAK or from both depending upon whether you want to view only open items or only cleared items or all items(both open and cleared) respectively.

Line item display transaction for Customer accounts : FBL5N

FBL5N selects line items for vendor accounts from secondary index tables BSID or BSAD or from both depending upon whether you want to view only open items or only cleared items or all items(both open and cleared) respectively.

Does that mean that data from secondary index tables is never deleted?

No. This is not the case. Actually, we define life time of secondary indexes in the customizing setting depending upon the business requirement. The life time indicates the number of days for which secondary indexes should remain in database after archiving. Once the life time is achieved, secondary indexes can be deleted by using post processing step. The post processing step will not deleted secondary indexes for which life time is remaining.

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Related posts:

1. SAP FI – Line Item Display Flag in Account Settings
2. SAP Archiving – What Data gets Archived via Object FI_DOCUMNT
3. SAP Archiving – SAP AS or Archive Information System For FI_DOCUMNT
4. SAP Archiving – Archive Administration SARA

Friends, I have already discussed about old archive index ARIX_BKPF. Archive index ARIX_BKPF is replaced by new indexing tool called SAP AS or SAP Information system as of SAP_APPL release 600.

Within Archive Information System, the archive indexes are created in structures called Archive Information Structures or just Infostructures.

Archive Information System can be used to create information structures pertaining to any archiving object. In this post I will discuss SAP AS by taking example of object FI_DOCUMNT.

Which transactions make SAP AS

The new indexing tool for archived data consists of transactions SARI and SARJ. These two transactions combined together makes SAP AS.

Transaction SARJ is used to create/edit information structures which hold necessary information for indexing archived data.

Transaction  SARI is used to explore the data present in information structure, for checking status of information structure etc.

Advantages of SAP AS

For me, below are the two most important advantages of SAP AS over old archive index ARIX_BKPF.

1) In my earlier post Why XARCH Flag is Set in Secondary Indexes, I discussed about a limitation because of which line item display transactions cannot display required data if we delete secondary indexes after archiving. Therefore, a flag XARCH is set in secondary indexes. Does that mean we cannot delete archived data from secondary index tables?

Well, if we have active archive info structures in an R/3 system then we can display line items even after deleting the same from secondary index tables. This is made possible because of the flexibility of SAP Archive info structures to store archive index information on per account basis.This was not possible with old archive index ARIX_BKPF which stores index information based on only header of FI document.

Now line item display transaction FBL3N, FBL1N and FBL5N

Above procedure was not possible with old archive index ARIX_BKPF because line item display transactions reads items per account and account field was not present in ARIX_BKPF.

For making line item display transaction read from SAP AS, you just need to select ‘SAP Information System’ while executing the transaction. Below is an example of FBL3N.

2) You can view whether SAP AS is fully or partially populated i.e whether index is present for all the archived documents or not. This was not possible with old archive index ARIX_BKPF. Fill status of an info structure, for example SAP_FI_DOC_002, can be viewed via transaction SARI.

Can we use SAP AS in lower releases like 46C, 470 and 500

Yes. SAP AS can be used in these releases but you need to search SAP notes to find out how to activate this functionality in lower releases.

That’s it for now friends.

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Related posts:

1. SAP Archiving – Why XARCH Flag is Set in Secondary Indexes during Archiving FI Documents
2. SAP Archiving – Archive Administration SARA
3. SAP Archiving – What Data gets Archived via Object FI_DOCUMNT
4. SAP Archiving – Creation of SAP AS/Information Structure Via Transaction SARJ

Friends, some time ago I discussed SAP Archiving Procedure wherein one question remained unanswered regarding whether is it mandatory to perform Delete phase and then Storage. Is it possible to perform Storage first and then Delete phase?

I am taking this opportunity to explain in brief the answer of above question and some other customizing settings of archiving object FI_DOCUMNT.

You can navigate to customizing settings of archiving object FI_DOCUMNT(any archiving object) by following below steps :

1) Transaction AOBJ.

2) Search for archiving object FI_DOCUMNT and double click on it.

3) Select ‘Customizing settings’ from the options on left hand side of the screen.

Following is the screen shot of customizing setting for FI_DOCUMNT.

Sequence

Delete Before Storing : With this setting, delete phase is performed before an archive file is stored in storage system.

Store before deleting : With this setting, first the archive file is stored in connected storage system and then delete program deleted data from database. For this, deleted program have to read archive file from storage system therefore flag ‘Delete Program Reads from Storage System’ must be selected.

Archive File Size

Maximum Size in MB and Maximum Number of Data Objects

These options pertains to archive write program. The write program reads data from database and write the same in archive file till one of these conditions is satisfied i.e either size of archive file reaches 25 MB or the number of data objects reaches 30000.

Settings for Delete Program

As the name suggest, these settings pertains to delete program

Commit counter : This defines the number of data objects which delete program deletes in one single shot i.e delete program deletes data objects in the packages of 10 in current settings.

Test mode variant : This is default variant for running delete program/phase in test mode.

Production mode variant : This is default variant for running delete program/phase in production mode.

Delete Jobs

Not Scheduled : You have to run delete program/phase manually.

Start automatically : The delete program/phase will start automatically as soon as the write phase is finished.

After event : You can set delete program/phase to run as soon as a particular even is triggered.

Settings for Post processing program

Production mode variant : This is default variant for running post processing program/phase in production mode.

Start Automatically : Post processing program will start automatically as soon as delete phase completes.

Place file in Storage System

Automatically : If this flag is checked then the created archive file will be stored automatically in the connected storage system defined by Content Repository.

That’s it for now friends.

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Related posts:

1. SAP Archiving Procedure
2. SAP Archiving Objects
3. SAP Archiving – Archive Administration SARA
4. SAP Archiving – What Data gets Archived via Object FI_DOCUMNT

Friends, I just came across quite exhaustive SAP SD configuration material which was made available by my friend Eddai on his blog. Below are some details.

SAP Configuration related guidelines information is rare to find on web However this one is the best I have come across for SD Module so far, at least in freely available documents. I did not have time to check all but 363 pages of this guide does not only provide you configuration procedures, but also extend content with end-user notes too. Starting with a simple ERP,  SAP concept definition, in the ongoing pages you will be introduced each topics, then you will be provided SAP IMG Path of all configurations with screenshots supported. Most important tables and fields in each topics are also provided. Some of the configuration topics from the very first of pages will convince you about this guide’s quality

• Enterprise Structure - Define Company, Company Code, Sales Organization, Distribution Channel, Division, Sales Area, Sales Group, Plant, Storage Location, Shipping Point
• Enterprise Structure – Assign Company code to Company, Sales Organization to Company Code, Distribution Channel to Sales Organization, Division to Sales Organization, Plant to Company Code
• Master Data - Define Account Group, Number Range, Assign Number range to Customer Account Groups, Define Regions, Define Sales District, Price Group, Price List, Shipping Conditions and etc.

How to download

You can visit sapdocs to download the material.

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4. SAP FI – Clearing in SAP FI

Friends, in this post I am going to discuss about archive index. I have already discussed about archiving procedure. During write phase of archiving, data is read from database and the same is written is a file which is called as archive file. This is a flat file and contains data in sequential format.

Now, let us take a scenario wherein we want to read a particular FI document from an archive file. So, we write a program to do so. The program’s selection criteria is  Company code, FI document number, and Fiscal year. Once executed, The program starts reading the archive file from the beginning and display the FI document as soon as it encounter it. Quite easy.

The problem

No doubt, we can always create a ABAP report which can read a desired archived FI document or data from archive file. But, the problem lies in the fact that archive file is a flat file and the program has to read the file in sequential manner until desired document/data object is reached. An archive file can have 50,000 or 200,000 documents and sequential read will take a lot of time if the document/data object exists in second half of archive file. The worst case in terms of performance is if the document/data object to be read is the last document in archive file. In short, flat structure of archive file resulted in performance problem.

The solution

What we do if read from a database table takes lots of time. Well, we create index on the database table. Of course after analysing the requirement and after effects of creating indexes.

Same solution was devised for archive files also. The archive files were indexed and the index is called as Archive Index. It may be confusing to think that index is created for a flat file. Actually it was achieved by using a database table. The table is ARIX_BKPF.

Below is a screen shot :

Explanation : How indexing is achieved

It is clear that ARIX_BKPF has company code, document number and fiscal year as key fields. It also contains two other fields, ARCHIVE_KEY and OFFSET which are archive file name and offset entry.

When delete phase is executed for FI_DOCUMNT,  the delete program deletes the document from database and populate necessary information in ARIX_BKPF. So, ARIX_BKPF contains following 3 important parameters for all archived documents along with other fields:

Let us again create an ABAP report to read a particular FI document from an archive file. This time we will use ARIX_BKPF and the reading procedure will be as follows :

1) The program goes to table ARIX_BKPF and fetch archive file name and offset where the document is stored in archive file.

2) With these two values namely, Archive file name and offset, the program directly start reading the desired document starting from the offset position within the archive file.

Bingo! We have just omitted sequential read in archive files. Now, our programs can directly read an FI document/data object from the position where they are stored in archive file. Of course, we need to write necessary lines of code to achieve this. Presence of table ARIX_BKPF doesn’t mean that all the program automatically read it

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Related posts:

1. SAP Archiving – SAP AS or Archive Information System For FI_DOCUMNT
2. SAP Archiving – Archive Administration SARA
3. SAP Archiving Objects
4. SAP Archiving – Why XARCH Flag is Set in Secondary Indexes during Archiving FI Documents

Friends, earlier I discussed about Line item display flag in G/L account customizing. There is another flag called ‘Open item management’ just above Line item display in the customizing of G/L accounts. At times, this flag can be a a source of confusion in terms of what will happen if this flag is checked or unchecked.

Transaction to display G/L account’s customizing

FS03 is the transaction through which we can view the customizing settings of a G/L account. The ‘Control’ tab in FS03 will display the status of ‘Open item management’ flag. The screen shot is shot is shown below :

Transaction to display  Customer’s and Vendor’s account’s customizing

Similarly, transactions FD03 and FK03 are used to display the customizing of customer and vendor accounts. You can yourself try to find ‘Open item management’ flag in these in  transactions. Well, you will not be able to find the flag. Even I cannot find it. In fact no once can!!! Because the flag doesn’t exists for customers and vendors accounts . The catch is, customer and vendor accounts are Open item managed by default. Obviously because customers are your receivables and vendors are payables i.e you either have to pay (in case of customers) or receive(in case of vendors) and then perform clearing.

Effect of checking Line item display flag

If Open item management flag is checked for a particular G/L account then the line item containing that G/L account can be cleared. Remember that customer and vendor accounts are open item managed by default therefore customer and vendors line items are clearable by default.

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Related posts:

1. SAP FI – Line Item Display Flag in Account Settings
2. SAP Archiving – Why XARCH Flag is Set in Secondary Indexes during Archiving FI Documents
3. SAP FI – Clearing in SAP FI
4. SAP Archiving – What Data gets Archived via Object FI_DOCUMNT