Bank Area 

Definition

The bank area is the central organizational unit of the current accounts system, in which complete and independent account management and processing takes place. This means that the account numbers that exist in a bank area must be clear and unmistakable.

In the case of SAP In-House Cash, an In-House Cash Center corresponds to a bank area. If there are more than one In-House Cash Centers, you will need more than one bank areas.

Structure

By means of Customizing you must assign certain specifications to the bank area in which you work:

·        the bank key - for example, the bank identification number in Germany (only for banks).

·        the check digit method that controls or checks the issuing of account numbers

·        the products you can use in this bank area

·        the shift of the execution date for standing orders as a default setting

·        the time at which posting cut-off is to be automatically executed every day

·        the exchange rate category in which you store conversion rates in the system

·        country, language and the public holiday calendar used

Special feature: Bank area and bank key

The bank key is particularly significant, as bank keys, along with the account number, are used for the processing of payment transactions. All banks participating in payment transactions can be identified by a unique numerical labeling. In Germany, this bank key is the eight-digit bank identification number. Branch offices either have their own bank identification number or one relating to their main office. It is possible that the internal organization of a bank requires that the bank's structure is depicted in several bank areas.

   One bank key can involve several bank areas.

An account number in all bank areas with the same bank key must be unique. The system checks that this is the case. In addition, this account number is blocked in all bank areas belonging to the bank key to avoid the same account number being simultaneously created in different bank areas.

 

If the previous/feeder system transfers payment items, the bank area must first be determined by means of the bank key. The system is equipped with suitable checks for this..

The case of bank areas not clearly being able to be determined only arises for payment items forwarded externally. If such a payment item is forwarded per BAPI to the current account system and the system cannot determine the bank area, the BAPI is terminated with the return code system error. This means that no items are processed.

Integration

The bank area, as central element, affects almost every unit of the system.

If you use SAP FI, you must assign exactly one company code to a bank area. It is possible for several bank areas to be assigned to a company code, but not several company codes to a bank area.