A Systematic View of Profit Center
Determination 
This section is intended as a more theoretical supplement to the more practical explanation of profit center determination (see Data Origin).
This will explain
· the order in which the system proceeds when assigning value flows arising in business processes to various profit centers
· which objects and characteristics of objects are decisive for determining the profit center
Transaction Data
Step 1: Document-dependent profit center determination
To begin with, the system determines a profit center on the basis of the origin of the document and any special conditions. It does so by one of the following methods:
· The system assigns the profit center dynamically, on the basis of certain characteristics in the document itself. When this method is used, the currently assigned profit center is always determined.
· The system assigns the profit center indirectly, on the basis of certain characteristics in a preceding document. When this method is used, the system does not take into account any assignment changes occurring after the date of the preceding document.
Example: indirect
assignment
When you make a goods receipt posting in Profit center Accounting, the system takes over the profit center from the corresponding order. In the order, the system finds the profit center which is assigned to the material/plant combination it contained on the order document date.
It could be that another profit center has been assigned to this material/plant combination in the period between the order document date and the goods receipt posting document date. If so, when you make the goods receipt posting, the system still takes over the profit center which was assigned on the order document date.
For detailed illustrations of the criteria used to determine the profit center for each different type of document, see:
FI Posting and FI-AA Asset Posting
Step 2: Document-dependent profit center determination
For all types of document, the system checks whether one of the following cases applies: The profit center assignment which may arise from this step always has priority over the assignment determined in step 1 on the basis of document type.
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In the order shown below, the system checks whether: |
If so, ... |
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1) ..substitutions have been set for profit centers in FI or CO. |
...the profit center determined using the substitutions is always used. For further information on substitutions, see Substitutions. |
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2) ...the data to be transferred is a cost or revenue type. |
the profit center will always be determined from the real (not statistical) assigned CO object belonging to it. For further information on the assignment of profit centers to CO objects see Profit center Assignments. |
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3) ...the data is from balance sheet or profit and loss accounts which have been set for transfer to Profit Center Accounting and no profit center has been set in the corresponding document |
the system takes the profit center directly assigned to the corresponding accounts (see Customizing for Profit center Accounting, transaction 3KEH) or which was assigned to the corresponding accounts by a derivation rule (see Customizing for Profit Center Accounting, transaction 3KEI) |
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4) ...the data is from profit and loss accounts which affect logistical processes (that is, data which is taken over as standard) and no profit center has been set in the corresponding document |
...the data is posted to the dummy profit center. |
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5) ...you have changed the Profit Center field for the corresponding original document, using the SAP customer enhancement PCA00001. |
...the data is posted to the profit center you require. For more information about using SAP customer enhancements, see the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Profit Center Accounting, under Tools. |
Balance Sheet Items
When you transfer balance sheet items to Profit center Accounting, the profit center is determined as follows:
· For existing payables and receivables, the system reads the profit center from the offsetting lines of the invoices which were posted (FI documents). This is only possible, however, if you have already apportioned payables and receivables during the course of month-end closing in Financial Accounting.
· For material stock balances, the profit center is derived from the material/plant combination.
· For asset balances, the profit center is determined from the overhead cost order or from the cost center in the asset master record.
· For work in process, the profit center is derived from the production order or the WBS element.
· You can also use customer enhancement PCA00001 to assign the profit center you require when transferring balance sheet items.
For further information, see Balance Sheet Items in Profit Center Accounting.
