SAP Expert has a very popular article already about the Bank Statement Process in SAP. That article is based on the “old” SAP transaction for post-processing of bank statements: FEBAN. In fact, FEBAN was already the second generation of such transaction, first of which was the single-screen FEBA. The difference between FEBA and FEBAN is like a difference between FB01 and FB50. Both FEBA and FEBAN had their advocates.

Let’s not go deep into that conversation. SAP introduced a new, third generation of bank statement post-processing transaction few years ago. They did not change the transaction code. It is still FEBAN. But this is a New FEBAN.

Let’s have a look at what is actually new in New FEBAN.

Design

The most obvious change is the design. Instead of tree-structure bank statement layout on the left and line item details on the right, new FEBAN has three horizontal sections.

The top section lists line items selected through the selection criteria, so-called “Worklist”.

The middle section gives you an overview of an individual transaction, its amount, text description and so on.

The bottom section allows you to run cash allocation activities, attach documents and check the logs of the line item processing.

The table sections in the top and bottom part of the transactions are configurable through the standard ALV functionality. Moreover, the bottom part tables can be used for data entry in the corresponding fields.

Cash allocation options

New FEBAN allows you to be flexible in the way how you run the cash allocation for the transaction. It no longer limits you to the use of FB01 or FB05 which are called by the “Save” button. Instead, you can search for invoices to clear, allocate amounts in full or partially, post amounts on customer, vendor or even GL account. All that in any combination and without leaving the single screen, just switching between the tabs. The only limit there is that you can post the document only when the balance is zero. Quite logical it is, isn’t it?

Transaction details editing

Yes, you read this right. You can edit, enhance, amend the transaction details right from the New FEBAN transaction. Of course, you are limited to what you can edit. You cannot edit amount, sign or external transaction code. But you can change the internal posting rule, add some batch-input field information (like in the search strings configuration). And what is the most useful, you can change the Remittance section of the bank statement line item.

Why is it the most useful? Because all your interpretation algorithms and search strings use the Remittance (Note to Payee) section for their work. And nowadays you may have remittance information not only through the bank statement, but also from email, online platform, phone conversation and so on. For example, you can copy-paste invoice numbers related to the customer payment from an email received from that customer financial department, and then “Scan” the Note to Payee section again, asking SAP to automatically find the invoices related to that payment. It will not only run search algorithms for finding the invoice, but also use search strings that may redefine the posting rules, populate extra fields and so on.

That is truly convenient, believe me.

Posting simulation

You have an option to simulate the financial document without actual posting, like you do it in normal FB01, FB05, FB50 and so on transactions. That is just another useful option to validate the document before it hits the accounting books.

Document reversal

Once the document was posted in “old” FEBAN, you had no option to re-process the bank statement item. Of course, you could reverse the document itself and post a new document again. But that new posting would have no link whatsoever to the bank statement. FEBAN would still list an old document against the line item.

Now you have an option to reverse (and reset clearing if necessary) the FI document right from the FEBAN screen. Once reversed, you can reprocess the bank statement line item again using all the same functionality as in original posting.

All the postings and reversals are kept in the FEBAN log, so you can have an audit trail.

Manual change of status

You can now manually change to status of the bank statement line item between Open and Completed. Yes, that is without actual posting.

Relationships browser

The posted document number is shown against the bank statement line item in FEBAN. That existed even in the first re-incarnation of the bank statement post-processing transaction FEBA. But now you have a reverse search functionality. Right from the posted document you launch the Document Relationships Browser, and get back to the statement line item overview.

Well, that is not directly linked to the New FEBAN transaction, but still a worthwhile addition to SAP functionality.

Conclusion

As you can see, SAP worked hard on improvement of the bank statement processing transaction and its usability. It now became really useful and user-friendly

Have you tried that new FEBAN transaction yet? Maybe you can add some more features that SAP Expert forgot to mention here?

Do you have questions about using FEBAN? Why not ask a question to SAP Expert?