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SAP SD Document Category (VBTYP) Reference

SAP stores the kind of SD document in VBTYP, a one-character document category. Customer service sees AUART codes like OR or QT, but reports, document flow and ABAP code all key off VBTYP.

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VBTYP	Document category	Group	Where you see it
A	Inquiry	Sales	VA11; pre-sales document, e.g. type IN
B	Quotation	Sales	VA21; type QT
C	Order	Sales	VA01; standard order type OR
D	Item proposal	Sales	Template of items for order entry
E	Scheduling agreement	Sales	Delivery schedule lines; type DS or LP
F	Scheduling agreement with external service agent	Sales	Specialized scheduling agreement
G	Contract	Sales	VA41; quantity or value contract
H	Returns	Sales	Customer return order, type RE
I	Order without charge	Sales	Free of charge delivery order
J	Delivery	Shipping	VL01N outbound delivery; LIKP/LIPS
K	Credit memo request	Sales	Request that leads to a credit memo, type CR
L	Debit memo request	Sales	Request that leads to a debit memo, type DR
M	Invoice	Billing	VF01 billing document, type F2
N	Invoice cancellation	Billing	Cancellation billing document, type S1
O	Credit memo	Billing	Billing credit memo, type G2
P	Debit memo	Billing	Billing debit memo, type L2
Q	WMS transfer order	Warehouse	Warehouse management transfer order
R	Goods movement	Inventory	Material document, e.g. goods issue
S	Credit memo cancellation	Billing	Cancels a credit memo
T	Returns delivery for order	Shipping	Inbound delivery of returned goods
U	Pro forma invoice	Billing	Export pro forma billing
W	Independent requirements	Planning	Planning requirements document

VBTYP is the technical category. The document type (AUART for sales, FKART for billing) is the configurable value customers see on screens. One category can have many types.

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How to use the table

Search by letter or by name. The group column tells you whether the category belongs to sales, shipping or billing. The note column shows the typical transaction and an example document type. Use it when you read VBFA document flow entries or write selections against VBAK, LIKP or VBRK.

Category versus document type

VBTYP is fixed by SAP and cannot be changed. AUART (sales document type) and FKART (billing type) are configured in Customizing and each is assigned to a category. For example, your custom order type ZOR still has VBTYP C. Always filter on VBTYP when you want all orders regardless of custom types.

Document flow in practice

Table VBFA links preceding and subsequent documents using fields VBTYP_V and VBTYP_N for the categories. A typical flow is quotation B to order C to delivery J to invoice M. Returns follow H, then T, then credit memo O. Knowing the letter lets a rep trace an order from quote to cash without opening each screen.

Common mistakes

Developers often filter on AUART = 'OR' and miss custom order types. Others confuse category C with the status of the order. Remember that VBTYP identifies what the document is, not where it stands. Status lives in tables like VBUK/VBUP or, in newer releases, status fields on the header and item tables.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is VBTYP in SAP?

VBTYP is the SD document category field. It is a single character such as C for order, J for delivery and M for invoice, and it classifies every document stored in the sales and distribution tables.

What is the difference between VBTYP and AUART?

VBTYP is SAP's fixed category. AUART is the configurable sales document type that customers can define, such as OR or ZOR. Many AUART values map to the same VBTYP.

Where is VBTYP stored?

It is on headers such as VBAK (sales) and VBRK (billing), and in VBFA as the preceding and subsequent categories. The delivery header LIKP also carries a category.

Is VBTYP different in S/4HANA?

The concept is unchanged, so category letters are still used for document flow and selection. S/4HANA simplifies some status tables, so verify field names in your release.

If you want to ask your SAP sales data questions in plain language rather than write selections, we can help set that up on-prem. This reference is complete on its own.

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