GL Account - change alternative account number error FH007 even though balance is zero

[Former Member]

Hello all,

     Our France company code has a local chart of accounts (00FR) and alternate accounts assigned in the GL accounts.   Recently we were asked to change the alternate account numbers for about 50 of our GL accounts.

     I had the business team zero balance these accounts (both balance sheet and P&L accounts), I changed the alternate account, and they transferred the balance back.

     This has worked fine for all but 3 accounts.   For some reason I am still getting the "Account balance is not zero" error even though all three currencies show as zero in FAGLL03 (FBL3N).   When I check FAGLB03 (FS10N), there is still a cummulative balance.    If I zero out the cummulative amount, the FAGLL03 shows a balance.

Question 1 - is it the cummulative balance causing this error?

Question 2 - how can I get these 3 accounts zeroed out so I can change the alternative account number?

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide,

Cheryl

[former_member182339 · Accepted solution]

Hello Cheryl,

Please refer Sap note-1650435

Best regards

Hrusikesh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank you Hrusikesh.   I can follow the instructions in the note.  I'm just curious why 47 accounts allowed this change but only 3 accounts are unhappy.  

Could it be because these 3 are P&L accounts where the others were all balance sheet accounts?

[former_member182339 · Accepted solution]

Hello Chery,

yes that looks like primary reason for me.

best regards

Hrusikesh

[dora_takacs · Accepted solution]

Hi Cheryl,

The check for existing account balances at change of ALTKT is as follows:
First the account balance is checked in the current fiscal year.
If there´s no posting to the account in current fiscal year the previous fiscal year will be checked, too. If there´s no posting in the previous fiscal year either even the fiscal year before the previous year will be checked.

This logic is independent from whether it´s a B/S or a P&L account.

Generally ALTKT should not been changed for accounts that have balance not equal zero.

The reason why the prior year is checked only for accounts without any posting in current year is the possibility that a balance posted by mistake in prior year was corrected by a reversal only in current year on a B/S account (which is carried forward).

However on P&L accounts which aren´t carried forward reversing a balance in next fiscal year isn´t possible. Hence ALTKT should not be changed on P&L accounts even if there was a balance only in the previous fiscal year.

Please try to create a new G/L account with the new ALTKT instead.

BR,

Dóra