What is the primary function of financial statement versions in SAP FI?

The primary function of financial statement versions in SAP FI is to define the structure of financial statements for reporting. This involves determining which accounts are included in financial reports and how they are organized and presented.

By creating different financial statement versions, organizations can tailor their financial reporting to meet various internal and external requirements. For instance, a company may need one version for its statutory reporting that complies with legal standards and another version for internal management reporting that highlights specific performance metrics.

Each version can have unique settings regarding which accounts are displayed, the hierarchy of the report, and the formatting of the output, allowing businesses to flexibly report their financial data according to different needs. This flexibility is crucial for providing relevant information to stakeholders, such as management, investors, and regulators.

In contrast, setting exchange rates relates to currency conversion and does not pertain to how financial data is structured for reporting. Cost calculations are associated with cost accounting, focusing on internal costing processes rather than presentation in financial statements. Managing user access is a critical aspect of data security and governance but isn't directly related to the specific function of financial statement versions in the context of structuring reports.