G/L account master records are archived, deleted, and reloaded using the FI_ACCOUNT archiving object.

Master data for G/L accounts is stored in two different areas:

• General area
• A company code-specific area

When archiving master data, you decide whether you want to archive these areas together or separately. To archive master data, you must set the deletion indicator in the master record. You can set this indicator for both general and specific areas. It has the following effect:

• If you enter the deletion indicator in the general area, the system can archive this area only or, if all other requirements have been fulfilled, the entire master record. It follows that to archive the entire master record, you do not need to set the deletion indicator in the company code-specific area.
• If you enter the deletion indicator in the company code-specific area, the system can archive this area of the master record only, if all other requirements have been fulfilled. This enables you, for example, to archive and delete only the company code data for G/L accounts. To enable this data to be reloaded again later, the system also copies the general data that belongs to it into the archive, without deleting this same data from the system.

The following requirements must be met before you can archive data in the general area of the master record:

• If you have implemented the Sales, Purchasing, or Materials Management application components, then the general master data of your business partners will be used by these applications as well as by Financial Accounting (FI). Accordingly, the general area of master data can only be archived if this does not cause any conflicts in the other application components.
• You can archive only those G/L accounts that are not primary cost elements.
• All company code-specific data must be capable of being archived. Company code-specific data can only be archived if the account contains no transaction figures or open items.

For more information on how to set the deletion indicator in a master record, see also FI Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, and FI General Ledger Accounting.