SAP SAP FICO Syllabus

SAP FICO syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for SAP FICO in SAP, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Introduction to SAP FICO

   2 topics

   • Overview of SAP ERP
     • Introduction to ERP
     • Key Modules in SAP ERP
     • Role of SAP FICO in SAP ERP
   • Basics of SAP FICO
     • Introduction to Financial Accounting (FI)
     • Introduction to Controlling (CO)
     • Integration between FI and CO
2. 2

   Financial Accounting (FI)

   8 topics

   • General Ledger Accounting
     • Chart of Accounts
     • General Ledger Master Data
     • Posting Periods
     • Document Types and Number Ranges
     • GL Posting and Reporting
   • Accounts Payable (AP)
     • Vendor Master Data
     • Invoice Posting
     • Payment Processing
     • Credit Memo
     • AP Reporting
   • Accounts Receivable (AR)
     • Customer Master Data
     • Invoice Posting
     • Incoming Payments
     • Dunning
     • AR Reporting
   • Asset Accounting (AA)
     • Asset Master Data
     • Asset Transactions
     • Depreciation Run
     • Asset Reporting
   • Bank Accounting (BA)
     • Bank Master Data
     • Cash Journal
     • Bank Reconciliation
   • Special Purpose Ledger (SPL)
     • Ledger Configuration
     • Data Transfer
   • Travel Management
     • Travel Requests
     • Travel Expenses
   • Integration with Other Modules
     • Integration with MM
     • Integration with SD
     • Integration with PP
3. 3

   Controlling (CO)

   7 topics

   • Cost Element Accounting
     • Primary and Secondary Cost Elements
     • Cost Element Categories
   • Cost Center Accounting
     • Cost Center Master Data
     • Cost Center Hierarchies
     • Activity Types
     • Cost Center Planning
     • Cost Center Allocations
   • Internal Orders
     • Internal Order Master Data
     • Order Types
     • Order Planning
     • Order Settlement
   • Profit Center Accounting
     • Profit Center Master Data
     • Profit Center Hierarchies
     • Profit Center Planning
     • Profit Center Allocations
   • Product Cost Controlling
     • Product Cost Planning
     • Cost Object Controlling
     • Actual Costing
   • Profitability Analysis (CO-PA)
     • Operating Concern
     • Characteristics and Value Fields
     • CO-PA Planning
     • CO-PA Reporting
   • Integration with Other Modules
     • Integration with MM
     • Integration with SD
     • Integration with PP
4. 4

   Advanced Topics in SAP FICO

   4 topics

   • New General Ledger (New GL)
     • Segment Reporting
     • Document Splitting
     • Parallel Accounting
   • SAP S/4HANA Finance
     • Universal Journal
     • Central Finance
     • Real-Time Integration
   • Reporting and Analytics
     • SAP Fiori Apps
     • SAP BW/4HANA
     • SAP Analytics Cloud
   • SAP FICO Configuration
     • Configuration of Financial Accounting
     • Configuration of Controlling

SAP FICO flashcards for SAP

19 of 51 cards from the SAP FICO deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What does the SAP FICO module stand for, and what are its two integrated components?

   FICO stands for Financial Accounting and Controlling. FI (Financial Accounting) handles external reporting (statutory financial statements), while CO (Controlling) handles internal management accounting for cost and profitability analysis.

2. What is SAP ERP and what is the current flagship SAP ERP suite?

   SAP ERP is integrated enterprise resource planning software that unifies business functions (finance, logistics, HR) on a single real-time database. The current flagship suite is SAP S/4HANA, running on the in-memory SAP HANA database.

3. In SAP FI, what is a Company Code and what is its significance?

   A Company Code is the smallest organizational unit for which a complete, self-contained set of legal financial statements (balance sheet and P&L) can be drawn up. It represents an independent legal accounting entity, identified by a 4-character code.

4. What is a Chart of Accounts in SAP FI?

   A Chart of Accounts is an ordered list of all G/L account master records used by one or more company codes. Types include the Operating (operational) chart, the Group chart (for consolidation), and the Country-specific chart (for local legal reporting).

5. What is a Fiscal Year Variant in SAP FI?

   The Fiscal Year Variant defines the number of posting periods (normally 12) and special periods (up to 4, for year-end adjustments) in a fiscal year, and whether the fiscal year is year-dependent or calendar-based.

6. What is the difference between a General Ledger (G/L) account and a Sub-ledger in SAP?

   The G/L (general ledger) holds totals for external reporting. Sub-ledgers (Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Asset Accounting) hold detailed transaction data per customer/vendor/asset and are linked to the G/L through reconciliation accounts.

7. What is a reconciliation account in SAP FI?

   A reconciliation account is a G/L account that automatically records postings made in a sub-ledger (AP, AR, or AA). It ensures the sub-ledger and general ledger are always in balance; you cannot post directly to it.

8. What are the main master data elements required for General Ledger Accounting?

   The G/L account master record, which is maintained at two levels: the Chart of Accounts segment (account number, name, account group, P&L vs. balance sheet indicator) and the Company Code segment (currency, tax category, reconciliation indicator, field status group).

9. What is a Document Type in SAP FI and give examples?

   A Document Type classifies accounting documents and controls which account types can be posted and the number range used. Examples: SA (G/L account document), KR (vendor invoice), KZ (vendor payment), DR (customer invoice), DZ (customer payment), AB (general document).

10. What is a Posting Key in SAP FI?

    A two-digit Posting Key controls how a line item is posted: it determines the account type (customer, vendor, G/L, asset), whether the item is a debit or credit, and the field status of the line. Example: 40 = G/L debit, 50 = G/L credit, 01 = customer invoice debit.

11. State the fundamental accounting equation that every SAP FI document must satisfy.

    $$\text{Assets} = \text{Liabilities} + \text{Equity}$$ Equivalently, in every posted document total debits must equal total credits: $\sum \text{Debits} = \sum \text{Credits}$.

12. What is the standard business process (three-way match) in Accounts Payable?

    The Procure-to-Pay three-way match compares the Purchase Order, the Goods Receipt, and the Vendor Invoice. When quantities and prices match within tolerance, the invoice is verified and posted for payment; discrepancies are blocked.

13. In Accounts Payable, what accounting entry is made when a vendor invoice is posted?

    Debit the Expense or GR/IR (Goods Receipt/Invoice Receipt) account and Credit the Vendor (reconciliation account for AP). When the invoice is later paid: Debit Vendor, Credit Bank.

14. What is the Automatic Payment Program (APP / transaction F110) in Accounts Payable?

    The APP automates outgoing payments to vendors: it selects due open items based on the payment run parameters, proposes payments, groups them by payment method and bank, and generates payment documents and payment media (checks, bank files).

15. What is the difference between a special G/L transaction and a normal transaction in AP/AR?

    Special G/L transactions (e.g., down payments, bills of exchange, guarantees) are posted to an alternative reconciliation account rather than the normal one, so they are reported separately on the balance sheet. They are identified by a special G/L indicator.

16. What is the standard business process in Accounts Receivable (Order-to-Cash)?

    Order-to-Cash: create sales order, deliver goods, bill the customer (posts AR), receive incoming payment, and clear the open item. Dunning is used to remind overdue customers.

17. In Accounts Receivable, what entry is posted when a customer invoice (billing) is created?

    Debit the Customer (AR reconciliation account) and Credit Revenue (and Credit Output Tax if applicable). On receipt of payment: Debit Bank, Credit Customer.

18. What is the Dunning process in Accounts Receivable?

    Dunning is the automated process of sending payment reminders to customers with overdue open items. The dunning program selects overdue items, assigns a dunning level based on days overdue, and generates dunning notices per the dunning procedure.

19. What is a credit memo in AP/AR?

    A credit memo is a document that reduces the amount owed. In AR, a credit memo to a customer reduces receivables (Debit Revenue, Credit Customer). In AP, a vendor credit memo reduces payables (Debit Vendor, Credit Expense/GR-IR).

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