SAP Financial Accounting (SAP FI) Certified Application Associate Practice Exam

What happens when an invoice is processed as a residual payment?

1. All documents remain in the account as open items.

2. The payment difference is posted to a different account.

3. The original document and payment are cleared.

4. The payment difference is written off.

The correct answer is: The original document and payment are cleared.

When an invoice is processed as a residual payment, the payment made partially covers the invoice amount, leaving a remaining balance. The key feature of a residual payment is that it allows for the original document and the partial payment to be cleared, while the difference remains as an open item in the customer or vendor account. In this context, the residual amount, or the portion of the invoice that is not covered by the payment, is still recognized as an outstanding item that needs further action. This means that the relationship between the invoice and the payment is maintained, with the original document remaining part of the accounting records, but the closed status applies to the portion that has been paid. Thus, the correct understanding of a residual payment processing involves the original document being cleared with a corresponding payment while still acknowledging any remaining balance that will need to be addressed later, which is represented correctly in the choice stating that the original document and payment are cleared.