Introduction:

SAP module Bank Account Management (BAM) was introduced with SAP S/4HANA and changed the house bank account concept in SAP ERP. A workflow was introduced, house bank account data which was customizing in the past is master data now and an automated distribution of bank accounts from system to system is still (SAP release 2021) not possible.

I would like to share with you some important lessons learned from my experience in SAP S/4HANA projects in the last years in providing you some key points regarding BAM.

Key points:

• Key entry point for creating bank accounts/ house bank accounts is the FIORI app “Manage Bank Accounts” (FIORI ID: F1366A)
  • Normally, a bank account is created within this FIORI app and assigned to one house bank account. 1:n relationship is also possible.
  • A house bank is mandatory to be able to create a house bank account. It can be created via FIORI app: “Manage Banks” (FIORI ID: F1574) > “House Banks” path.
    • Ps: Alternatively, a house bank can be created via customizing GUI transaction: FI12 in development system and transported through systems as in the past with ECC. Only FI12 customizing is not possible for house bank accounts anymore with SAP S/4HANA.
  • Bank master data is mandatory to be able to create house banks. Banks can be created also via FIORI app “Manage Banks”. Afterwards 1 or n house banks can be assigned to this bank via this app.
  • If you aim to have a global, harmonized, and up-to-date bank directory for BNKA table entries and looking for local language files (e.g. for local payments in local characters) you can notice market leaders: Accuity and SWIFT.
  • House bank account creation and linkage will be done through “House Bank Account Connectivity” path within FIORI app “Manage Bank Accounts”

• BAM Workflow can be activated or deactivated through customizing setting SPRO > Financial Supply Chain Management > Cash and Liquidity Management > General Settings > Define Basic Settings
  • Once activated and transported through systems, each system will require an activated BAM workflow for bank account creation in FIORI app “Manage Bank Accounts”
  • A BAM workflow cannot be distributed through systems and needs to be created individually per system
  • BAM workflows can be created and activated via FIORI app: “Manage Workflows – For Bank Accounts” (FIORI ID: F2796)
  • Different BAM workflows can be created and activated or deactivated based on different criteria (account action, account type, company code and change request creator) & can have different approvers and number of approval steps

• It is not possible to distribute bank account/ house bank account data through systems (state: release 2021)
  • A possible way to distribute bank accounts manually is to create additionally an “automatically approved” BAM workflow via FIORI app: “Manage Workflows – For Bank Accounts” in each system
  • Define one (source) test system where the bank account should be initially always manually created
  • Export the created bank account as xml file from this source system and upload it into target systems (“Import and Export Bank Accounts” button within FIORI app “Manage Bank Accounts”).
  • This approach will ensure that created bank accounts in your individual systems are harmonized. Additionally, it will save you time.
    • Ps: Take care of system copies of SAP systems which could delete your bank accounts
  • Please notice to deactivate other BAM workflows in your system before activating the “automatically approved” one.
  • “Automatically approved” BAM workflow can be deactivated after bank account upload and other to-be-productive BAM workflow/s can be activated
  • Please be aware that you will need house bank account details for customizing settings in development system like for e.g., bank statement processing or payment customizing. Therefor, it is important to know how to handle this topic in general.

• If a bank account is stuck in a BAM workflow change request SAP Note 2632604 can help. Report FCLM_BAM_CLEARDIRTYREQ will help to solve such issues.

• From Release 2020 on classic BAM workflow template WS74300043 is not supported anymore with FIORI app “Manage Bank Accounts”. BAM flexible workflow template WS78500050 needs to be used s. What’s New in SAP S/4HANA 2020 – chapter 3.7.1.7
  • Activation of WS78500050 can be done through SPRO > SAP NetWeaver -> Application Server > Business Management > SAP Business Workflow > Flexible Workflow > Scenario Activation
  • Adding workflow scenario through SPRO > SAP NetWeaver -> Gateway Service Enablement > Content > Task Gateway Service -> Scenario Definition
    • Ps: WS74300043 needs to be deactivated in these settings.

• There are two possibilities to maintain BAM workflow approvers. Either by PFAC roles (SAP delivers three PFAC roles which can be used and maintained via GUI transaction: OOCU_RESP as for BCM approvers) or by Teams and Functions which requires employees as business partners (with role “Emloyee – BUP003”) in SAP S/4HANA system.
  • PFAC approach via OOCU_RESP:
    • 74300006 Cash Manager role
    • 74300008 Key User role
    • 74300007 Cash Specialist role
  • Teams and Functions approach:
    • Function for cash manager
    • Function for cash specialist
    • Function for key user
    • Function for other custom roles
  • Ps: If you need more than three different BAM workflow approver roles within your BAM workflow you either need to think of to copy standard BAM workflow template and extend it with additional PFAC roles (or create your own ones) or to use Teams and Functions which gives you more flexibility in SAP standard
  • Should be clear but please notice that an initiator of a BAM change request cannot approve a BAM workflow
  • FIORI app: “My Inbox for Manage Bank Accounts” (FIORI ID: F2797) and FIORI app: “My Sent Requests” (FIORI ID: F1371A) are the apps which will be used within a BAM workflow for approvals.

• Following tables are important to notice:

• 2 FIORI apps are available to maintain bank hierarchies: Manage Bank Accounts – Bank Hierarchy View (reachable via FIORI app: “Manage Banks”) which requires a linkage to a business partner with role “Bank – TR0703” (linkage via table FCLM_BAM_BNKA_BP) & since Release 2020: Manage Bank Account Hierarchies (reachable via FIORI app: “Manage Bank Accounts”)  which does not require a business partner linkage.

Conclusion:

In this SAP blog I tried to share part of my knowledge on a basic level with some important key points regarding BAM in latest SAP S/4HANA releases. I hope it helps you to get a better understanding and to connect the dots in BAM.