Lesson 3 of 5
Matching and clearing
6 min
Posting the bank side of a statement item is easy; the posting rule says which accounts to use. The hard part is clearing: finding the open item the statement item belongs to, such as the customer invoice a wire pays, the check a payee cashed, or the payment run item a transfer executed. SAP does this with interpretation algorithms that read the reference information on the statement item and search for matching open items.
What the algorithm reads
SAP's learning content explains that when a statement arrives, the system reads the note-to-payee text and the configured algorithm decides which reference, such as a document number, is used to find the business partner and the open item. If a match is found, the system posts and clears. If not, the item is left for reprocessing. The algorithm is assigned per external transaction type, so incoming wires, checks and transfers can use different logic.
| Algorithm (classic numbering) | Typical use | What it looks for |
|---|---|---|
| 000 | No interpretation | Posts the bank side only; clearing done later |
| 001 | Standard | Document numbers or reference numbers in the note to payee, within the number intervals defined for the search |
| 011–013 | Outgoing checks | The check number, to clear the check clearing item; which one depends on how check numbers relate to payment documents |
| 019 | Outgoing payment files | The reference the payment medium sent to the bank (DME reference) |
Common interpretation algorithms. Numbers and behavior vary by release; check the list in your system's configuration.
A matching example
Great Lakes Fleet Services pays 12,000 USD and its bank includes "INV 90001234" in the payment details. The incoming wire's transaction type uses the standard algorithm with the billing document number range. The algorithm finds 90001234 in the text, finds the open item for that document on Great Lakes' account, sees that the amounts match, and posts: bank side in area 1, customer clearing in area 2. Maria never touches it.
- Statement itemCredit 12,000; note to payee: "INV 90001234 GREAT LAKES FLEET"
- AlgorithmStandard algorithm reads numbers within the defined interval
- CandidateDocument 90001234 found; customer Great Lakes Fleet Services
- Amount checkOpen amount 12,000 equals payment; within tolerance
- Post and clearArea 1: debit bank, credit incoming clearing; area 2: clear customer invoice
Why matching fails
Most unmatched items have ordinary causes, and the same few recur. Customers omit the invoice number, type it wrongly or quote their own PO number instead. One payment covers several invoices with only one reference. The amount differs because of a deduction or bank fee. Leading zeros differ: SAP sources note that a reference stored as 00100 may not match a bank value of 100 under a straightforward search. Number intervals in the algorithm configuration do not cover a new document number range. Each cause has a different fix.
| Cause | Example | Better fix than manual matching every time |
|---|---|---|
| Missing reference | Customer sends only its own name | Ask the customer to quote invoice numbers; use payment advice |
| Wrong or partial reference | "INV9000123" (one digit short) | Reprocessing rules or search strings for known patterns |
| Customer's own reference | Customer PO number instead of invoice | Search on the field holding the customer reference |
| Amount difference | Short by a 15 USD fee | Tolerances or a rule posting fees to expense |
| Number interval gap | New billing number range not in algorithm settings | Correct the configuration |
Newer releases add further help. SAP's learning content describes an automatic reprocessing job that analyzes items earlier rules could not handle and proposes open items, posting automatically only when a configured confidence threshold is met; availability depends on edition and license. Whatever tools you have, the principle holds: good references in, good matches out.
What would you do?
Since go-live, about 40% of incoming customer payments land unmatched, compared with 10% in ECC. The references on the statements look like invoice numbers. What should Priya check first?
- Interpretation algorithms read references on statement items to find open items to clear.
- Algorithms are assigned per transaction type; the standard algorithm searches document or reference numbers within intervals.
- Common failures: missing or wrong references, multiple invoices, fees, leading zeros, interval gaps.
- Outgoing payments are matched too, using references sent in the payment file.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. What does an interpretation algorithm do?
2. A statement item has no matching reference. What should the tester expect?
3. Which setting can cause matching failures after a new billing number range is introduced?
4. Where is the interpretation algorithm assigned?