Duplicate Invoice Check - Part 2

Introduction:

As discussed in the document - Duplicate Invoice Check - Part 1 (http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-35459), the duplicate invoice check is performed on the basis of a combination of configuration settings and master data maintained.

This document is an attempt to analyze the importance of checking the field - Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master, in the entire process of Duplicate Invoice Checks.

The FI Invoice posting process has been used for illustrating the importance of checking the field - Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master.

The fields to be checked to identify duplicate invoices in the case of FI invoices depend upon, whether the reference document number is filled or not.

In the example taken, the reference document number is filled up.

When a document is tried to be posted in the SAP system, in the cases where the reference document number field is filled up, the system would check the values entered in the following fields to identify duplicate invoices:

• Company Code
• Vendor
• Currency
• Invoice Date
• Reference document number

Expected Results:

If identical input parameters are tried to be entered in the system:

• If the duplicate invoice check settings are in place, then an error message will be displayed and the document would not be posted in the system

• If the duplicate invoice check settings are not in place, then the duplicate invoice would be posted in the system

Step 1: Master Data Maintained - for illustrating the Duplicate Invoice Check:

The field Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master taken in the example is Unchecked as shown in the screen shot below:

Step 2 - Transaction Data for illustrating the Duplicate Invoice Check:

An Invoice is entered in the system with the following input parameters:

A document is posted in the system under the number - 1900000006

Step 3 - Transaction Data for illustrating the Duplicate Invoice Check:

Another invoice is tried to be entered in the system with following input parameters which are identical to the input parameters used in Step 2 above:

When the Save button is clicked after entering the above mentioned input parameters, the document is saved with the number - 1900000008 as shown in the screen shot below:

Reasons for Duplicate Invoice Check Failing to prevent duplicate invoice posting:

The system has allowed the duplicate invoice to be posted because the field - Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master has not been checked.

Step 4 - Master Data maintenance for illustrating Duplicate Invoice Process:

The field - Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master has been checked as shown in the screen shot below:

Step 5 - Transaction Data for illustrating the Duplicate Invoice Check:

Another Invoice is tried to be entered in the system with the identical input parameters as used in Step 2 and 3 above after the field - Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master has been checked:

Error Message:

An error message is displayed and the duplicate invoice is not allowed to be posted in the system as shown in the screen shot below:

Conclusion:

The duplicate invoice check would identify a duplicate invoice only if the field - Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master has been checked.

The best way to ensure that the field - Check Flag for Double Invoices or Credit Memos in the Vendor Master is always checked is to make the field - Double invoice validation a mandatory field in the SPRO configuration as discussed in the SCN document -http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-35459.