Introduction
During the company payment process some open items can be blocked by the Payment Block Key (PB - Payment Block) due for many reasons where we will discuss in this document to discover many possibilities to block your open item or master data for payment processing.
The use of PB Key in the SAP system is define and described as below:
- Automatic Payment Transactions
- Manual Payments
- Release for Payment
In this first moment let´s understand about the payment block definition and the configuration parameters related to it and in the second moment we will discuss where the payment block can be defined to block the payment transactions.
Payment Block Definition
The payment block key is defined by a char indicator in OB27 having three important definitions which will reflect on their use:
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The PB Key blank- Free for payment will allow the payment posting for the open item or master data, you can even change the description of it, but the use is the same, allowing the payment posting.
There is another three PB Keys with the same special meaning as the Free for Payment, they are:
- The block key * has the effect that all items of the account are skipped in automatic payment transactions:
The use of the payment block "Skip account" is when you need to block the vendor or customer account of the Automatic Payment Transaction (F110). If your master data is set as * - Skip Account, the automatic payment will not process any open item of this vendor or customer
- The block key + has the effect that all items are skipped in which a payment method was not entered explicitly:
The use of the payment block "+" the open items which payment method was not entered explicitly.
- The block key A is always set automatically when a down payment is entered. Therefore, you must not delete the block key A or use it for other purposes:
The use of the payment block "A" to automatically set Down Payments blocked for payment. When posting a down payment, SAP system define the block A for that sub-ledger line items to avoid Automatic Payment Process to clear this open item with other offsetting open items.
Except about these special meaning payment blocks ( _ , A , * and +) you can create another and determine three parameters indicators for it. Let´s check what is the meaning of each one:
- Indicator: Change in Payment Proposal Permitted?
If you set this indicator you can remove the payment block in the Automatic Payment Proposal. This functionality is important when your treasury team can remove certain payment blocks, but don´t have access to FB02 or accounting document changes to remove in the Original Open Item.
- Indicator: Blocked for manual payments
If you set this indicator, the payment is block in the Manual Payment Transactions as well in the Automatic Payment.
Note that the Manual Payment Transactions are:
...F-28 - Incoming Payments
...F-52 - Incoming Payment
...F-53 - Post
...F-58 - Post + Print Forms
...F-59 - Payment Request
In the SAP standard, postings with Clear as F-51 and F-30 are not blocked because are not considered as Manual Payment. Actually, in the SAP standard posting key definition for these transaction codes are postings that are not set as Payment Transactions. You can change the Indicator of Payment Transaction in the posting key (transaction code OB41) or set another posting key which has the Payment Transaction Indicator (OBU1 transaction code) if you want to consider these tcodes (Posting with Clearing) as payment transactions.
- Indicator: Payment block, not changeable
If you want to block the PB Key to be removed within a dialog transaction from an open item, you can set this indicator. This mean that the payment must be released or changed by a program or background function.
This payment block is relevant for the payment release workflow (sample workflow WS004000012) in Financial Accounting. Please, check OSS Note 548278 - Workflow FAQ to learn more about the payment release process.
We've checked about the Payment Block definition and from now, let´s see how to determine the payment block and where it´s possible to set up the automatic definition of them.
Payment Block Determination
It´s possible to setup the automatic determination of these payment block in the open items depending on the business need. Let´s check where we can configure to have this payment block automatically defined.
Master Data:
It´s possible to set the PB Block in the Customer or in the Vendor Master Data in the Payment Transactions at Company Code Level:
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The definition of posting block in the Master Data Level will reflect for all open item payment for that account.
Payment Terms (OBB8 Transaction Code):
It´s possible to set the payment block in the Terms of Payment. When posting any document with the following Terms of Payment the Payment Block will be set. You can also set the Terms of Payment in the Vendor Or Customer Master Data which implies in the Automatic Determination of the Terms of Payment as well the Payment Block during the posting.
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Invoice Block during the Logistics Invoice Verification:
The Logistic Invoice can also determine a payment block during the posting depending on the tolerance limits checking defined in OMR6 transaction code or following the IMG path:
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When the Logistic Invoice Posting reaches these tolerances the Payment Block R is set because of the Invoice Verification.
If you need to implement some enhancements about the payment block at this moment, you can look OSS Note 685158 - MRRL: Enhancement of 'Payment block' in EXIT_SAPLMRMH_001
The release the invoices blocked by this tolerance, MM-IV use the transaction code MRBR - Release Blocked Invoices.
