Overviewing of Closing Activities in Accounts Payable

Hi, my name is Jake! I'm a recent graduate, and last month, I got my first job - at a bike company that uses SAP software. I now work as a key user in Payables Management.

As we head into the end of the fiscal year, my co-workers are busy completing period-end closing activities. As a key user, it is my responsibility to support them. But there is so much to learn, and I don’t know where to start. So, I need foundational knowledge about the main period-end closing activities in the Accounts Payable area.

Select the play button to learn about the different departments and activities involved in closing activities within the bike company. Discover how General Ledger Accounting and Accounts Payable play crucial roles in the process.

This course explains how to complete closing activities in Accounts Payable, including:

• GR/IR Reconciliation
• Supplier Balance Confirmation
• Foreign Currency Valuation
• Regrouping/Reclassification

If you want to learn about other closing activities in General Ledger Accounting, check out our Learning Journey Outlining the Record to Report Process in SAP S/4HANA.

We also suggest looking at our course on Performing Consolidation with SAP S/4HANA Cloud for Group Reporting for Intercompany Matching and Reconciliation.

Note: This course is based on an SAP S/4HANA system in which Advanced Valuation processes have not yet been activated. For more information about Advanced Valuation, see:

SAP S/4HANA Cloud, public edition: Advanced Valuation in Financial Accounting

SAP S/4HANA: Advanced Valuation in Financial Accounting

Were there some terms in this lesson you’d like further information on? See below a glossary of mentioned terms:

GR/IR Clearing Account: Whenever goods receipt (valuated), and invoice receipts are recorded with a material reference, the goods receipt/invoice receipt (GR/IR) clearing account is updated with postings.

Posting Period: A posting period is a timeframe in a fiscal year where transaction figures are updated. All transactions are assigned to a specific posting period.

Special Period: A posting period divides the last regular posting period for closing operations. There can be up to 12 regular periods and 4 special periods in a fiscal year.