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SAP Posting Keys Reference: Standard Keys for Customers, Vendors, G/L and Materials

A posting key is the two-digit code on each line item that decides debit or credit, the account type and which fields appear on the screen. Customers see them as numbers in line item lists, developers in table BSEG field BSCHL, and consultants when uploading journals. This reference lists the standard ones.

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Posting key	Side	Account type	Standard meaning
01	Debit	Customer	Invoice
02	Credit	Customer	Reverse credit memo
04	Debit	Customer	Other receivables
05	Debit	Customer	Outgoing payment
06	Debit	Customer	Payment difference
07	Debit	Customer	Other clearing
08	Debit	Customer	Payment clearing
09	Debit	Customer	Special G/L debit
11	Credit	Customer	Credit memo
12	Credit	Customer	Reverse invoice
15	Credit	Customer	Incoming payment
16	Credit	Customer	Payment clearing
19	Credit	Customer	Special G/L credit
21	Debit	Vendor	Credit memo
22	Debit	Vendor	Reverse invoice
24	Debit	Vendor	Other payables
25	Debit	Vendor	Outgoing payment
26	Debit	Vendor	Payment difference
27	Debit	Vendor	Other clearing
28	Debit	Vendor	Payment clearing
29	Debit	Vendor	Special G/L debit
31	Credit	Vendor	Invoice
32	Credit	Vendor	Reverse credit memo
34	Credit	Vendor	Other payables
35	Credit	Vendor	Incoming payment
36	Credit	Vendor	Payment difference
37	Credit	Vendor	Other clearing
38	Credit	Vendor	Payment clearing
39	Credit	Vendor	Special G/L credit
40	Debit	G/L account	Debit entry
50	Credit	G/L account	Credit entry
70	Debit	Asset	Debit asset
75	Credit	Asset	Credit asset
81	Debit	G/L account	Costs (used in MM postings with consumption)
86	Debit	G/L account	GR/IR debit
89	Debit	Material	Stock inwards
96	Credit	G/L account	GR/IR credit
99	Credit	Material	Stock outwards

Posting keys are configuration (OB41, tables TBSL and TBSLT). This is the delivered standard set. Some keys, such as those for MM, are generated by account determination (OBYC) and cannot be entered manually.

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How to use this lookup

Search by key, such as 31, or by meaning, such as invoice or GR/IR. Use it when you prepare an Excel upload for a journal (for example with LSMW or a BAPI), when you decode a BSEG extract, or when a user asks why a document shows a key they have not seen. Export the filtered rows into your mapping sheet.

Reading the number ranges

Keys 01 to 19 are customer lines, 21 to 39 vendor lines, 40 and 50 are G/L debit and credit, 70 and 75 are asset lines, and the 80s and 90s are used for material and stock postings. Within each customer or vendor block, the first digit of the pair shows the side: for customers, 0 debits and 1 credits; for vendors, 2 debits and 3 credits.

How keys relate to document types

A document type decides which account types a document may contain, and a posting key decides which side and which account type a line takes. Together they control what a user can post. A posting key is also linked to a field status variant, which decides which fields are required. If a user cannot post to a customer with key 01, check the document type first, then the posting key in OB41.

Common mistakes

Using key 40 for a G/L line that should hit a reconciliation account, which SAP blocks. Reversing a document by entering opposite keys manually when the reverse keys exist. Using special G/L keys without the special indicator. Assuming key meanings carry across custom keys added at your company.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between posting key 40 and 50?

Posting key 40 is a debit to a G/L account, and posting key 50 is a credit to a G/L account. They are the usual lines in a manual journal entry, together with the customer and vendor keys for sub-ledger lines.

Which posting keys are used for vendor invoices and credit memos?

A vendor invoice credits the vendor with key 31, and a vendor credit memo debits the vendor with key 21. Reversals use keys 22 and 32 for the opposite side.

Where are posting keys stored in SAP?

Definitions are in table TBSL, texts in TBSLT, and the posted key is on each line item in table BSEG field BSCHL. In S/4HANA the same value appears in the Universal Journal table ACDOCA.

Can I create my own posting keys?

Yes, in OB41 you can add keys by copying a standard one, but it is rarely needed. Most requirements are met with field status groups and document types instead.

If you are converting legacy journals or invoices to SAP and need the posting keys and accounts mapped automatically, Netray can build a checking tool for your file format.

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