In customer order processing a difference is made between "normal" orders and returns.

From a business standpoint, the returns reduce the incoming order figures, which have been set up by the "normal" orders.

In the Sales Information System, the values/quantities that are caused by the returns, are separately identified. As a result, the incoming order figures are not reduced by the returns. The information for the returns are cumulated in special fields and are shown as a key figure. In this way, there is always a group of key figures for the returns in addition to the group of key figures for incoming order information. The net value and the quantity are updated for both groups of key figures from the Order item.

In order to separate both of the key figure groups the updating process is controlled via various update groups. Update group 000001 is assigned to the key figure group for incoming order information and update group 000002 to the group of returns key figures.

Assigning the business transactions to a certain update of statistics data takes place in two steps.
In the first step, you compile certain characteristics of the business transactions such as customer, material, document type into statistics groups. In the second step, you assign the statistics groups to the various update groups.

In the special case incoming order/returns, all of the returns order types are assigned to statistics group 02 and all other order types to statistics group 01. These different statistics groups are assigned to different update groups and thus key figure groups.

You can assign an update group to certain business transactions using the Customizing function in Sales.