Understanding Prepayment

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
  • Explain the prepayment concept and its relevance for utilities.
  • Identify customer profiles and key business drivers for prepayment adoption.
  • Distinguish between meter-centric and billing-centric prepayment models.
  • Describe the key business processes and functionalities of the SAP prepayment solution.
  • Understand the architecture and main building blocks of the prepayment framework.
  • Recognize configuration and operational considerations within SAP IS-U/S/4HANA.

Prepayment for Utilities Moved into S/4HANA Utilities

The Prepayment for Utilities component allows customers to prepay for energy consumption. It offers features such as account balance monitoring and event-triggered notifications for low balances. This tool can help manage energy costs proactively and can ensure uninterrupted service by alerting users before disconnection.

As of SAP S/4HANA 2025 FPS0, the Prepayment for Utilities component is part of S/4HANA Utilities.

Flowchart illustrating the customer prepayment process for utility bills, including setup, usage tracking, payment updates, and communication when balance thresholds are reached.
  • Fully integrated into SAP S/4 HANA Utilities

  • No need for additional interfaces

  • Leveraging your SAP for Utilities implementation for prepayment customers by using the same data model, processes, transactions, screens, tariffs and so on

  • Continue using FI-CA for prepayment customers for all payment and clearing options

  • Solution is independent from your Smart Meter Provider and the underlying technology

  • Highly configurable solution allowing to adjust to your specific needs

Prepayment for Utilities: Customer Types

Diagram illustrating two types of prepayment utility customers: those with unpaid debts and irregular payments, and those choosing prepayment for flexible lifestyle reasons.

Meter-Centric and Billing-Centric Prepayment Models

Meter-centric (thick) model

  • Using special pre-payment meters (normal meters or smart meters), where the meters need to be loaded with a certain amount of money or energy.

  • The meter itself does the calculation of the account balance and connects/disconnects automatically depending on the balance.

Billing-centric (thin) model

  • Using standard smart meters and taking advantage of the availability of daily or more frequent metering for a backend based prepayment application.

  • The meter doesn’t knows about the customer being on a pre-payment program. The account balance calculation and monitoring are done in the SAP S/4 HANA UTILITIES system.

Prepayment Functionalities

Prepay Account Balance Determination

Calculates the current Prepay Balance (using the standard IS-U billing simulation) and the estimated number of remaining days.

Prepay Balance Monitoring

Functionality to monitor the Prepay Account Balance and automated triggering of configurable actions.

For example, sending a disconnect notice when Prepay Account Balance reaches zero.

Debt Recovery

Agreement with the consumer to slowly pay off his debt.

Two debt recovery methods are available (individually per prepay customer):

  • Definition which percentage of energy payment will be directly used for debt clearing.

  • Definition of a fixed daily amount.

Emergency Credit

Allows customers to continue using energy even if the prepayment balance is going below zero. This can be established individually.

Moratorium

Defining days of a year when no disconnection is allowed to happen, for example during weekend or holiday season.

Multiple prepayment contracts

Contract accounts with two or more prepayment contracts can be handled either combined with one aggregated prepay account balance or with separate prepay account balances per contract.

Prepayment document display and maintenance

User interface to display a summary of all Prepayment relevant information and allowing to make certain changes, for example, the debt recovery rate.

Architecture - Main Building Blocks

Diagram showing the flow and interaction between prepayment document processes, including user interface, account balance determination, and threshold monitoring.
A diagram illustrating a process for monitoring thresholds in prepayment systems, linking triggers to raised actions and implementation examples like notifications, disconnections, and payments.

Basic Settings

This section describes the basic settings required for prepayment.

This section contains the information necessary for configuring the SAP system to meet customer requirements.

The actual configuration is done in Customizing with the help of the implementation guide (IMG; transaction SPRO). It covers all steps of the implementation process as well as the SAP standard (factory) Customizing settings and the system configuration activities. The Customizing activities and their documentation are structured from a functional perspective.

For the configuration of the prepayment component, a separate Customizing structure has been created. To access this Customizing structure, you execute the transaction SPRO and choose SAP Customizing Implementation GuideSAP UtilitiesPrepayment.

Relevant BC Set

Relevant BC Set

The following optional Business Configuration (BC) set can be implemented: BC SetDescription
/PREPAY/BC_PREPAY_COMPLETE_SP2PREPAY: Initial Business Configuration for SP2

Note

This BC set generates the entries into the Customizing activity Define FICA Items for Payment Balance which is only meant to be a suggestion. Customers can adjust these entries as desired.

Main Transaction Codes

This topic lists the most important transaction codes and related reports used with the prepayment component.

Main Transaction Codes

Transaction CodeRelated Report / Function GroupDescription
/PREPAY/ABD_CALC/PREPAY/RP_ABD_CALCULATEPrepayment Account Balance Determination. Used to determine usage and payment results and calculate the actual account balance of a prepayment document.
/PREPAY/MONI_THRESH/PREPAY/RP_MONI_THRESHOLDThreshold Monitoring. Performs configured threshold checks on prepayment documents and triggers configured events.
/PREPAY/DOC_CREATE/PREPAY/FG_PREPAYMENT_UICreates a prepayment document.
/PREPAY/DOC_CHANGE/PREPAY/FG_PREPAYMENT_UIChanges a prepayment document.
/PREPAY/DOC_DISPLAY/PREPAY/FG_PREPAYMENT_UIDisplays a prepayment document.
/PREPAY/DOC_LIST/PREPAY/FG_PREPAYMENT_UIProvides a list of prepayment documents.
/PREPAY/APPL_LOG/PREPAY/RP_APPLICATION_LOGDisplays the application log.

Detailed Settings

This section describes the configuration settings required for Prepayment in more detail.

To configure Prepayment documents, a dedicated Customizing structure is provided in the system. You can access this structure by executing transaction SPRO and navigating to: SAP Customizing Implementation GuideSAP UtilitiesPrepayment.

For detailed guidance on each Customizing activity, including prerequisites and configuration considerations, refer to the corresponding Customizing documentation available within the system.

Prepayment Document Settings

This section describes the configuration settings related to Prepayment Documents.

To configure the prepayment document settings, execute transaction SPRO and navigate to: SAP Customizing Implementation GuideSAP UtilitiesPrepaymentPrepayment Document Settings.

Configuration menu for prepayment document settings, outlining options to define number ranges, categories, statuses, blocking reasons, default settings, actions, events, and limits.

Account Balance Determination Settings

This section describes the configuration settings for Account Balance Determination (ABD).

To configure the Account Balance Determination settings, execute transaction SPRO and navigate to: SAP Customizing Implementation GuideSAP UtilitiesPrepaymentAccount Balance Determination Settings.

Settings menu for configuring account balance determination, including options to define strategy settings and relevant open item balances.

Prepayment Monitoring Settings

This section describes the configuration settings for Prepayment Monitoring.

To configure the Prepayment Monitoring settings, execute transaction SPRO and navigate to: SAP Customizing Implementation GuideSAP UtilitiesPrepaymentMonitoring Event Settings.

Configuration options for prepayment monitoring, including group definition, assignment, type specification, global moratorium setup, and prepayment monitoring definition.

Prepayment Document UI Settings

This section describes the configuration settings related to the Prepayment Document User Interface (UI).

To configure the Prepayment Document UI settings, execute transaction SPRO and navigate to: SAP Customizing Implementation GuideSAP UtilitiesPrepaymentPrepayment Document SettingsUI Settings.

Configuration menu for prepayment document UI settings with expandable options for customization.

Prepayment Document Viewer

his section describes the configuration settings for the Prepayment Document Viewer.

To enable the Prepayment Document Viewer, the corresponding Web Dynpro ABAP service must be activated.

Activate the following service using transaction SICF:

  • Application: /PREPAY/WDA_DOC_VIEWER

After activation, the Prepayment Document Viewer will be available for use within the prepayment document UI.

Hierarchy view for system services related to prepayment document viewer; details include host, namespace, functions, and Web Dynpro runtime references.

Note

All other required standard Web Dynpro services will show an error message in the browser, and they must be enabled individually.

Debt Recovery

This section describes the debt recovery function.

Debt recovery naturally ends if the complete original debt has been recovered, that is if the current debt = 0. The application does not foresee an option to extend debt recovery over that point in time.

However, the application supports the scenario to de-activate the currently running debt recovery scenario at any time and to determine a new original debt and to activate debt recovery for this new amount.

Clearing Control

This section describes the clearing control function.

Depending on the debt recovery type, the application supports the following two clearing strategies:

Percentage Recovery Rate

In this case it is assumed that from every incoming payment its percentage recovery amount is directly cleared against the open debt items. For this purpose the application offers the example clearing function module

/PREPAY/FM_TFK115_DEBT_PERC

which may be integrated into the company’s clearing variant for incoming payments.

Daily Recovery Amount

In this case it is assumed that the debt due amount is cleared at the time of invoicing. The debt due amount is calculated and the open debt items are (partially) cleared against available payments up to the calculated due amount.

For this purpose the application offers the example clearing function module

/PREPAY/FM_TFK115_DEBT_DAILY

which may be integrated into the company’s clearing variant for invoicing.

Furthermore, the example function module

/PREPAY/FM_TFK115_DEBT_PROTECT

may be used to protect further clearing of the open debt items, so that the remaining payment amount supports the prepayment balance of the customer.

Online Calculation

This section describes the online calculation function.

The application offers the following two online calculation variants:

Calculation and Events

  • The prepayment balance and all calculation figures are calculated.

  • The application checks for events to be raised, raises these and eventually executes actions.

Calculation Only

  • Only the prepayment balance and all calculation figures are calculated.

  • The application does not check for events to be raised (no events are raised and no actions are executed).

Navigation on New UI

This section describes the navigation on the new UI.

The new SAP GUI prepayment monitoring transaction in particular supports navigation to contract account, business partner and smart document. The relevant information stored on these entities is therefore not redundantly duplicated on the prepayment document.

Examples are the dunning lock on level of contract account and special communication channels for prepayment customers which may be maintained on the business partner level.

Prepayment Document

Definition

The prepayment document is the central point of entry to collect and display all prepayment relevant data.

Use

You use the prepayment document to gather all details regarding the energy consumption of a prepayment customer including document status, usage amount, payment amount and the actual debt recovery situation.

Every prepayment document is linked to only one contract account to which all active contracts are assigned.

Structure

The Prepayment Document area consists of the following parts:

Document Header

This group box consists of the ID, status, category, type of a document, and has details about the SAP for Utilities (IS-U) master data that is related to the document as the contract account, customer and its address.

It also provides details of whom and when the document was created and last changed.

Document Totals

This group box contains the last payment, last usage, and last balance and their respective calculation period information.

Contract Data

This tab page contains the details about all contracts, point of delivery assigned, and other contract related data, such as move-in, move-out and end of billing period date.

Executed Events

This tab page displays the various events and actions that have taken place on the prepayment document.

You can configure an event with an action to be triggered automatically or manually.

Customized Events

This tab page displays the user defined events which can be triggered.

Debt Recovery

This tab page displays all debt recovery related information. Furthermore, debt recovery can be activated or deactivated, and the original debt items can be selected.

Data Records

This tab page displays the result data records of scheduled run calculations and online calculations of the prepayment account of a customer.

Payments

This tab page displays the actual FI-CA items that are configured as incoming payments.

Maintenance of Prepayment Document

Use

The application offers several functions enabling you to manage a prepayment document.

Depending on the discretion of an energy company and its standards, the user can decide how to handle the document of a prepayment customer under various circumstances.

Prerequisites

  • You have the necessary authorization to perform frontend functionalities.

  • You have made the required settings for prepayment document in Customizing under:

    • SAP Customizing Implementation Guide

    • SAP Utilities

    • Prepayment

    • Prepayment Document Settings

Features

The following actions can be performed by executing the relevant transactions:

Create

You can create a new prepayment document.

Execute the transaction /PREPAY/DOC_CREATE.

Change

You can make changes to an existing prepayment document.

Execute the transaction /PREPAY/DOC_CHANGE.

Display

You can display an existing prepayment document.

Execute the transaction /PREPAY/DOC_DISPLAY.

Actions from the Prepayment Main Toolbar

Close

You can close a prepayment document under various circumstances, as defined by the standard of an energy company.

You can reopen a closed prepayment document as long as all other prepayment documents for the same contract account are closed and the closed document is not archived.

The system allows only one active prepayment document per contract account at any point in time.

If you close a prepayment document, you can later create a new document using the same contract account details if no other prepayment document exists for the same contract account.

When you close a document, the only other option available for the document is Reopen.

Note

The default values, such as document categories, document types and so on, can be configured in Customizing under:

SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → SAP Utilities → Prepayment → Prepayment Document Settings → Define Prepayment Document Default Settings

Reopen

You can reopen a closed or inactive prepayment document.

Block

You can block a prepayment document. A blocked prepayment document is not considered in the ABD calculation.

Unblock

You can unblock a blocked prepayment document.

Status

You can define the status of a prepayment document.

Change Moratorium Calendar

You can change the moratorium calendar assigned.

Change Overdraft Amount

You can change the actual overdraft amount which is permitted in case of a negative prepayment balance before a disconnection event will be triggered.

Calculation Only

You can perform an online calculation to determine the up-to-date balance, payment, and usage results.

Calculation and Events

In addition to the online calculation, the monitoring is triggered to evaluate the data and raise configured events.

Execute

You can execute an event action assigned to a raised event.

Debt Recovery Actions

The following actions can be executed on the debt recovery tab page:

Activate Debt Recovery

You can choose either percentage-based or daily value-based debt recovery.

Deactivate Debt Recovery

Debt recovery must be deactivated before changing the original debt items or daily value.

Select OP

You can manually select open items to be treated as original debt items.

Explain

Once debt recovery is activated, the original debt items can only be displayed.

Account Balance Determination

Use

You can determine the account balance, payments, and usage of a prepayment customer.

Prerequisites

  • You have the necessary authorization to perform backend functionalities.

  • You have made the required settings under:

    SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → SAP Utilities → Prepayment → Account Balance Determination Settings

Features

You can calculate the account balance.

Threshold Monitoring

Definition

The application offers flexible monitoring checks and event triggering.

Use

Each configurable threshold is defined by:

  • Monitoring Group

  • Monitoring Type

  • Moratorium Check

  • Account Balance Monitoring Class

  • Threshold Value

  • Assigned Event Type

Structure

  • Raise an event

  • Assign a status

  • Assign an action to the event

Technical Monitoring

Error Logs

Error logs are provided using the standard system application log object /PREPAY/:

Interface showing technical monitoring details with a focus on the Prepayment Application Log, indicating data tracking and log display functionality.

Background Job Monitoring

This section describes all background jobs used by prepayment.

We recommend that you schedule the reports /PREPAY/RP_ABD_CALCULATE (Account Balance Determination) and /PREPAY/RP_MONI_THRESHOLD (Threshold Monitoring) as background jobs to be executed once at the end of the time slice interval.

Authorization Objects

This section lists the security-relevant authorization objects that are used by prepayment for Utilities.

Authorization Objects

Authorization ObjectFieldValueDescription
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/AC1Create/Change Prepayment Document
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/AC2Document Closing
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/AC3Document Reopening
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/AC4Document Blocking/Unblocking
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/AC5Document Status Change
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/AC6Display Prepayment Document
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACUCalculate Usage
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACPCalculate Payment
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACBCalculate Balance
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACMThreshold Monitoring
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACGTime Slice Generation
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACXDocument Monitoring
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACYDocument Monitoring
/PREPAY/AU/PREPAY/ACZDocument Monitoring

Technical Details

Technical Details

TypeNew
Functional LocalizationNo localization
Scope ItemNot applicable
Technical Object NameNot applicable
Application ComponentIS-U-BI-PRP (Prepayment for Utilities)
AvailabilitySAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition
Valid as Of2025