Asset Accounting
Asset Accounting is organised hierarchically. The chart of depreciation groups depreciation areas (01 book, 02 tax, 20 cost accounting, and so on) and is assigned to the company code. The asset class (maintained in OAOA) determines the number range, screen layout, account determination and which depreciation areas are active. The asset master consists of a main asset number plus subnumbers for logical parts, and holds time-dependent data: cost center, useful life, depreciation key, capitalization date.
Key transactions: AS01 create asset, AS02 change (time-dependent fields open a new interval), AS91 legacy data transfer with takeover values during go-live, ABUMN transfer within company code, ABAVN retirement by scrapping, F-90 external acquisition, AFAB depreciation run, AJRW fiscal year change, AJAB year-end closing, AW01N Asset Explorer, and the asset history sheet for reporting.
Traps to expect
- The chart of depreciation cannot be changed once assets with values exist in the company code.
- AS91 is for legacy takeover at cutover; using ordinary acquisitions instead distorts history and depreciation.
- Depreciation must be posted for the period before retiring an asset, or the retirement produces an error or unexpected gain/loss.
- Time-dependent master data changes take effect from the interval start, not retroactively to the current date.
- Retirements calculate gain/loss from net book value, so a missing depreciation run changes the result.
Rule of thumb: everything financial about an asset is decided by three objects – the asset class, the depreciation key and the time-dependent master data. Verify all three in AW01N before investigating postings.