G/L Account Master Data
G/L account master data defines how accounting transactions are posted to G/L accounts and how the posting data is processed. The master data for an account must exist before any postings can be made to the account.
You create the master data in the SAP Menu under 
Accounting
Financial Accounting
General Ledger
Master Records
G/L Accounts
Individual Processing
.
G/L Account Types
G/L accounts are classified into the following types:
Balance Sheet Account
Account that is posted from business transactions. The balance of a balance sheet account is carried forward at fiscal year-end.
Nonoperating Expense or Income
Income statement account that records expenses or gains from activities that are not part of the main purpose of the company, such as gains realized from financial investments by a manufacturing company.
Primary Costs or Revenue
Income statement account that functions as a cost element for primary costs or revenue. Primary costs reflect operating expenses such as payroll, selling expenses, or administration costs.
Secondary Costs
Income statement account that functions as a cost element for secondary costs. Secondary costs result from value flows within the organization, such as internal activity cost allocations, overhead allocations, and settlement transactions.
Structure
G/L account master records are divided into areas so that company codes with the same chart of accounts can use the same G/L accounts.
Chart of accounts area
Contains the data that is valid for all company codes, such as the account number.
Company-code-specific area
Contains data that may vary from one company code to another, such as the currency.
Controlling-area-specific area
Contains data that may vary from one controlling area to another, such as the cost element category.
Only needed for accounts of the type
Primary Costs or Revenue
andSecondary Costs
.