Posting Keys
Two-character numerical key that together with the account number controls the posting at line item level. The posting key determines:
Account type
Debit/credit posting
Layout of entry screens
When you enter a posting, enter a posting key for each item. This key determines how the item is posted. Posting keys are defined at client level and therefore apply to all company codes.
The posting key determines:
The data you can enter in the line item
How data you post is processed
How the system updates the data you enter
Posting keys are differentiated by customer, vendor and posting key for G/L accounts. Apart from the General Ledger Accounting (FI-GL) and Accounts Receivable and Payable (FI-AR/AP) components, there are also posting keys for assets and material accounts.
The following figure illustrates the posting key:
Posting Key
SAP delivers predefined posting keys with the standard system. The following table lists some of the posting keys in the standard system:
Posting Key | Description |
|---|---|
40 | G/L account debit posting |
50 | G/L account credit posting |
01 | Customer invoices |
11 | Customer credit memos |
31 | Customer invoices |
21 | Customer credit memos |
25 | Vendor payments |
As well as the predefined posting keys in the standard system, you can also define your own keys. To do this, proceed as follows in Customizing: 
Financial Accounting
Financial Accounting Global Settings
Document
Line Item
Controls
Define Posting Keys
.
Integration
Whilst the document type defines which account types can be posted to, the posting key defines an account type that you must post to.
Example
Document type DG allows postings to account types "Customer Account" and "G/L Account". Posting key 11 restricts this to "Customer Account".
Caution
Make sure that the document type and the posting key match each other.
If you want to delete a posting key, make sure that it is not already being used in the system.