Upgrade Customer Account Group

[Former Member]

Hi,

there is a provision in SAP to change customer's Account Group - transaction XD07. But it only works one-way (upgrade a customer from Lower-level Account Group to Higher-level, for example form Payer => Sold-To-Party) and not the other way round (downgrade).

where / how do you define which Account Group is higher level and which one is lower level?

Thanks,

/V

[former_member184555 · Accepted solution]

Vibhor Jain wrote:
where / how do you define which Account Group is higher level and which one is lower level?

Basically the account group controls the views and fields of a customer master record. The account group for SP will be configured such a way that it will capture all the information related to Sales, Shipping, Invoicing/billing. Functionally, the hierarchy of these four account groups is SP, SH, PY and BP. If a customer created under BP account group will have to be used as a SH as well, when we extend (change account group) the customer through XD07...the system tries to capture the additional information in the customer maser record...in order to use this customer with the required new roles of SH (and PY as well). We cannot add this new information with the same account group of BP. Like upgrading customers by adding new information (Eg: shipping data in customer master) in customer master records...we do not have the option of downgrading the customer role in standard SAP. We have to control these partner roles of this customer by specifically blocking them for Sales/Shipping etc., 

[former_member182378 · Accepted solution]

Ravi,

If different number ranges are assigned to account groups of SH and PY.

Then would you advice to upgrade a SH customer, in order to play the partner role of PY too?

Thank you, in advance!

[former_member184555 · Accepted solution]

TW,

T W wrote:
If different number ranges are assigned to account groups of SH and PY.
Then would you advice to upgrade a SH customer, in order to play the partner role of PY too?

If different number ranges are maintained for different account groups...when a PY is upgraded to SH (not SH to PY)...then system creates a new customer number for this customer and defaults the partner functions SH, PY and BP in the customer master record. The existing/old customer master record of PY can be blocked in an appropriate time. When the new SH customer can play the role of PY also...then there is no reason for keeping the old PY customer....unless the business process demands.

This is my understanding. I didn't work on this specific scenario. Please test and correct me if I am wrong.

Regards,

Ravi Sankar

[former_member182378]

Vibhor,

Please explain why you want to downgrade already existing customer (with regards to its account groups)?

A customer that is a SP, can always be used as a SH or a PY, without any change done / needed!

Probably that is why SAP has not provided the option to downgrade a customer.

[Former Member]

There isn't a requirement to "downgrade" any business partners' Account group. In-fact I dont even know whether any change is an "upgrade" or a "downgrade" until  I know Account Groups hierarchy (if there exists any!)

The doubt arise out of the fact that any text book / any literature I read always quote

• Account group can ONLY be upgraded (without mentioning WHAT defines hierarchy level)
• and quote same example ...upgrading Payer, PY => Sold-To-Party, SP

I can very much imagine a business scenarios where today's Ship-To-Party, SH can take additional role to be also a Payer, PY OR Bill-to-Party, BP OR both. How do we accommodate such change? do we upgrade such customer to PY account group ? to BP account group ? whichever is higher level?

or do we just add PY, BP partner functions to SH's Account Group

Thanks,

/V

[former_member182378]

Vibhor,

Thank you for this well-explained post!

today's Ship-To-Party, SH can take additional role to be also a Payer, PY OR Bill-to-Party, BP OR both. How do we accommodate such change? do we upgrade such customer to PY account group ? to BP account group ? whichever is higher level?
or do we just add PY, BP partner functions to SH's Account Group

If an existing SH customer is also going to take on the role of a Payer, then create a new CMR with the customer account group configured for payer.

By upgrading / changing the account group (from SH) to PY, the customer can not be used as SH any more.

Definitely, do not "add" PY, BP partner function to the account group of SH.

This shall be then applicable for ALL customers created with acc. group SH.

Also, the number ranges assigned for each acc group could be different, for the business reason of identification and others...

[former_member184065]

Dear,

where / how do you define which Account Group is higher level and which one is lower level?

We doesnt have such kind of settings in SAP .Actually,we talk as Sold To Party is Unique ,without Sold To Party ,it cant be possible to create a Customer Master Data that's why ,it is always will be on High level .After this ,we will consider as a Lower level Partners .

If you have any doubts please let me know .

Thanks,

Naren

[former_member182378]

Narendra, Vibhor,

For me, SP could be "identified" as the highest.

But apart from the above; all the others - SH, BP, PY etc. there is no higher or lower; each one has its own role (and use).

[former_member186385]

Hi,

actually you cannot change ACCOUNT GROUP of  SOLD TO PARTY to SHIP TO as the fields in both these account groups are different and some fields are already masked in the new account group

I guess if both account groups are having same entry fields then they can be changed

ensure the fields settings are similar and try

regards,

santosh