What controls the assignment of the number range in document processing?

The assignment of the number range in document processing is controlled by the document type. In SAP, document types serve as identifiers that classify and categorize transactions. Different document types can have specific number ranges assigned to them, enabling organizations to structure their financial documents systematically. This allows for better tracking, reporting, and control of various types of financial transactions, such as invoices, credit memos, and payments.

By utilizing document types, businesses can enforce rules related to how documents are created and managed, ensuring that each type follows a predefined sequence of numbers. This approach is critical for maintaining order and compliance within financial processes, as it helps prevent the duplication of document numbers and supports audit trails.

While the other options mentioned play important roles in different aspects of financial accounting, they do not directly control the assignment of number ranges in the same manner as document types do. Field status templates determine the visibility and required status of fields during transaction entry, sales area definition relates to the organizational structure for sales, and account management policies govern the operations related to account maintenance, but none of them influence the specific number range assignment for document processing.