Last Updated on June 20, 2022 by Pradeep
SAP New Asset Accounting powered by S4 HANA
The New Asset Accounting in SAP works on the HANA platform. SAP launched its first version on ERP 6.0 Enhancement Pack 7 (EHP7). Since then, it has been optimized for SAP S/4 HANA and S4 HANA Finance.
With SAP New Asset Accounting, many of the underlying principles and structures remain the same. Thus, the existing Asset Accounting users will see many familiar transactions. For Example, the Asset Explorer screen.
However, other transactions are enhanced by SAP with additional fields or functionality.
Changes Brought in by New Asset Accounting in SAP
Apart from improvements to speed and performance, most of the enhancements brought in by New Asset Accounting in SAP revolve around posting to the different accounting principles more efficiently and reporting on them. So let us know the key of them.
1. Instance Access to correct Up-to-Date Values
Now you can post all the depreciation areas in New Asset Accounting equally in real-time. You can also navigate and drill down to most financial documents in Asset Explorer, not just those in the main depreciation area.
When we make a change to an asset, the system updates its planned depreciation (used to post actual depreciation) immediately and all reports show the up-to-date values.
2. Single Source of Truth with SAP Asset Accounting
The reconciliation between FI and Asset Accounting is assured by design. For example, we can now use the reconciliation accounts, in all depreciation areas, which helps preserve the integrity of the postings.
On a general note, the reconciliation accounts don’t allow manual postings.
Further, the Cost Elements are now integrated into the chart of account master records. This integration helps to ensure that SAP ERP Controlling (CO) is aligned with SAP FI.
Postings to the other ledgers no longer take place separately at the period-end postings. Hence, you would not omit the postings accidentally. Additionally, you have access to up-to-date figures all through the period, not just at the month-end.
(Key Note:- Universal Journal in SAP is one of the key components in S/4HANA to justify the Single source of Truth in the SAP system.)
Simplification of Posting Logic
In S/4HANA, SAP has introduced New transactions and accounts that allow you to post independently to individual depreciation areas, accounting principles, or ledger groups if required.
Transparency
You can produce a separate line item for each asset posting, including the acquisition and retirement values, the depreciation P/L charge, and the accumulated depreciation. This whole allows full visibility in SAP FI.
No Redundancy of Data
New Asset Accounting no longer requires the use of delta depreciation areas in addition to normal depreciation areas.
New Logic and Easier Data Structures Aids Reporting
Now you rarely need the Custom reports to merge data from different places or tables. This is because now the system stores more data from CO, Profitability Analysis ( PA), purchasing, Sales and Distribution ( SD), Asset Accounting, and so on in a single table in FI. It is also available in the general ledger line item reports.
Smart Migration
When migrating from another SAP system to SAP S/4 HANA, although many tables are obsolete, compatibility views in SAP S/4 HANA have the same name as the previous tables to allow custom reports and certain programs to continue to run.
If your existing system has been converted to SAP S/4 HANA, data from Years before the migration are stored and remain accessible for reporting.
You can choose which depreciation area posts to which ledger (previously only Depreciation Area 1) posted to the leading ledger.
Smooth Period-End
The period-end procedure is simpler and faster, with up-to-date data available all through the month. You can either do Postings directly or in the background. Thus, there are no more batch postings.
The depreciation posting at the month-end is faster because the values don’t have to be recalculated. Since you can simply post the planned value directly. That is why you do not require additional batch postings.
Posting each ledger to different periods is possible as long as the year start and end dates are the same, for example having calendar months for local GAAP, but quarterly periods for International Accounting Standards ( IAS)
Prerequisites for SAP Asset Accounting in S4 HANA
New Asset Accounting is available even if you are not on SAP S/4 HANA ( as long as you are on SAP ECC 6.0 EHP 7 or above ), but you must have the new version of the SAP General ledger implemented first and use the ledger approach. It is activated at the client level and therefore, applies to all company codes. Not all of the features of New asset accounting are available until you migrate to SAP S/4 HANA and after you are on SAP S/4 HANA, classic Asset Accounting no longer exists.
Read Related: Account Approach vs. Ledger Approach in New AA
Depreciation Calculation & posting in S4 HANA Finance
SAP S/4 HANA still uses transaction AFAB for depreciation calculation in SAP, but the selection screen is slightly different. You no longer need to choose a reason for the posting run because SAP S/4 HANA will automatically know whether it’s planned, repeated, restart, or unplanned depreciation.
You can choose to run the posting separately for each accounting principle or you can leave the Accounting principle field blank and run it for all accounting principles.
Starting New Batch For: SAP S4 HANA Finance Training
Info for Posting Parameters
A very useful addition is the “Info for Posting Parameters” button at the top of the Depreciation Posting Run selection. This allows you to see which periods and which accounting principles were last posted.
Faster Calculation
Although the depreciation transaction is still run in the background in New Asset Accounting. But now it will run faster as it’s not recalculating every asset. Just taking the planned values that are always up to date. As before you can see all the details in test mode.
Up to Date Depreciation Calculation
The system updates the planned depreciation every time we post an asset transaction or make a change. Therefore, asset explorer and asset reports will always show you up-to-date values.
At the end of the month, when you run the depreciation transaction, it should be quicker as it is simply posting the already calculated planned values. The system still posts collective documents for depreciation. It doesn’t post one document for each asset, but it does post a separate line item in the general ledger for each asset. Thus, giving you more detail than before for reporting in Finance.
Also Read:- Scenarios in SAP General Ledger Accounting
Simplified AFAB Screen in SAP Asset Accounting
Now SAP has simplified the AFAB screen. Because when previously we had to re-run the depreciation in a particular period, we always had to think for a minute which button to choose and how the system figures it out automatically.
Flexible Depreciation Run
The second point you can still run the depreciation for all accounting principles at the same time or you choose to run it for the different accounting principles separately.
Know how to define depreciation areas in SAP FICO Asset Accounting
New Depreciation Engine in SAP S/4 HANA Vs. ECC
SAP has done a lot of modifications in depreciation in S/4HANA when we see it in comparison to ECC. It is simpler and easier with more customization.
Depreciation Calculation in ECC
Previously we used to calculate the depreciation on every transaction line item sequentially, with the annual depreciation being the total of the line items.
For example, Suppose you have the depreciation for the whole year calculated on the first acquisition value.
However, in the mid of the year, you have a disposal. In that case, you need to deduct half a year’s depreciation on the disposal amount.
Adding another instance to this, suppose you Further have an addition to the assets near the end of the year. In that case, again you would add on the depreciation for that acquisition just for those remaining months.
This sort of calculation makes the job cumbersome.
Depreciation Calculation in S/4HANA – As part of SAP Asset Accounting
SAP New Asset Accounting brings with it the new Depreciation Calculation Engine. It is designed with more country-specific requirements (Particularly Japan) and calculates by period intervals rather than the transaction.
The engine also includes more flexibility for time-dependent changes. For example, while making mid-year changes to depreciation, we use the concepts of useful life, depreciation key, scrap value, etc.
The final calculated amount, in most cases, will be the same as before.
(However, one area where we may see some changes is when the useful life of an asset changes partway through its life).
Read Related: SAP FICO Interview Questions on Fixed Assets
Migrating to SAP New Asset Accounting
Generally, you are either going to be migrating to a Greenfield implementation of S/4 HANA or converting your existing system data to S/4 HANA. Many customers already on SAP for several years are using this opportunity to re-implement and get rid of all the bad practices. It is the only option available if you are moving to S/4 HANA on a public cloud.
The second option, system conversion is less disrupting and you keep your transaction history but it is only available for on-premise S/4 HANA Versions.
The New General Ledger is the only ledger available in S/4 HANA, but if you don’t have it already and want to use the full functionality, for example, the parallel ledgers and document splitting, a separate project to migrate to New General Ledger before S/4 HANA may be advisable.
Most related: Asset Accounting in SAP FICO
EndNote
A consultant needs asset accounting knowledge for both Greenfield (new) and Brownfield (migration) implementation. This is mainly during development, testing, and post-migration activities.
In case, you are planning to go for an SAP consultant job, you are highly required to attain this knowledge
If you are preparing for certification in SAP S4 HANA Finance, it’s even more important for you. You can expect more than 12% of questions from SAP Asset Accounting in the examination.
Also Read: Useful Tips for SAP Certification Exam
Watch Related Video: Changes in SAP New Asset Accounting – ECC Vs. S4 HANA
