Cross-Company Code Variants for Open Posting Periods
Description
As of Release 3.0A, it is possible to maintain the specification as to which posting periods are open, independent of a company code. This means that as many company codes as required can work with the same variants for open posting periods.
Previously the open posting periods depended on the company code. As of this release, they depend on the newly introduced posting period variant. Every company code refers to a separate variant.
To ensure consistency with the existing data, the following actions are carried out automatically with the release upgrade.
- For every company code, a separate variant for posting periods is created. The name of this variant is identical to the company code name.
- Every company code is allocated to this variant.
Thus nothing has changed in the system. Every company code has its own variant.
If identical variants are to be used in several of your company codes, you can proceed as follows:
- Change the name in one of these variants.
- Assign all company codes to the selected variant.
- Delete the variants you no longer require.
It is also possible to control the allowed posting periods individually per user by assigning an authorization group at document header level (account type '+'). Thus for example, some posting periods can be opened for certain users only for purposes of month-end or year-end closing. The authorization group only affects period 1, that is, posting to a period allowed by period 2 is always possible.
Example:
| Period | Period1 | Period2 | Result |
| 10/94 | 03/94-09/94 | 10/94-12/94 | may post |
| 10/94 | 03/94-10/94 | 10/94-12/94 | may post |
| 10/94 | 03/94-10/94 | 11/94-12/94 | may post if authorized |
For this, you define authorization groups for the allowed periods and then authorizations for the new authorization object F_BKPF_BUP (accounting document: authorization for posting periods). The authorization involves listing the permitted authorization groups. You then assign these authorizations in the profiles of each of your users.
Change system parameters in customizing
The variants must be defined in the system. You reach the variant
maintenance via the "Financial accounting global settings" Implementation
Guide in the 
"Define variants for open posting periods" step.
Every company code must be assigned a variant. You reach this function via
the "Financial accounting global settings" Implementation Guide in the
"Allocate company code to variant" step.
You reach the specification of the periods (the open posting periods) via
the "Financial accounting global settings" Implementation Guide. Here you can
also enter the authorization groups you defined previously for the permitted
posting periods. For more information on this, refer to the
"Open and close posting periods" chapter.
You assign the authorization groups via the "Financial accounting global
settings" Implementation Guide in the
"Open and close posting periods" step.
You assign the authorizations in the "Financial accounting global settings" Implementation Guide in the "Maintain authorizations" step.
You assign the profiles in the "Financial accounting global settings"
Implementation Guide in the
"Maintain profiles" step.
Recommendation
Assign to this variant all company codes in which you use an identical variant and delete the variants you no longer need.