EBS: configuration of search string, part 2
Hello SAPers!
Here is the second document on configuration of search string functionality. The first document can be
found under this link EBS: configuration of search string, part 1. In this document, I’ll try to explain how we
can use the search string functionality to override the default account assignment of cost elements.
When you post bank commission or other similar expenses via automatic bank statement, you might want
to change the automatic account assignment for these expenses depending on some conditions. For instance, if
you’re configuring the EBS for several house banks you might want to post bank expenses using one cost
element but different cost centers for different house banks. This requirement might be useful for the tracking
of bank expenses of different house banks. Search string for EBS provides a nice functionality that enables you
to meet this requirement.
Let’s first discuss the possibilities of default account assignment for bank related expenses. The first option
is to specify the default assignment directly in master record of cost element in transaction KA01. As you can
see on the picture below, cost center 500 is specified as default cost center for cost element 479000 (“Bank
charge costs”).
Another option to configure the default account assignment is to use the transaction OKB9 e.g. as you can
see from the picture below cost center 200 is assigned to the same cost element. The settings in the transaction
OKB9 override those in the master record of cost elements.
If you configure the settings for several company codes, you can assign different cost centers to the same
cost element depending on the company code. You cannot assign several cost centers for the same cost
element in this transaction. However, you can configure the functionality of search string for EBS that will
override both settings.
Suppose you would like to specify cost center 400 for one of your company codes as default cost centers for
bank expenses. Suppose also that there is a fixed text “COMMISSION” (or some other text) in the text of note
to payee that can be used for configuration of search string. In order to meet the requirement stated above you
have to do the following configuration of search string.
Afterwards, you have to configure the use of search string on the respective tab.
The combination of company code, house bank and account ID for which this search string will be
applicable was specified. Afterwards 004 was specified as external transaction code and + as transaction sign.
There was no interpretation algorithm assigned to posting rule associated with bank charges, therefore the
respective column was left blank. Afterwards search string name was specified in the respective column and
“Cost Center” was chosen in the Target field column. Check box “Active” was activated. The columns
Mapping prefix and Partner ID were left blank.
Thus, the logic behind this search string functionality is as follows: when search string finds the fixed text
“COMMISSION” in the text of note to payee, it triggers the posting rule assigned to the business transaction
code 004 and uses cost center 400 instead of cost centers defined as default in the master record of cost
element or in the transaction OKB9 (screenshot of the financial document that was posted using this
configuration can be found below).
You can find an example of bank statement that was used for the configuration of this functionality below.
The same logic can be configured for overriding the default assignment of business areas and profit centers.
I hope this post will be useful for some of you. All suggestions are welcome.
Best regards,
The Wirtschaftsmann
