How to Open a Posting Period in SAP

Access the SAP Easy Access screen

Log in to SAP and confirm you are on the SAP Easy Access main menu. The left panel shows the SAP Menu with folders such as Office, Logistics, Accounting, and Human Resources. The main area displays the SAP Easy Access logon screen.

Open the posting periods maintenance screen

In the command field at the top of the screen, enter the transaction code OB52 and press Enter. The system opens the "Change View 'Posting Periods: Specify Time Intervals': Overview" screen, which lists existing posting period intervals for various company codes.

The overview table includes the following columns: Var., A (Account Type), From acct, To account, From per.1, Year, To period, Year, From per.2, Year, To period, Year, AuGr. Each row represents a posting period configuration for a specific company code and account type.

Select the data for your company code

Locate the rows that correspond to your company code (for example, 0001). Click to highlight the relevant rows for that company code before making any changes.

Check account type validity

Each row for your company code may represent a different module or account type. The A column indicates the account type:

• Blank: valid for all account types
• A: Assets
• D: Customers (Accounts Receivable)
• K: Vendors (Accounts Payable)
• M: Materials
• S: G/L accounts
• V: Contract accounts

Click the account type field to see the available options. A pop-up displays choices such as Valid for all account types, Assets, Customers, and Vendors. Selecting Valid for all account types opens the posting period for all modules.

Open or close posting periods for specific modules

You can open or close posting periods individually for each module by selecting the matching account type:

• To keep only the Asset module open, select Assets.
• To open the AR module for customers, select Customers.
• To keep the AP module open for vendors, select Vendors.
• To open the posting period for the MM (Materials Management) module, select the row with account type M (Materials) and ensure the desired period is open.
• To open or close the posting period for the General Ledger, select the row with account type S (G/L accounts) and adjust the period as needed.

Each module—Assets, Customers, Vendors, Materials, G/L accounts, and Contract accounts—is segregated by account type, so you can control periods for each one independently.

Copy posting periods to a new company code

If you want to replicate the open and close posting period settings from one company code to another, use the Copy As... function. Select the rows for the source company code (for example, 0001), then press Shift + F6 or click Copy As... in the toolbar. This copies all open and close posting period settings from the selected company code.

Assign the variant to your company code

After copying, a new screen appears where you can assign the variant to your own company code. In the Var. column, select or enter the variant you created (for example, AH01). Use the dropdown list to choose your variant if needed.

Update all rows with your company code

Change the Var. column for every relevant row to your company code (for example, AH01). Make sure each row for the different account types (A, D, K, M, S, V, or blank) reflects your company code. Leave the A column blank if you want the period to be valid for all account types, or set it to a specific type as needed.

Understand the account and period fields

Before finalizing your entries, review how the account and period fields affect posting:

• When From account and To account are left blank or set to ZZZZZZZZZZ, the posting period settings apply to all G/L accounts. A blank or ZZ value makes the period "infinite," covering all G/L codes without restriction.
• If you enter specific account numbers, the open or close period applies only to those accounts.
• The From period and To period fields define which posting periods are open. For example, setting From period to 1 and To period to 12 opens all 12 months for posting.
• Setting To period to 2 opens only periods 1 and 2 for posting.
• Confirm that the correct variant (for example, AH01) is entered in the Var. column for all relevant rows.

Save and create a customizing request

Once all rows are correctly filled in for your company code and account types, click the save icon in the toolbar. The system prompts you to create a new customizing request for the change.

In the Create Request dialog, enter a short description such as "Creation of Open and Close Posting Period." Confirm that the Owner, Project, and Source client fields are correctly populated (for example, Owner: IV028, Source client: 001). Click the save icon in the dialog to complete the request creation.

Enter your company name in the customizing request

In the Create Request dialog, locate the Short Description field and enter text such as Creation of Open and Close Posting Period for AH01, replacing AH01 with your actual company code. Confirm that Owner is set to IV028 and Source client is 001. Review all fields for accuracy before proceeding.

Save the customizing request and verify

Click the save icon at the bottom of the Create Request dialog to confirm and save your customizing request. Wait for the system to process the request and return you to the main configuration screen.

Look for the confirmation message "Data was saved" at the bottom left of the SAP window. Confirm that all your posting period intervals for your variant (for example, AH01) appear correctly in the overview table.