Version (SAP Library - Business Consolidation (SEM-BCS))

Version

Definition

Enables parallel consolidation for different:

Data categories (for example, actual, plan, target)
Accounting principles (for example, US GAAP, IAS, German HGB)
Valuations
Simulations (for example, for the effects of different exchange rates on the consolidated statements; or for the effects of a divestiture of a consolidation unit on the consolidated statements)

Use

A consolidation area can have one or more characteristics with the role version.

Example

Say, you define one characteristic with the role version: Version

The version segregates the different accounting principles (GAAPs) as well as the data categories. The characteristic values for the version might be called:

US GAAP - Actual
US GAAP - Plan
HGB - Actual

Say, you define three characteristics with the role version: Data category, valuation, and GAAP

The characteristic values for the data category might be called actual, plan, target.

The characteristic values for the valuation might be called corporate group and profit center .

The characteristic values for GAAP might be called US GAAP and HGB.

Structure

Versions and Special Versions

Some customizing settings are dependent on versions. Internally, such settings are stored under specific special versions.

You assign special versions to each valid combination of (ordinary) versions. In this way, settings made only once become available to other versions.

Thus, special versions enable you to set up different versions without the need for redundant settings when such versions merely differ in a few areas and otherwise point to the same special versions (and thus the identical customizing settings).

The following overview shows which customizing data is stored with dependency on special versions (this list is incomplete).

Data That Depends On Special Versions

Special Version	Dependent Customizing Data
Data collection	When the same special version for data collection is assigned to different version combinations, the consolidation unit only needs to be maintained in one version combination. Likewise, since the fiscal year variant is assigned to the consolidation unit characteristics, the fiscal year variant needs to be assigned in a special version only once.
Reconciliations for interunit elimination	Document type and method are assigned to the task
Currency translation	Method is assigned to the task
Interunit elimination	Document type and method are assigned to the task
Elimination of interunit profit/loss in inventory	Document type and method are assigned to the task
Consolidation of investments	Document type and method are assigned to the task
Reclassification	Document type and method are assigned to the task
Allocation	Document type and method are assigned to the task
Validation	Document type and method are assigned to the task
Attributes	Attributes for characteristics – such as the document type
Hierarchy structure	Hierarchies for characteristics – such as consolidation units, consolidation groups, items, transaction types, product groups, data entry layouts, and tasks
Account assignment	Definition of selected items; assignment of breakdown categories
Exchange rates	Exchange rate type is assigned to the exchange rate indicator

In customizing, you assign the special versions that apply to a particular combination of versions to that combination of versions.

When you execute a task in a version combination, the system reads the associated special versions and uses them to access the relevant customizing settings.

The following illustration shows the scheme for accessing the totals data:

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text