Availability Control (AVC) problems in BCS: how to address

them (PSM-FM-BCS-AC)

How to address AVC related issues

While running regular business process, you might encounter unjustified Availability Control
(AVC) errors, like FMAVC002, FMAV005, FMAVC008, or the AVC figures in reporting do
not match your expectations.

When an AVC error is raised, it is often looked as a pure AVC problem. However, AVC
calculation engine uses the amounts sent by the calling interface (e.g. commitments/actuals).
If there is a problem in the documents involved in the posting, or eventually a bug outside the
AVC functions, an end user may not know exactly where the problem arises.

Therefore, one needs to look at the scenario and process behind. There can be multiple causes
that are not easy to tackle, since the analysis path depends on the postings involved.

This is a list of common issues and hints for resolution:

Reporting: Mismatch between AVC totals and Drilldown

Reporting: Mismatch between totals at Control Object level versus Budget/Posting

address

AVC messages during Commitment Update

AVC messages during GR/SES Posting

AVC messages during MIRO

AVC messages during Document Cancellation/Deletion

AVC messages during Commitment Carryforward

Finding root cause: Tips and tricks

Related Content:

o Related Documents

o Other related Notes/KBAs

Reporting: Mismatch between AVC totals and Drilldown

In non S/4HANA systems, AVC reporting (such as transactions FMAVCR01, FMAVCR02,
FMCEMON01) is based on totals database table FMAVCT. Drilldown is based on
corresponding feeder tables like FMBDT (for Budget figures) and FMIT (for
commitment/actuals).

If the drilldown to Commitment/Actuals does not mach the AVC total figure, first make sure that totals
table FMIT is consistent.

1. Run transaction FMAF in test mode. If it finds differences, run it in Update mode. A
new test run should no longer find differences

2. Run transaction FMAVCREINIT to synchronize totals table FMIT with totals table
FMAVCT

Note: corrective actions must be performed when no other FM relevant operations are
running. Otherwise you may cause encounter further differences

If the drilldown to Budget documents does not mach the AVC total figure, use transaction
FMBUDDIFF (report RFFMKU_ANALYZE_DOCUMENTS) to identify potential
inconsistencies in Budget documents. If they are found, contact SAP Support choosing PSM-
FM-BCS-BU as component.

Reporting: Mismatch between totals at Control Object

level versus Budget/Posting address

Transaction FMAVCDIFF can identify and analyze inconsistencies between AVC data and
the corresponding contributions from the FM totals tables (commitment/actuals and budget
data). If it shows differences, AVC data need reconstruction.

In non S/4HANA systems, use transaction FMAVCREINIT. Make sure SAP Note
2135190 - Wrong AVC data after executing transaction FMAVCREINIT or
corresponding support package is installed.

In S/4HANA systems, besides FMAVCREINIT, transaction FMAVCDIFF provides

the option to correct AVC data. See Note 2223207 - Enhancements for transactions
FMAVCINDINCON and FMAVCDIFF . For a mass reconstruction, using
FMAVCREINIT will take less time.

In addition, refer to SAP Note 725266 to identify the conditions requiring reconstruction of
AVC data.

Application component: PSM-FM-BCS-BU.

AVC messages during Commitment Update

At the time of document creation (PR, PO, Earmarked Funds..), first step is to identify where
the AVC check takes place. One thing is the posting address (FM account assignment
specified in the document) and a different thing is the control object derived for AVC checks.
This can be e.g. a superior Funds Center/Commitment item or a Cover Group number.

Use the trace feature of the derivation strategy for control objects, (t-code FMAVCDERIAO)
at runtime, to ensure the AVC check is done on the expected control object.
Trace feature for derivation tools is described in SAP Note 666322.

If the document is referenced to a previous one, the commitment interface ensures that
the documents involved in the chain (PR, PO, Earmarked Funds) are consistently updated in
FM. In other words: the commitment update is self corrective.

As a result, the AVC calculation will react based on the difference between old and new
amounts: if the overall result leads to additional budget consumption, an AVC message will
be shown in accordance with your customizing.

However, sometimes data correction is not possible on the fly. If manual reconstruction is
needed, tools are listed in SAP Note 189761

More details info about Commitment Update in Troubleshooting Guide for Commitment
Update.

Application component: PSM-FM-UP-CM.

AVC messages during GR/SES Posting

Possible reasons:

1.- You are using a Fiscal Year-Based update profile, and GR/SES and reference PO are in
different fiscal years. At the time of posting a GR/SES, the budget consumption will be done
in the Fiscal Year where the GR/SES belong to, and corresponding PO reduction will be done
in an old fiscal year.

(Note: AVC during GR posting is active if SAP Note 2166821 or corresponding support
package is present in your system. Otherwise, no AVC error will be raised, but the budget
will be consumed anyway)
2.- The reference PO was fully consumed already by previous GR/SES.

3.- For Services, consider this information:

o Settings for Unit of Measure. More information here

o If you posted documents in this sequence: PO -> partial SES -> IR with excess
amount -> second partial SES, and you are receiving AVC errors even though
the PO open amount is sufficient, be aware that there is a gap between MM-
SRV and Funds Management, and such functionality is currently limited.
More info in KBA 2134873

Application component: PSM-FM-UP-CM.

AVC messages during MIRO

If your customizing is set to "GR/IR Update = GR and Inv." in FM customizing activity
"Make Other Settings" (transaction OFUP), there might be AVC errors in MIRO owing to
problems during GR reductions by IRs.

More information in Troubleshooting Guide for GR/IR

Application component: PSM-FM-UP-FI-GR

AVC messages during Document Cancellation/Deletion

As a general rule, when a document that is referenced to a previous one is cancelled or

deleted, the reduction of reference document is undone. This means that the reference
document is restored ("reopened").

If the reference document resides in a different fiscal year, this will lead to a budget
consumption in the fiscal year where the document belongs to.

As a consequence, if the available amount is not sufficient, an AVC message will be issued in
accordance with your customizing.
More information in KBA 2116616 and also in this link.

Application component: PSM-FM-UP-CM

AVC messages during Commitment Carryforward

Commitment Carryforward (t-code FMJ2) transfers the open items from one year to the
following one. Therefore the budget consumption will be undone in the sender year and
updated in the receiver year. If budget is not sufficient, an AVC error will be shown in the log
of FMJ2.

These options are available with BCS, as an alternative for entering consumable budget in the
receiver fiscal year prior to execution of FMJ2:

1.- Implement Budget Carryforward for Commitments: this is the recommended one. Note
that, if you are using Budget Releases, a Budget document type set up for automatic release is
necessary. Otherwise the commitments will be carried forward along with their budget, but
such budget will not be consumable. More information in KBA 1859520
2.- Choose 'No Availability Control' or 'Update without checks' for Availability Control in the
Process Control box of FMJ2. Bear in mind that the budget can be exceeded in the receiver
year. Refer to the online documentation of FMJ2.

Application component: PSM-FM-BCS

Finding root cause: Tips and tricks

Inconsistencies should not occur during regular business operations. If they are detected by
either transaction FMAF or FMAVCDIFF, the root cause needs to be identified.

Try to find a reproducible example that can be analyzed (i.e. inconsistencies after PO
changes, Invoice postings, payments...). If you fail to find it, these actions can help:

1.- Out of business hours, schedule a daily (or nightly) execution of FMAF in test mode. The
output log should help at least find what account assignments and value types are affected.
That way you can detect the documents posted that day and identify the problematic ones

2.- Out of business hours, schedule a daily (or nightly) execution of FMAVCDIFF: the output
should help identify the account assignments affected and whether budgeting or consumption
figures are affected. Note: if you have an S/4HANA system, do not select option 'Correct
AVC data' so that the figures are not changed.

3.- In non S/4HANA systems, you can activate the change log of AVC data. See SAP Notes
1041423 - Change history for table FMAVCT and 1919156 - Report to find single line
items . Once the change log is active, you can detect relevant AVC entries that might have
caused problems

4.- SAP Note 1666556 - AVC data inconsistencies after unexpected COMMIT WORK must
be present in your system. With this Note in place, a dump will occur if AVC is not checked
as expected.
Note that this kind of dump is triggered when an unexpected commit work is performed. You
must avoid usage of commit work statements in your custom coding as described in the Note.

Related Content:

Related Documents

BCS: Help for understanding Availability Control messages

Other related Notes/KBAs

2037198 - Error FMAVC005 when posting a down payment request referenced to a funds
reservation
2314235 - Negative available amount in FMAVCR01/FMRP_RW_BUDCON

2135190 - Wrong AVC data after executing transaction FMAVCREINIT