The GR/IR (Goods Receipt/Invoice Receipt) clearing account is a reconciliation account used to balance the timing differences between goods receipts and invoice receipts in procurement processes. If the GR/IR account does not have a zero balance, it indicates that there are unmatched postings between goods receipts and invoice receipts. Let’s analyze each option to determine the correct answers.
Explanation of Each Option:
C. A purchase order has a partial goods receipt for which we have not yet received an invoice.
Correct : When a partial goods receipt is posted, the system debits the stock account (or expense account) and credits the GR/IR account. If no corresponding invoice receipt has been posted for this partial goods receipt, the GR/IR account will remain open with a credit balance. This is a common cause of a non-zero GR/IR balance.
Reference : According to SAP documentation, unmatched goods receipts result in open items in the GR/IR account until the corresponding invoice is received and posted.
D. A purchase order has a partial invoice receipt but not yet a goods receipt.
Correct : When a partial invoice receipt is posted without a corresponding goods receipt, the system debits the GR/IR account and credits the vendor account. Since the goods receipt has not yet been posted, the GR/IR account will remain open with a debit balance. This is another common cause of a non-zero GR/IR balance.
Reference : SAP documentation highlights that unmatched invoice receipts create open items in the GR/IR account until the corresponding goods receipt is posted.
A. A purchase order has a goods receipt and an invoice receipt with the same quantity and values.
Incorrect : If a purchase order has a goods receipt and an invoice receipt with the same quantity and values , the GR/IR account will be balanced. The goods receipt creates a credit entry in the GR/IR account, and the invoice receipt creates a matching debit entry, resulting in a zero balance. This scenario does not cause a non-zero GR/IR balance.
Reference : Matching quantities and values ensure that the GR/IR account is cleared automatically.
B. A purchase order has a goods receipt and an invoice receipt with the same quantity but with different values.
Incorrect : While differences in values between goods receipts and invoice receipts can lead to price variances, these variances are typically posted to separate accounts (e.g., material price variance or price difference accounts). The GR/IR account itself should still be balanced because the quantities match, and the system clears the GR/IR account based on quantity, not value.
Reference : Value differences are handled through variance accounts, not by leaving the GR/IR account open.
Key References to SAP S/4HANA Documentation:
SAP S/4HANA Finance for Procurement Processes : Explains how goods receipts and invoice receipts impact the GR/IR clearing account.
SAP Help Portal - GR/IR Clearing Account : Provides detailed guidance on the causes of open items in the GR/IR account and how to resolve them.
Reconciliation of GR/IR Accounts : Describes the process of clearing unmatched goods receipts and invoice receipts.
Procurement Integration with FI-GL : Highlights how GR/IR postings are managed in financial accounting.
