Key mapping in SAP Central Finance is a mandatory process that establishes a harmonized link between business object identifiers in source systems and their corresponding identifiers in the Central Finance system. This ensures data consistency for transactional replication. The framework is designed to handle various master data and customizing objects.

Standard objects managed through this key mapping framework include Customer (mapped to Business Partner), Cost Center (a core controlling master data object), and Tax Code (a critical customizing object). Mapping these objects is essential for the successful posting of replicated financial documents.

A. Company code: Company code mapping is a foundational prerequisite, but it is managed in a separate, specific configuration activity and not within the general key mapping framework used for other business objects.

B. WBS element: While WBS elements can be subject to key mapping, they are often handled via direct master data replication, especially when the Project System (PS) module is in scope for replication.

1. SAP Help Portal

SAP S/4HANA 2023

Central Finance

"Key Mapping": This document outlines the concept of key mapping

stating

"Key mapping is a mandatory step in the Central Finance scenario. It provides a central mapping repository for all business objects that are required to process transactions centrally." It provides examples such as customer IDs

vendor IDs

and G/L accounts.

2. SAP Help Portal

SAP S/4HANA 2023

Central Finance

"Configuration for Central Finance" -> "Mapping": This section of the official documentation clearly separates the configuration step "Define Mapping for Company Codes" from the subsequent section "Key Mapping". This distinction supports that Company Code mapping is handled differently from the objects in the general key mapping framework.

3. SAP Help Portal

SAP S/4HANA 2023

Central Finance

"Configuration for Key Mapping" -> "Define Mapping Entities for Key Mapping": The configuration details list the standard mapping entities delivered by SAP. This list explicitly includes CUSTOMER

COSTCENTER

and TAXCODE as fundamental objects requiring mapping. It also includes WBSELEMT

but its handling can be via replication

making it a less universally mapped object compared to the others.