SAP Financial Accounting (SAP FI) Practice Exam

What is the term used for the process requiring approval for sensitive fields in customer/vendor master records?

1. Control principle

2. Dual control principle

3. User management

4. Access control policy

The correct answer is: Dual control principle

The term for the process requiring approval for sensitive fields in customer/vendor master records is known as the dual control principle. This principle is crucial in ensuring that sensitive information is protected and that any changes to critical data — such as those found in customer or vendor master records — are subject to a pre-defined approval process. This concept mitigates the risk of fraud and error by requiring that at least two parties are involved in making changes to sensitive data. For example, one person might initiate a change, and another must review and approve it before it is executed. This redundancy helps maintain data integrity and security by preventing a single individual from having total control over sensitive information, which could lead to unauthorized alterations or misuse. In contrast, other options like user management or access control policies are broader concepts that deal with permissions and rights within the system but do not specifically emphasize the approval process inherent in the dual control principle. Control principle might refer to various control mechanisms in data management without the specific focus on dual approval that the dual control principle denotes. Thus, the essence of the dual control principle is its defined process of having checks in place via the necessity for approvals, reinforcing trust and accuracy in the management of sensitive fields within the master records.