Working with Asset Accounting

Asset balances and transactions often need to be valuated differently, for various purposes.

To have more than one valuation basis, depreciation areas are kept in SAP. Separate transaction figures are kept in each area per asset and depreciation area, as well as for individual value components (such as balances, depreciation, and the remaining book value) the asset master record, different data for valuation areas is stored.

The data controls the calculation of normal and special depreciation for the respective valuation areas. Therefore, you can use a different depreciation method for general business procedures as compared to the depreciation method that the tax authorities require.

In the asset master record, different data for valuation areas is stored. The data controls the calculation of normal and special depreciation for the respective valuation areas. Therefore, you can use a different depreciation method for general business procedures compared to the depreciation method that the tax authorities require.

Asset transactions (acquisitions, retirements) can be posted in various ways to meet the organizational and business requirements of the company. In assets accounting, you can post in the following ways:

• Without a vendor or a purchase order:

  The offsetting entry is made to a G/L clearing account.

• To a vendor:

  There is no reference to a purchase order.

• With materials management:

  Use the following functions: purchase order, goods receipt, and invoice receipt.

When posting to accounts of two subsidiary ledgers, that is, to the asset and to the vendor, the reconciliation accounts of both subsidiary ledgers are updated in the general ledger.

The Display Asset Worklist app provides an overview of the fixed asset masters that you are responsible for. Your area of responsibility can be defined by a flexible set of filter values for company code, asset class, and other asset attributes.

With the Manage Fixed Asset app, all the data for an asset is in one place. A graphical representation of the asset's life cycle provides an overview of the asset’s status and allows you to adjust the valuation. Key figures, such as acquisition and production cost (APC), accumulated depreciation, and netbook value, help you to understand the asset valuation in detail. The key figures also help you to determine why unexpected value changes have occurred, for example when special depreciation has been posted accidentally for the fixed accident.

To access the Manage Fixed Asset app, open the Display Asset Master Worklist app. Select a fixed asset master data and navigate to Manage Fixed Assets using the link list or the navigation arrow.