This scenario discusses dates and times on intercompany documents between two companies located in different time zones.

You post an intercompany document to two companies. The local date is different for the two companies.

The determination of the posting date depends on the type of transaction. The posting date is determined by one of the following methods:

• Manually, by the user posting the document
• If you have enabled the time zone function, the system will propose the local date of the user who enters the document. (This is the same as the date that is normally proposed/defaulted for postings in the system.)
• In the case of an intercompany material shipment (delivery in SD), the system date at the time of the goods issue posting from the supplying plant is used as the posting date. This system records this transaction for both companies with the date of the system at the time of the goods issue. Once the goods have been received in the receiving plant, a goods receipt document moves the inventory from the in-transit storage location. If the time zone function is enabled in your system, this document will have a posting date based on the local date of the user making the entry.

These dates are always set to the system date at the time of the transaction. Even when you are working in a system enabled for time zones, these dates are not based on the local date of the user. They must be set to the system date for the sake of uniqueness.

The implications of transacting in a global environment should be considered in the context of month end calculations. Intercompany and/or interplant transactions may impact different periods. Your procedures for conducting business on the first/last day of the fiscal period should take this into account if you are doing business across time zones.