Duplicate Invoice Check - Part 2

created by G. Ajit Kumar on Jan 28, 2013 9:22 AM, last modified by G. Ajit Kumar on Jan 28, 2013
Introduction:
As discussed in the document - Duplicate Invoice Check - Part 1 (http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC35459), 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:

Description
Create/Change Vendor Master

Transaction Code
XK01/XK02/FK01/FK02

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:

Description
Enter Vendor Invoice

Transaction Code
FB60

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

Input Fields
Company Code
Vendor
Currency
Invoice Date
Reference document number

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

Input Values
0001
TESTVENDOR
EUR
20.12.2012
DUPTEST1

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

Description
Enter Vendor Invoice

Transaction Code
FB60

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:
Input Fields
Company Code
Vendor
Currency
Invoice Date
Reference document number

Input Values
0001
TESTVENDOR
EUR
20.12.2012
DUPTEST1

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:

Description
Create/Change Vendor Master

Transaction Code
XK01/XK02/FK01/FK02

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

Description
Enter Vendor Invoice

Transaction Code
FB60

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:
Input Fields
Company Code
Vendor
Currency
Invoice Date
Reference document number

Input Values
0001
TESTVENDOR
EUR
20.12.2012
DUPTEST1

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.