When transferring the sales order number as a reference number in accounting documents, what is a key consideration?

Using the sales order number as a reference in accounting documents can indeed lead to an invoice split. This occurs when different items from a sales order are billed on separate invoices. An invoice split can happen for various reasons, such as differing shipping dates, billing characteristics, or specific customer requirements. The presence of the sales order number creates a direct association between the accounting entries and the sales order, which can trigger a scenario where items are grouped differently in the billing process.

In essence, when sales orders contain multiple items or different payment terms, assigning a single sales order number to different billing documents can result in an invoice split, making the process more complex and potentially complicating revenue recognition and reporting. Thus, maintaining awareness of this potential outcome is crucial for effective financial management and accurate reporting in SAP.