The company code data is defined separately for individual company codes. You can only bill for a transaction if the payer has been maintained from a Financial Accounting view (company code data). If you create a new master record, and a master record with similar data exists, you can use the existing master record as a reference. If you only enter the customer or vendor number in the reference section, the system copies the general data only. If you also enter the company code, sales area or purchasing organization in the reference section, the corresponding data is also copied. Only data that can be identical for both master records is copied.