Document Types

 

The document type is a key that is used to classify accounting documents and distinguish between business transactions to be posted. The document type is entered in the document header and applies to the whole document.

The document type has the following purposes:

  • Differentiating between business transactions. Since the document type is shown for every line item, you can always tell what type of business transaction is involved. You can also use the document type for evaluation purposes.

  • Controlling the posting to account types (vendor, customer, or G/L accounts). The document type determines which account types that particular document can be posted to.

  • Assigning document numbers. A number range is assigned to every document type. The original documents from one number range should be stored together.

    For more information, see Document Number Assignment and Controlling Document Storage Using the Document Type.

  • Applying the vendor net procedure. This means that any discount and the net amount are calculated (and posted) when the vendor invoice is posted.

You define your document types at client level. The standard system provides a number of document types, which you can use or change. Before deleting document types, check whether they are currently being used in the system.

Note Note

The system usually defaults the appropriate document type when a business transaction is entered. With some transactions (such as clearing transactions), you define document types that are required for automatic postings yourself.

End of the note.
Document Types in the Standard System

The most important document types in the standard system are shown below.

Document Type

Description

AB

General document

CO

CO posting

DG

Customer credit memo

DZ

Customer payment

DR

Customer invoice

KZ

Vendor payment

KG

Vendor credit memo

KN

Vendor net invoice and credit memo

KR

Vendor invoice

SA

General G/L accounts

To differentiate between business transactions based on the document type, each document type specifies what type of account documents of that type can post to.

Document type AB allows you to post to all accounts. All other document types restrict the types of accounts allowed. Document type DA, for example, only allows posting to customer and G/L accounts.

Note Note

The standard document types are already restricted to specific account types. However, you can modify these document types or define your own.

End of the note.