Create a New Document Type
A document type classifies every accounting document and controls number assignment, which account types may be posted, and how much header information the user must supply. Maintain document types with OBA7 (SPRO: Financial Accounting → Financial Accounting Global Settings → Document → Document Types). For each entry you define: an internal (system-assigned) or external (user-entered) number range, which must exist per company code and be assigned to the document type (FBN1); the permitted account types (A = assets, D = customers, K = vendors, S = G/L accounts, M = materials); the header field status group; an authorization group; the permitted reference document types; and the reversal document type the system proposes.
Two field status layers
Many candidates lose points here. The document type controls only the document header – for example whether the Reference or Document Date is required. Line-item field status comes from the field status group of the G/L account (OBC4) or the posting key (OB41). Within any field status, the hierarchy is: suppress beats required, required beats optional.
Traps to expect
- Debit/credit and account type per line are decided by the posting key, not the document type.
- Existing documents keep their numbers when you change a number range assignment; only new documents are affected.
- A number range interval cannot be deleted while documents use it.
- An external range requires the user to key a number inside that range; users often test whether the system rejects duplicates.
Rule of thumb: choose the document type by business transaction, then check the three consequences – number range, allowed account types, header field status. Vendor invoices use KR, outgoing payments KZ, customer invoices DR. If vendors' invoice numbers must be traceable, set Reference to required in the header field status of the invoice document type.