Parking and Holding Documents for Review or Completion in SAP FICO

In SAP FICO (Financial Accounting and Controlling), parking and holding documents is an essential process for managing financial transactions that are not yet ready for posting. This functionality allows users to save incomplete documents for further review, completion, or correction before final posting to the General Ledger (G/L). In this article, we will walk through the process of parking and holding documents step by step, with examples to guide you through the procedure.

What is Parking a Document in SAP FICO?

Parking a document means temporarily saving the document in the SAP system without posting it to the financial statements. This feature allows users to save incomplete or pending transactions, allowing them to come back to it later to complete or correct the details. The document is parked, and a document number is generated, but no accounting entries are posted until the document is officially posted.

What is Holding a Document in SAP FICO?

Holding a document is similar to parking, but it is used when there is a need to review the document or seek approval before completing the posting. When a document is held, it is saved in the system with all its details, but it remains in a "hold" status until the appropriate actions are taken. Once the review or approval process is completed, the document can be posted or released from hold.

Why Park and Hold Documents?

  • Incomplete Transactions: When all the details of a transaction are not available, parking the document allows the user to save the document without posting.
  • Approval Process: Holding documents can be part of an approval workflow where supervisors or managers review and approve the transaction before it is posted.
  • Error Correction: Parking a document enables users to correct errors or make adjustments before final posting to the G/L.
  • Audit Trail: Parking and holding documents helps maintain a clear audit trail of all transactions in the system, even if they are not yet finalized.

Steps to Park and Hold Documents in SAP FICO

Step 1: Access the Transaction Screen

To park or hold a document in SAP, you need to access the relevant transaction screen. For example, you can use the following transaction codes:

  • FB50 – Post General Journal Entries (can also be used to park a document)
  • F-02 – Post General Ledger Document (allows you to park and hold a document)

For this example, we will use transaction code F-02 to park a G/L document.

Step 2: Enter Document Information

After accessing the transaction screen, you will need to enter the document header information. Key fields include:

  • Document Date: The date of the transaction (e.g., 2024-11-25).
  • Posting Date: The date when the transaction will be recorded in the system (e.g., 2024-11-25).
  • Document Type: The document type used for the transaction (e.g., SA for general postings).
  • Text: A description of the transaction (e.g., "Purchase of office equipment").

For example, if you are posting an incomplete transaction for the purchase of office equipment, you might enter the following:

  • Document Date: 2024-11-25
  • Posting Date: 2024-11-25
  • Document Type: SA
  • Text: Purchase of office equipment

Step 3: Enter Line Items

Next, enter the line items for the transaction. These line items represent the debits and credits involved in the transaction. For instance, in the case of office equipment purchase, you may debit the office equipment account and credit the bank account.

Here’s an example:

  • Line Item 1:
    • G/L Account: 600000 (Office Equipment Expense)
    • Debit Amount: 1000
    • Cost Center: 2020 (Office Equipment)
  • Line Item 2:
    • G/L Account: 100100 (Bank Account)
    • Credit Amount: 1000
    • Cost Center: 2020 (Office Equipment)

In this example, the office equipment expense is debited with 1000, and the bank account is credited with 1000. However, since this document is not ready for posting, you will park it.

Step 4: Park the Document

To park the document, ensure that all required fields are filled, and then click on the Park button in the SAP screen. This will save the document with a parked status. The system will assign a document number, but no accounting entries will be posted yet.

The document will be stored in the system, and you can continue working on other tasks while you complete or review the transaction.

Step 5: Review and Complete the Parked Document

Once the details of the parked document are complete, or if it is ready for review, you can access the parked document by using transaction code FBV0 (Display Parked Documents). This screen allows you to view all parked documents and check their details.

If necessary, you can make any changes or corrections to the document. For example, if you need to update the G/L account or change the amount, you can edit the document before posting it.

Step 6: Post or Release the Held Document

If the document was placed on hold for review or approval, once the review is completed, it can be released from hold and posted to the General Ledger. To post the document, use the FBV2 transaction code to post the held document.

If the document is now ready for posting, you can click Post to officially record the transaction in the system. The document will be posted, and the corresponding accounting entries will be updated in the General Ledger.

Example: Parking a G/L Document for Office Equipment Purchase

Let’s walk through an example where a company purchases office equipment but needs to park the transaction for further review:

  • Document Date: 2024-11-25
  • Posting Date: 2024-11-25
  • Document Type: SA (General Document)
  • Text: Purchase of office equipment

Enter the following line items:

  • Line Item 1:
    • G/L Account: 600000 (Office Equipment Expense)
    • Debit Amount: 1000
  • Line Item 2:
    • G/L Account: 100100 (Bank Account)
    • Credit Amount: 1000

Click the Park button to park the document. Once parked, the document number is generated, and no G/L posting is made. The document can be reviewed, completed, and posted later.

Conclusion

Parking and holding documents in SAP FICO is an essential process for managing incomplete or pending transactions. By parking or holding documents, businesses can ensure that all financial transactions are reviewed and completed before posting them to the General Ledger. This process enhances accuracy and helps maintain control over financial records, ensuring compliance with accounting standards and internal approval workflows.




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