Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

SAP ECC
Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

This comprehensive data template provides a structured overview of the essential data points needed to analyze and optimize your billing and invoicing process. It outlines the crucial attributes to collect, the key activities to track, and offers practical guidance on data extraction. Use this resource to prepare your data effectively for process mining, ensuring accurate insights into your Order to Cash performance.
  • Recommended attributes for comprehensive analysis
  • Key process steps and milestones to track
  • Practical data extraction guidance for SAP ECC
New to event logs? Learn how to create a process mining event log.

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Attributes

These are the recommended data fields to include in your event log for comprehensive Order to Cash, Billing & Invoicing analysis within SAP ECC.
3 Required 5 Recommended 13 Optional
Name Description
Activity
ActivityName
The name of the business event or step that occurred within the invoice lifecycle.
Description

This attribute describes a specific action or status change in the billing process, such as 'Invoice Generated', 'Invoice Posted', or 'Customer Payment Received'. These activities are conceptually derived from various system events, status changes in documents, or specific transaction codes executed by users.

The sequence of these activities forms the process flow, which is the foundation of process mining analysis. By examining the activities, organizations can understand what steps are taken, in what order, and how frequently, revealing the actual process execution compared to the designed process.

Why it matters

It defines the steps in the process map, allowing for the visualization and analysis of process flows, deviations, and bottlenecks.

Where to get

This is a conceptual attribute derived from multiple sources, such as transaction codes (CDHDR-TCODE), document status changes (VBUK-FKSTK), and accounting document postings.

Examples
Invoice GeneratedInvoice PostedPayment Reminder IssuedInvoice Cleared
Invoice Number
InvoiceNumber
The unique identifier for the billing document, serving as the primary case ID for the invoicing process.
Description

The Invoice Number, known as the Billing Document Number in SAP, uniquely identifies each invoice. In process mining, it acts as the CaseId, grouping all related activities such as creation, posting, sending, payment, and clearing into a single end-to-end process instance.

Analyzing processes by Invoice Number allows for a complete view of the lifecycle of each billing transaction, from its inception to its final settlement. This is crucial for calculating key performance indicators like Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and overall invoice cycle time, providing a clear basis for performance measurement and improvement.

Why it matters

It is the essential key for tracking an invoice's entire journey, enabling analysis of cycle times, bottlenecks, and variations for each individual billing transaction.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: VBELN

Examples
90001234900012359000123690001237
Start Time
EventTime
The timestamp indicating when a specific activity or event occurred.
Description

Event Time captures the precise date and time of each activity in the invoice lifecycle. This timestamp is fundamental for all time-based analysis in process mining, including calculating cycle times, identifying bottlenecks, and monitoring process performance against service level agreements.

This attribute is typically constructed by combining a date field, like Posting Date (BUDAT), with a time field (UZEIT) from various SAP tables that record changes or document creation. Accurate timestamps are critical for building a reliable event log and ensuring the validity of any performance analysis.

Why it matters

This attribute is the foundation for all performance analysis, enabling the calculation of cycle times, durations, and waiting times between process steps.

Where to get

Constructed from various date and time fields across multiple tables, such as BKPF (BUDAT, CPUTM), VBRK (ERDAT, ERZET), and change log tables like CDHDR (UDATE, UTIME).

Examples
2023-04-15T10:30:00Z2023-04-16T11:00:00Z2023-05-20T09:00:00Z
Billing Document Type
BillingDocumentType
A code that categorizes the type of billing document, such as an invoice, credit memo, or debit memo.
Description

The Billing Document Type classifies transactions into distinct categories based on their business purpose. For example, 'F2' is a standard customer invoice, while 'G2' represents a credit memo. This classification is configured in SAP to control how different billing documents are processed.

For process mining, this attribute is essential for filtering and comparing different billing scenarios. Analysts can examine the process for standard invoices separately from credit memos to understand their unique flows, cycle times, and challenges, leading to more targeted process improvements.

Why it matters

Allows for the segmentation and analysis of different billing processes, such as standard invoices versus credit memos, which often have very different process flows.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: FKART

Examples
F2G2L2IV
Company Code
CompanyCode
The identifier for the legal entity that issued the invoice.
Description

The Company Code represents an independent legal and accounting unit in SAP. All financial transactions, including invoices, are posted to a specific company code. This is a fundamental organizational data element.

In a process mining context, Company Code is used to analyze and compare billing process performance across different legal entities within a corporation. This helps identify best practices in one entity that could be applied to others and ensures that analysis respects the company's organizational structure.

Why it matters

Allows for filtering and comparing processes across different legal entities, which is fundamental for financial analysis and organizational benchmarking.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: BUKRS

Examples
10002000US01DE01
Customer Number
CustomerNumber
A unique number that identifies the customer to whom the invoice is issued.
Description

The Customer Number links an invoice to a specific client or business partner. This attribute is critical for segmenting and analyzing the billing process based on customer characteristics.

Analysts can use this field to compare Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) across different customers, identify which customers frequently pay late, or analyze payment term compliance. Understanding these patterns is key to managing customer relationships and improving cash collection strategies tailored to different customer segments.

Why it matters

Enables customer-centric analysis, helping to identify payment behaviors, assess DSO by customer, and tailor collection strategies.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: KUNRG (Payer) or KUNAG (Sold-to party).

Examples
100023200541CUST-A487910345
Total Invoice Amount
TotalInvoiceAmount
The total net value of the billing document.
Description

This attribute represents the total net amount of the invoice, excluding taxes. The invoice amount is a critical piece of financial data associated with the billing process.

It is used in various analyses, such as segmenting invoices into high-value and low-value categories to see if their process flows differ. It can also be used to prioritize collections efforts or to investigate why high-value invoices take longer to get approved or paid. This financial context adds a significant layer of depth to process analysis.

Why it matters

Provides essential financial context, allowing for analysis based on invoice value, such as identifying if high-value invoices follow a different process or take longer to clear.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: NETWR

Examples
1500.7525000.00500.0012345.67
User Name
UserName
The ID of the user who executed the activity or created the document.
Description

This attribute captures the SAP user ID responsible for a given event, such as creating an invoice or posting a payment. It is essential for analyzing the human element of the process.

With this data, it's possible to investigate performance variations between users or teams, identify training needs, and detect potential compliance issues. It is also used to differentiate between manual activities performed by human users and automated steps executed by system or batch users, which is key for calculating automation rates.

Why it matters

Enables analysis of user performance, workload distribution, and helps distinguish between manual and automated activities, supporting automation and efficiency initiatives.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: ERNAM (Created by) or BKPF, Field: USNAM (User name) or CDHDR, Field: USERNAME (User).

Examples
JSMITHBW_BATCHLROSSIMKUMAR
Clearing Date
ClearingDate
The date when the payment was received and the invoice was cleared from accounts receivable.
Description

The Clearing Date is the date on which an open item, like an invoice, is marked as paid or 'cleared' in the financial system. This date effectively represents when the cash is considered collected and reconciled.

This is one of the most important dates in the Order to Cash cycle. It serves as the end point for calculating Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and the overall invoice-to-cash cycle time. Analyzing the clearing date helps measure the effectiveness of the collections process.

Why it matters

Marks the final step of the invoice lifecycle, serving as the end date for DSO and overall cycle time calculations, and reflecting cash collection efficiency.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: BSAD, Field: AUGDT

Examples
2023-05-142023-06-012023-06-25
Currency
Currency
The currency code for the amounts specified in the invoice.
Description

This attribute indicates the currency of the transaction, such as USD, EUR, or JPY. It provides the necessary context for any monetary values, like the Total Invoice Amount.

When analyzing data from a multinational organization, the currency field is essential for correctly interpreting and converting financial figures. It allows for consistent reporting and ensures that amounts are not aggregated without proper currency conversion, which would lead to incorrect financial analysis.

Why it matters

Provides the necessary context for all monetary values, ensuring accurate financial analysis, especially in a multi-currency environment.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: WAERK

Examples
USDEURGBPJPY
Document Date
DocumentDate
The date on the original document, provided by the vendor or creator.
Description

The Document Date is the date the original document was issued. For billing, this is typically the date the invoice was created and is often used as the basis for calculating the payment due date.

This date is crucial for financial reporting and for calculating key metrics like Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). It represents the starting point of the collection period from the customer's point of view. Analyzing discrepancies between the document date and the posting date can reveal internal delays in processing incoming invoices.

Why it matters

Serves as the baseline for calculating invoice age and DSO, providing a critical reference point for financial and payment term analysis.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: FKDAT (Billing Date)

Examples
2023-04-152023-04-162023-05-20
Invoice Due Date
InvoiceDueDate
The date by which the customer is expected to make the payment.
Description

The Invoice Due Date is the deadline for payment as specified by the payment terms. This date is fundamental for managing accounts receivable and initiating collections activities.

This attribute is used to calculate the On-Time Payment Rate KPI by comparing it with the actual payment date. Analyzing invoices by their due date helps in forecasting cash flow and prioritizing collection efforts for upcoming or overdue payments. It is typically derived from the baseline date and the payment terms.

Why it matters

This is the benchmark for measuring on-time payment performance and is essential for managing accounts receivable and cash flow forecasting.

Where to get

Calculated based on the baseline date (BSEG-ZFBDT) and payment terms (BSEG-ZTERM). It is not always stored in a direct field.

Examples
2023-05-152023-05-302023-06-20
Is Automated
IsAutomated
A flag indicating if an activity was performed by a system user or through automation.
Description

This calculated attribute is a boolean flag that distinguishes between manual and automated activities. It is typically derived by checking the User Name attribute against a list of known system or batch user IDs, like 'BATCHUSER' or 'SAPSYSTEM'.

This flag is essential for measuring the level of automation in the billing process, which is a key goal for many organizations seeking to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The Automated Billing Rate KPI is directly calculated from this attribute, helping to track the progress of automation initiatives.

Why it matters

Directly supports the calculation of the automated billing rate, helping to measure process efficiency and track the impact of automation projects.

Where to get

Derived from the User Name attribute. The logic would be something like: IF UserName IN ('BATCH', 'SYSTEM', 'RFCUSER') THEN true ELSE false.

Examples
truefalse
Is Rework
IsRework
A flag indicating if an activity is a rework or correction step.
Description

This calculated attribute identifies activities that represent rework, such as 'Invoice Corrected' or document reversals. It is typically a boolean flag derived from the activity name or from transaction codes associated with corrections and cancellations, like 'VF11' for cancelling a billing document.

In process mining, this flag is invaluable for quantifying the amount of rework in the billing process. It directly supports KPIs like the Invoice Correction Rate and helps visualize rework loops in the process map, highlighting inefficiencies and quality issues that increase operational costs and delay payments.

Why it matters

Helps quantify process inefficiencies and quality issues by highlighting how much effort is spent on correcting errors, directly supporting rework KPIs.

Where to get

Derived from the Activity Name or Transaction Code. For example, IF ActivityName = 'Invoice Corrected' OR TransactionCode = 'VF11' THEN true ELSE false.

Examples
truefalse
Last Data Update
LastDataUpdate
The timestamp of the most recent data refresh or extraction from the source system.
Description

This attribute indicates the last time the dataset was updated from the source system. It provides crucial context for any analysis, ensuring that users understand the freshness of the data they are viewing.

In dashboards and reports, this timestamp informs stakeholders about the data's timeliness and helps manage expectations about the visibility of very recent transactions. It is typically generated at the end of the data extraction process.

Why it matters

Informs users about the timeliness of the data, which is critical for making operational decisions based on the analysis.

Where to get

Generated and stored during the data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) process.

Examples
2023-10-27T02:00:00Z2023-10-28T02:00:00Z
Payment Terms
PaymentTerms
The conditions under which a seller will complete a sale, including the payment schedule.
Description

Payment Terms define the rules for when a payment is due, such as 'Net 30' or 'Net 60'. These terms are agreed upon with the customer and are a key factor in determining cash flow.

Analyzing the process by payment terms can reveal if certain terms are associated with longer payment cycles or higher rates of late payments. This insight can help the business negotiate better terms with customers or adjust its financial planning. It is also a key input for calculating the invoice due date.

Why it matters

Helps analyze customer payment behavior and cash flow impact based on negotiated terms, providing insights for optimizing commercial agreements.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: ZTERM

Examples
Z030Z060Z001
Posting Date
PostingDate
The date on which the document is posted to the financial accounting books.
Description

The Posting Date determines the fiscal period in which the transaction is recorded in the General Ledger. It is a critical date for accounting and financial reporting. Delays between the document creation date and the posting date can indicate inefficiencies in the internal handling of billing documents.

From a process mining view, the posting date marks a key milestone in the invoice lifecycle. The time lag between invoice generation and posting can be a key performance indicator for the billing department's efficiency.

Why it matters

Marks a key financial milestone and is crucial for accounting. The time lag between invoice creation and posting is a key measure of internal processing efficiency.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: BKPF, Field: BUDAT

Examples
2023-04-152023-04-172023-05-21
Sales Document Number
SalesDocumentNumber
The identifier of the original sales order that led to the invoice.
Description

This attribute provides a direct link from the invoice back to the sales order that initiated the transaction. This traceability is crucial for a complete end-to-end Order to Cash analysis.

By connecting the billing process with the preceding sales order process, organizations can analyze the total cycle time from customer order to cash receipt. It helps in identifying whether delays in billing are caused by issues in sales, fulfillment, or the billing department itself, providing a more holistic view of the process.

Why it matters

Links the billing process back to the sales order, enabling a true end-to-end Order to Cash analysis and helping to identify cross-departmental delays.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRP, Field: VGBEL

Examples
100000451000004610000047
Sales Organization
SalesOrganization
The organizational unit responsible for the sale of products or services.
Description

The Sales Organization is an organizational unit in SAP responsible for distributing goods and services and negotiating sales conditions. It is a key field for structuring sales and distribution operations.

In process mining, this attribute allows for the analysis of the billing process from a sales structure point of view. It enables performance comparison between different sales organizations, helping to identify which regions or business lines are more efficient in their billing processes and supporting initiatives to standardize best practices.

Why it matters

Enables performance benchmarking and analysis across different sales divisions or regions, helping to identify best practices and areas for improvement.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: VBRK, Field: VKORG

Examples
1000NA01EU01AP01
Source System
SourceSystem
Identifies the source system from which the data was extracted.
Description

This attribute specifies the system of record where the data originated. In a corporate environment with multiple ERP instances or integrated systems, this field helps distinguish between data from different sources.

For process mining, it is essential for data validation and for analyses that compare processes across different systems or organizational units. It is typically populated as a static value during the data extraction process to label the dataset.

Why it matters

Provides context for the data's origin, which is crucial in environments with multiple systems for ensuring data integrity and enabling system-specific analysis.

Where to get

This is typically a static value added during the data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) process, identifying the specific SAP ECC instance (e.g., 'ECC_PROD_NA').

Examples
SAP_ECC_PRODECC_EU_100SAP_US_FIN
Transaction Code
TransactionCode
The SAP transaction code used to perform an activity.
Description

The Transaction Code, or T-Code, is a unique identifier for a specific function or program in SAP, such as 'VF01' for creating a billing document. Capturing the T-Code for each event provides a technical, system-level view of how a process was executed.

This information is highly valuable for root cause analysis. For example, if errors are common, analysts can check if a non-standard transaction code is being used. It also helps in deriving the activity name and understanding which system functionalities are employed in the process.

Why it matters

Provides technical context for how an activity was performed, enabling root cause analysis of process deviations and helping to identify non-standard user actions.

Where to get

SAP ECC Table: CDHDR, Field: TCODE

Examples
VF01VF02FB01F-28
Required Recommended Optional

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Activities

These are the key process steps and milestones to capture in your event log for accurate process discovery and performance monitoring.
5 Recommended 8 Optional
Activity Description
Customer Payment Received
A payment has been received from the customer and posted in the system as a cash receipt or bank deposit. This creates a separate payment document that is not yet applied to the specific invoice.
Why it matters

This is a major milestone in the cash conversion cycle. The time from invoice sending to payment receipt is a primary component of Days Sales Outstanding (DSO).

Where to get

Recorded as a new document in BKPF and BSEG, typically with a document type indicating customer payment, such as 'DZ'. The posting date (BUDAT) marks the event.

Capture

From posting date of the customer payment document in BKPF.

Event type explicit
Invoice Cleared
The final status of a successfully paid invoice, indicating that the open item has been closed by a corresponding payment or credit memo. The invoice is considered fully settled.
Why it matters

Marks the successful completion of the Order to Cash cycle for an invoice. This is the primary end event for measuring the overall Average Invoice Cycle Time.

Where to get

Occurs when the clearing document (AUGBL) and clearing date (AUGDT) fields are populated for the invoice line item in the BSEG table.

Capture

Event occurs on the clearing date (AUGDT) recorded in the BSEG table for the invoice line item.

Event type explicit
Invoice Generated
Marks the creation of the billing document in the system. This event is captured when a new entry is created in the accounting document header table (BKPF) with a specific document type for invoices.
Why it matters

This is the starting point for the entire invoicing process. Analyzing the time from this event helps measure the Invoice Creation Cycle Time and is the basis for calculating Days Sales Outstanding (DSO).

Where to get

Recorded in table BKPF. The creation date (CPUDT) and time (CPUTM) for a specific document number (BELNR) mark this event. The document type (BLART) identifies it as an invoice.

Capture

From creation timestamp (CPUDT) in table BKPF for the invoice document.

Event type explicit
Invoice Posted
The invoice is formally recorded in the Accounts Receivable sub-ledger and the General Ledger. This event makes the invoice legally binding and reflects the debt owed by the customer.
Why it matters

This is a critical milestone that officially starts the collection clock. The time between generation and posting can highlight internal processing delays affecting cash flow.

Where to get

Recorded in table BKPF. The posting date (BUDAT) for the document number (BELNR) marks this event. For parked documents, this is when it's converted to a posted document.

Capture

From posting date (BUDAT) in table BKPF for the invoice document.

Event type explicit
Invoice Sent To Customer
Indicates that the invoice has been dispatched to the customer through a defined output channel like print, email, or EDI. This is typically captured from the output management system logs.
Why it matters

This event is a key milestone that triggers the customer's payment term clock. Delays here directly impact when a payment can be expected and affect the Payment Collection Efficiency.

Where to get

Can be inferred from the processing date and time in the message status table (NAST) for the output type corresponding to the invoice.

Capture

Inferred from NAST table entry with processing status '1' (successfully processed).

Event type inferred
Dispute Case Created
A formal dispute has been logged against the invoice, typically due to customer complaints. This is recorded in the SAP Dispute Management system.
Why it matters

Identifies invoices that are at risk of delayed payment and highlights underlying issues causing customer dissatisfaction. It marks the beginning of an important exception handling process.

Where to get

Captured from the creation of a case in the dispute case table (UDM_CASE) linked to the invoice's accounting document.

Capture

Logged when a user creates a dispute case via transaction UDM_DISPUTE.

Event type explicit
Invoice Approved
Represents the formal approval of the invoice, allowing it to be posted or sent to the customer. This is often inferred when a parked document is converted into a posted document.
Why it matters

Tracks the internal approval workflow, which is a common source of bottlenecks. Analyzing this activity helps support the Invoice Approval Flow Analysis dashboard by identifying slow approvers.

Where to get

Can be inferred by the transition of a document from parked status (in VBKPF) to posted status (in BKPF). Alternatively, if a workflow system is used, this may be an explicit event in workflow logs.

Capture

Compare creation date of parked doc (VBKPF) to posting date of final doc (BKPF).

Event type inferred
Invoice Corrected
Represents a rework activity where an initial invoice was found to be incorrect and was subsequently reversed. This is captured by identifying reversal documents linked to the original invoice.
Why it matters

Highlights process inefficiencies and quality issues. A high frequency of corrections signals problems in the upstream sales or billing data, supporting the Invoice Rework And Error Rates dashboard.

Where to get

Identified by finding a reversal document where BKPF-STBLG points to the original document. The creation of this reversal document is the event.

Capture

Logged when a reversal document is created (e.g., via FB08).

Event type explicit
Invoice Due Date Reached
A calculated event marking the day the invoice payment is officially due according to the payment terms. It is not an activity performed by a user or system but a critical point in time.
Why it matters

Essential for analyzing payment behavior and compliance. It is the baseline for determining on-time vs. late payments and calculating the On-Time Payment Rate KPI.

Where to get

Derived by comparing the current date to the net due date. The due date is found in field BSEG-ZFBDT or calculated from the baseline date and payment terms.

Capture

Compare system date with the net due date field in the invoice line item (BSEG).

Event type calculated
Invoice Parked
The invoice document has been saved in a preliminary state without being posted to the general ledger. This is often used when information is incomplete or requires review before final posting.
Why it matters

Tracks pre-posting steps and potential delays. A long duration in the parked state can indicate data quality issues or bottlenecks in the pre-approval process.

Where to get

Parked documents are stored in table VBKPF. The creation of a document here, which is later posted, signifies this activity.

Capture

Logged upon saving a parked document using a transaction like FV70.

Event type explicit
Invoice Written Off
An alternative final status where the invoice is deemed uncollectible and the outstanding amount is cleared against a bad debt account. This closes the invoice without a customer payment.
Why it matters

Represents a negative process outcome and revenue loss. Tracking these events helps in analyzing bad debt reasons and improving credit management policies.

Where to get

Inferred by analyzing the clearing transaction for the invoice. If the clearing document posts to a specific bad debt expense G/L account, the invoice is considered written off.

Capture

Inferred when the clearing transaction involves a posting to a designated bad debt G/L account.

Event type inferred
Payment Applied To Invoice
The received customer payment has been matched and applied against the specific open invoice, marking the item for clearing. This is the reconciliation step that links the payment to the debt.
Why it matters

This activity is crucial for measuring the Cash Application Cycle Time. Delays in applying cash can misrepresent the true accounts receivable status and hide available cash.

Where to get

Inferred from the clearing transaction, e.g., F-32, which populates the clearing fields in the invoice line item. The event timestamp is the clearing date.

Capture

Inferred from the clearing date (AUGDT) being populated in the invoice line item table (BSEG).

Event type inferred
Payment Reminder Issued
The system has generated and sent a dunning notice or payment reminder to the customer for an overdue invoice. This is captured from the dunning history logs.
Why it matters

Helps evaluate the effectiveness of the collections strategy. Analyzing the time from reminder to payment receipt is key for the Payment Reminder Effectiveness KPI.

Where to get

Recorded in the dunning data tables, specifically MHNK (Dunning data header) and MHND (Dunning data line items), which are generated by the dunning run (Transaction F150).

Capture

Logged upon execution of a dunning run (F150) for the overdue item.

Event type explicit
Recommended Optional

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