You can use document parking to enter and store incomplete documents in the SAP S/4HANA application without comprehensive input checks. Document parking can be used in various ways.
You can use account assignment templates to park documents, but not reference documents. You can also park cross-company-code transactions. Only one parked document is created in the initial company code for cross-company-code transactions. Two documents with a cross-application number are created when you post the document.
When you save a parked document, no transaction figures or asset values are updated, nor are control totals.
In addition, automatic postings are not created, and the balance is not checked. However, the SAP S/4HANA application displays the balance in the document overview of the parked documents.
Uses of Document Parking
The following are the areas of use of document parking:
- Temporary storage of input values when parking documents
- Displaying multilevel models when parking documents (for example, dual control principle and approval procedures)
- Work assignment using worklists (streamlining or acceleration of workflows)
Ways of using document parking:
- Customer accounts (invoices and credit memos)
- Vendor accounts (invoices and credit memos)
- General ledger accounts (general ledger account postings)
You can park documents for customer accounts, vendor accounts, and general ledger accounts.
Documents parked in the SAP S/4HANA application usually require further processing. While there are various ways to process parked documents, the most customary procedure is to edit and then post them, as necessary. You can delete parked documents only in exceptional cases.
Edit Parked Documents
You can edit parked documents. You can also edit fields and amounts at the header and item level. The document change rules that are saved for documents posted in the SAP S/4HANA application do not apply to parked documents.
You can make changes to parked documents as often as required, and multiple changes to the documents are possible. For example, you can change date information, amounts, accounts, and account assignment objects. However, you cannot change the currency, the document type and the number, or the company code in the parked documents.
Post Parked Documents
You can post parked documents as standard transactions individually, or by using a selection list. If you post several parked documents using a selection list, the SAP S/4HANA application subsequently issues a list indicating which documents were successfully posted. Parked documents that could not be posted due to missing information, such as cost account assignments, can be post-processed in the list. You can also create a batch input session to post the parked documents.
Conversion of a Parked Document into a Regular Document
The following actions take place when a parked document is converted into a regular document:
- The usual document posting checks are performed.
- A normal, complete FI document is created.
- The history, such as changes to parked documents, is documented.
- The document number remains the same.
- The transaction figures are updated.
- The parked document is deleted after a normal FI document is created.
Whenever a parked document is posted, the data from that document is deleted, a document is written to the document database, and the respective data (transaction figures) is updated. The document number of the parked document becomes the number of the posted document.
The person who made the entries is noted in the document header of the FI document.
Parked Documents and Reporting
Document parking is linked to the account display and reporting functions in FI. Numerous reports can evaluate parked documents. You can include parked documents in the document journal and view them in the line item display.
The following table lists the differences between parked documents and documents posted regularly:
| Post Document or Posted Document | Park Document or Parked Document | |
|---|---|---|
| Update transaction figures | Yes | No |
| Document deletion possible | No (alternative - reversal) | Yes |
| Changes to the posted or parked documents possible | Yes (with limitations) | Yes |
| Amounts, account numbers, account assignment objects, date specifications | No | Yes |
| In accordance with the document change rules, taking GAAP into account | Yes | Not relevant |