RTR-05

Control Description

Management periodically reviews the history log/report of posting period maintenance (tracking changes to transaction OB52) to verify that the opening and closing of accounting periods were authorized, appropriate, and aligned with the financial close calendar.

Risk

If changes to posting periods (OB52) are made without proper authorization or oversight, unauthorized users could open closed accounting periods to post or alter transactions. This could lead to cut-off errors, untimely journal entries, and material misstatements in financial reporting.

Implementation Details

Implementation Details
1-Table Logging Prerequisite: Ensure that table logging is active in SAP for table T001B (via transaction SCU3 / profile parameter rec/client), ensuring all insertions, updates, and deletions are permanently captured by the system.

2- Periodic Review Schedule: Establish a recurring schedule (e.g., monthly or quarterly) for the Finance / Accounting Manager to review posting period changes.

3- Execution Methodology:

• Execute transaction SA38 (or SE38).
• Enter program name RSVTPROT (Evaluation of Table Change Log).
• Specify the target table/view: V_T001B (Posting Periods: Specify Time Intervals).
• Define the audit period (From Date / To Date matching the review window).
• Set output options: Check "Only Actual Changes" and select ALV Grid Display for clean readability.

4-Sign-off & Documentation: The reviewer signs off on the generated ALV report, verifying that all period-opening actions correspond to active, authorized close cycles, and archives the review package.

Test Procedures

A) Test of Design (TOD)
1- Procedure Inspection: Inspect the corporate financial close policy or standard operating procedure to confirm the requirement for periodic reviews of posting period modifications, including designated review ownership and frequency.

2- System Log Configuration Review: Inspect system configuration or run a quick check (via transaction SCU3) to verify that table logging is actively enabled for table T001B to support the execution of program RSVTPROT.

Test of Operating Effectiveness (TOE)
1- Execution Evidence Review: Select a sample of reporting periods (e.g., month-ends within the audit scope). Inspect the completed review packages for each period, verifying:

• The execution of program RSVTPROT for view V_T001B using the specified parameters ("Only Actual Changes" and ALV grid output).

• Evidence of review, annotation, and formal sign-off by the designated management owner within the required financial close timeline.

2 -Exception Follow-up: Verify that any unexpected or out-of-window period changes captured in the log were investigated, justified by business need (e.g., audit adjustment period), and approved by appropriate management.