special period

[ganeshdnov]

I would like to understand the concept and workings of special period posting in SAP. When i googled found different answers on this topic.

1) Special posting periods are used to book the adjustment entries which could not be posted on the normal periods 01-12. Since it required validation and review additional 4 months taken to review to post the adjustments entries, so special periods are created 13, 14, 15 & 16 (4 months - Max)

2) Special periods like 13, 14, 15 & 16 are used for different purpose. Each period is used by different departments like 13 - Tax, 14 - Audit, 15 - Finance (Accounting) and etc., To keep a track on the entries posted by each departments

3) Special periods like 13 - is used to post the adjustments for the 1st quarter, 14 is used for 2nd quarter ...... and etc.,

4) My question to fit the above three scenarios when a company is in position to declare financial reports immediately after its Fiscal/Calendar year. Would they allowed to wait 4 months to make the adjustments (By using the special periods).

Request the best answer to make it clear

[iklovski · Accepted solution]

Hi,

There is no golden rule here. Each accountant decides what special period would be used for which purpose. For example, you can say that postings in 13 period are for cut-off activities, postings in period 14 - are for explanations for third parties, etc. SAP gives you the flexibility to define several special periods, which would serve different accounting activities, but doesn't set a bounding rule for which activities and which periods will be exploited.

Regards,

Eli

[ganeshdnov · Accepted solution]

Thank you Eli

[ganeshdnov]

Hi Sundar,

Thank you for your answer. However it is not complete.

I already mentioned that special periods are used to post adjustments. However what would be the situation to select special period as 14, 15 & 16. When we can post all adjustments in period 13.

Could you read my question again and help me to answer. Thank you

[sundarkrishna_silla]

The 4 special periods in a fiscal year variant can be used for adjustment postings like tax and audit adjustments to a closed fiscal year. This does not mean the 4 special periods represent 4 special months.

So you are posting an adjustment to the last posting period (say 12/31) and mention the posting period manually as 13.

You want to post another adjustment entry but you do not want it to reflect in the 13th period, then give the posting date as 12/31 and manually mention the posting period as 14.

This does not mean you to wait one month to post another adjustment transaction to the 15th period. (4 special periods does not mean 4 more months.)