SAP Document types
A document type classifies business documents, telling SAP what kind of transaction a document represents and controlling how it behaves. Every posting or order is created with a document type that drives its number range, allowed accounts and field behaviour.
A document type in SAP decides a document's number range, which account types it may post to, its field status and whether it serves normal postings, reversals or recurring entries. In finance SA is a G/L document, KR a vendor invoice, DR a customer invoice and AB a general document; in logistics, order and delivery types classify the same way.
- Watch out: Using the wrong document type, wrong numbers and allowed accounts.
What a document type controls
- The number range (which numbers the document gets).
- Which account types may be posted (customer, vendor, GL, asset).
- Field status and required entries.
- Whether it is used for normal postings, reversals, recurring entries, etc.
Examples
In finance, common document types include SA (GL account document), KR (vendor invoice), DR (customer invoice), and AB (general document). In logistics, order and delivery types play a similar classifying role. Each keeps its category of documents organised and correctly controlled.
Why document types matter
Document types enforce consistency and control: they ensure a vendor invoice behaves like a vendor invoice, gets the right numbers, and posts to the right kinds of accounts. They are a core piece of FI (and logistics) configuration.
Common pitfalls
- Using the wrong document type, wrong numbers and allowed accounts.
- Confusing document type with posting key.
- Creating unnecessary custom document types instead of using standard ones.