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The Document Concept

Document Principle
Even in a computer-supported inventory management system, the accepted accounting principle of no posting
without a document applies. According to the document principle. a document must be generated and stored in the
system for every transaction/event that causes a change in stock.
When posting a goods movement in the SAP System, the following documents are created:
 Material document
In the Inventory Management system, when a goods movement is posted, a material document is generated that
serves as proof of the movement and as a source of information for any applications that follow.
A material document consists of a header and at least one item. The header contains general data about the
movement (for example, its date). Each item describes one movement.
 Accounting document
If the movement is relevant for Financial Accounting (that is, if it leads to an update of the G/L accounts), an
accounting document is created parallel to the material document.
In some cases, several accounting documents are created for a single material document. This might be the case, for
example, if you have two material document items with different plants that belong to different company codes.
The G/L accounts involved in a goods movement are updated through an automatic account assignment.
For goods receipts for purchase orders, goods movements for stock transport orders and consignment withdrawals,
business partners may have different local currencies. Therefore, as well as the local currency, the accounting
document must also contain another currency for processing and postings. For this purpose, accounting documents
created as a result of these goods movements will automatically be managed in the local currency and in the
document currency. You can switch between both currencies by choosing Settings Currency display .
Changes to a Document
Once you have posted a goods movement, you can no longer change the document. You can only enter additional
information in the document, such as the reference to the original document, or a comment on the event. If you want
to reverse the movement or change the quantity of material moved, you must enter a new document.
Document Numbers
A material document is identified by a document number and the material document year. An accounting document is
identified by the company code, the document number, and the fiscal year.
Usually, the material document number and the accounting document number are different.
The company code to which the accounting document is posted is derived from the valuation area defined for the
plant.
Transaction/Event Types and Document Types
In order to allow detailed document number assignment and systematic storage of documents in the document file,
material documents are divided into transaction/event types, and accounting documents are divided into document
types (see following table).
Transaction/Event Types and Document Types for Goods Movements (Examples)
Goods movement Tr./Ev. type Doc. type

Goods receipts for purchase orders WE WE or WN

Goods receipts for orders WF WE

Goods issues, transfer postings, other goods WA WA

Goods issues for deliveries WL WL

For each transaction/event type, a number range is defined for numbers to be assigned to the material documents.
For each document type, a number range is defined for numbers to be assigned to the accounting documents.