SAP ERP - Logistics Materials Management

(SAP MM): Myth Buster: Any system

message can be set to warning or error
Jrgen L 2014/6/15
It is time to clear up a widely mistaken belief, although it became almost established as truth due to the
massive wrong answers given in a high disproportion when someone failed to search or is seeking for a new
answer to the question "How to make error message & a warning?" or "Changing warning message to error not
working"
It is really interesting to see how attractive such questions are. Within a few minutes several answers are
pointing to the customizing. Some mention the IMG path others are giving the transaction code to the same
customizing. I wonder from where these suggestions are taken. Did they look up older questions and just
repeat the answer? Or do they just believe that any system message can be customized, one only has to know
the right customizing transaction.
So the typical discussion goes like this:
"I want to make message MM 081 to become an error"
"no problem - execute OMT4 and add this message and maintain an E for error"

Why was he shocked?

OMT4 does not even have a "New Entry"-Button

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SAP ERP - Logistics Materials Management (SAP MM): Myth Buster: Any system message can be set to
warning or error

No issue at all, now the Techies jump in and inform that this is all stored in table T160M and suggest to
maintain this table directly with SM30 transaction

: not possible I get and error "The maintenance dialog for T160M is incomplete or not defined"

: Click the message, it takes you to the long text. Here you have the option to generate a maintenance
dialog

: Thank you.

: Hi, I have one more question. I added the message as said. But it does not work, can you help me.
All are going now, leaving a desert with an unanswered question, and one more thread about how and where
to maintain flexible system messages

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SAP ERP - Logistics Materials Management (SAP MM): Myth Buster: Any system message can be set to
warning or error

Have you ever tried to start a car that you see in a parking space with your own keys? Why not? Probably
because you know that you cannot use any key to drive any car. Why are you assuming it for any message in
SAP?
Just imagine the car is transaction where you expect the warning or error according to your entry (the key) in
table T160M (ignition lock). You already smashed the window to open the door (SM30, because OMT4 did not
let you in)
Still the motor does not start. Are you disappointed?
Like the ignition lock needs the right key, your SAP transaction needs the right ABAP that recognize your entry.
If SAP has not foreseen a variable message in its ABAP coding, then you enter as much as you want in
T160M, it will just not work.
SAP's system messages are all stored in table T100, a small subset is foreseen to be customized, these are
stored in table T160M.
T160M entries are delivered by SAP. Some more messages can be added because the programs have been
prepared for this. Those new entries are usually communicated via OSS notes.
How to know if a message is customizable which is not yet in T160M?
Search SCN, if you find a "Hooray, it works" then you got already a good indication.
search SAP Support Portal
Check it from transaction SE91 Message Maintenance, you should know some basics in ABAP
language.
In SE91 enter your message class and message number and click the Where-used button. SAP
gives you a list of programs. double click the description on the right and SAP takes you into the

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SAP ERP - Logistics Materials Management (SAP MM): Myth Buster: Any system message can be set to
warning or error
ABAP directly to the place where the message is processed. Here you can see whether it is just a
message with a hardcoded message attribute, like this
IF OFFENER_RG_WERT NE 0.

MESSAGE W388(11).
ENDIF.
or if there is some coding which is looking into T160M table to get your customized attribute:
PERFORM enaco_2 USING 'ME' '040'.

CASE sy-subrc.

WHEN 1.

MESSAGE w040 INTO gl_dummy.

mmpur_message 'W' 'ME' '040' '' '' '' ''.

WHEN 2.

MESSAGE e040 INTO gl_dummy.

mmpur_message 'E' 'ME' '040' '' '' '' ''.

WHEN 3.

MESSAGE w040 INTO gl_dummy.

mmpur_message 'W' 'ME' '040' '' '' '' ''.

ENDCASE.

By the way, there are message customizing where you can add new entries, still the above said is valid for
them too.
Sorry for killing a dream
Trigger to this story can be read in Application area MM and Changing warning message to error message Entry Sheet and many many more discussions in SCN and elsewhere.
436 error, mm, warning, system_messages, sap_erp_sales_and_distribution, variable_message, omt4,
message_customizing

Jose Antonio Martinez

2014/6/16 11:32
Thanks Jurgen.
Very useful information!!
Because sometimes we think if the solution is in a discussion forum it will works, take it as a rule.
Regards Antonio Martinez
Jelena Perfiljeva Colleen Lee on page 5
2014/6/16 9:03
My thoughts exactly - so many times we see a question "we added so-and-so to the role, why isn't it working?".

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SAP ERP - Logistics Materials Management (SAP MM): Myth Buster: Any system message can be set to
warning or error
Great blog, Jurgen! Had a good laugh with the car analogy. Priceless!
Lakhya Pratim Baruah
2014/6/16 10:32
Dream Killer....
Binoy Vargis
2014/6/16 8:56
Hi Jurgen,
You have given this in many threads.
Thanks for making it a detailed document.
Regards
Binoy
Mukesh Kumar
2014/6/16 6:52
this is very use full for all of us
Sudeep A
2014/6/16 6:38
Hi Jurgen,
Great blog.. Really informative. When a message doesn't work through customizing, we used to guess 'Oh..it
must be hard coded'.. This blog is a solid information which proves our understanding was right..

And got

an idea how to check whether a message can be configured..

Thanks for sharing your knowledge..
Regards,
Sudeep.
Bijay Kumar Barik
2014/6/16 5:54
Jurgen,
Very Informative and yes, killing a dream

Regards,
Biju K
Colleen Lee

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SAP ERP - Logistics Materials Management (SAP MM): Myth Buster: Any system message can be set to
warning or error
2014/6/16 12:33
This is on par with adding a security authorisation to a role will mean the transaction now restricts on plant or
company code, etc.
Manosij Basu
2014/6/15 8:02
Informative and enjoyable read at the same time

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