SAP MM Error Messages List: Reading Codes and Changing Message Severity
sap mm error messages list
Also searched as
- m8147 error in sap mm
- me172 sap mm error
- sap mm error message configuration
- error sap m7036
- error sap me154
Short answer
SAP messages are identified by class and number, for example M7 021 or ME 172. No official complete list fits every release, so the reliable method is SE91: enter the class and number to get the exact text, long text and where used. The class prefix tells you the area (M7 inventory management, M8 invoice verification, ME and MEPO purchasing), and many messages can be downgraded from error to warning in customizing.
Applies to: SAP ECC 6.0 and S/4HANA on-premise MM. Message texts vary by release and language.
How to find the meaning and fix of any MM message
- 1Copy the full message including class and number from the status bar (the message in the log shows it as 'M7 021' or similar) or press F1 and open the technical information.
- 2Open SE91, enter the class (for example M7) and the number. Read the short text, the long text and the where used list.
- 3Use the class to identify the process: M7 is inventory management and goods movements (MIGO), M8 is logistics invoice verification (MIRO), ME is purchasing documents and MEPO is the PO enjoy transaction messages (ME21N, ME22N, ME23N).
- 4Reproduce the situation in a test client, with the same plant, material, movement type and posting date, to confirm the trigger.
- 5Fix the cause (master data, stock, period, authorization or customizing), not the single document.
- 6If the message is a configurable one, you can decide whether it should be an error, warning, information or switched off, as described below.
What the codes in your list refer to
M7 021 is 'deficit of stock' on goods issue, covered at sap-m7-021-deficit-of-stock-error. M7 053 is the 'posting only possible in periods' message, covered at sap-migo-m7-053-posting-only-possible-in-periods. These are the two in this family that are well documented and safe to describe from memory.
For others such as M7001, M7036, M8147, M8443, ME154, ME172, MEPO823, MA550, 06280 and 06855, the same short number can have different text per release and per language, and some belong to other classes than you may expect (class 06 and MA are not purchasing or inventory classes in the usual sense). We do not list a guessed meaning for them here. Look each one up in SE91, read the long text, and use the where used list to find the program.
A good habit is to keep your own internal list of messages your users hit, with the fix that worked, in the same form: class, number, text, cause, fix, owner.
Changing message severity in customizing
Some MM messages are configurable. In the IMG you find 'Set Up Attributes of System Messages' (transaction OMT4 for materials management; OBA5 is the equivalent used for FI messages). You enter the application area, the message class and number, and choose the standard type, or a user specific type, such as error to warning.
The settings are stored in table T160M and are checked at runtime. Only messages that SAP prepared for this have an entry in the check. Others cannot be changed in customizing without a modification or an enhancement, and we do not recommend that. Changing an error to a warning removes a control, so involve the process owner and auditors.
SE91 Message class + number -> text, long text, where used
OMT4 MM: attributes of system messages (stored in T160M)
OBA5 FI: message control (FI messages)
Building your own list for support
Export the messages your support desk sees. Many sites log them in SLG1 or in user tickets. A table with message, count per month, process and fix makes a good knowledge base and shows where master data quality is poor.
Pair it with a search by message class and number, not by text, since text is translated and can change after an upgrade.
Try it here, free
SAP MM Transaction Codes Reference
Searchable list of the SAP MM transaction codes consultants and buyers use daily, grouped by purchasing, inventory, invoice verification and MRP.
Common pitfalls
- !Trusting a blog's message text instead of reading SE91 on your own release.
- !Downgrading an error to a warning to make a user's problem go away, with no process owner approval.
- !Assuming the class prefix tells you the module for every message; it usually does, but not always.
- !Searching by the message text in one language and missing tickets in another.
- !Using OBA5 for an MM message or OMT4 for an FI one; the entries are separate.
How an ERP-grounded AI assistant handles this
An assistant grounded in your SAP system (ERPray, read-only, role-aware, can run on-prem) can look up the message in the message tables for your release, find the document the user was posting and show the stock, period or master data facts that triggered it. That turns 'what does this mean' into 'here is the cause on this document'. The customizing change is yours to approve.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see all SAP MM error messages?
In SE91 (Message Maintenance). Enter the message class and number to see the text, long text and where used list. Each class can be browsed. There is no single official PDF that matches every release.
What does the class in an SAP message mean?
The class groups messages by application area. M7 is mostly inventory management, M8 invoice verification, ME and MEPO purchasing. The two part code is class plus number, and the number alone is not unique.
Can I change an SAP error message to a warning?
Only for messages SAP made configurable. Use OMT4 for MM or OBA5 for FI messages in customizing. The settings are stored in T160M for MM. Get process owner approval, since it removes a control.
Why does the same message number show different text?
Texts are translated and can differ between releases and support packages. Always check SE91 on your own system, in the logon language you use.
Related
SAP MM Errors and Solutions: The Common Ones, by Process Step
Most SAP MM errors fall in five places: purchasing document creation and release (ME21N), goods movements (MIGO), period control, invoice verification (MIRO) and account determination. This page lists the ones that come up most, what causes each, and the first fix, with links to detailed pages for the biggest ones.
Error fixSAP M7 021: Deficit of SL Stock Quantity
M7 021 fires during a goods issue, delivery, or confirmation when SAP checks the unrestricted-use (SL) stock for the exact plant, storage location and batch combination and finds less than what you are trying to post out. Fix the entry (batch, storage location, quantity) first; only enable negative stock or downgrade the message to a warning if the business genuinely needs to post ahead of a receipt.
Error fixSAP MIGO error M7 053: posting only possible in periods X and Y
M7 053 means the posting date of a goods movement is outside the two open material periods held in table MARV. Either use a posting date inside the allowed periods, or have inventory accounting open the right period with MMRV or advance it with MMPV. FI periods in OB52 are a separate check and can cause a different message.
How-toSAP MMPV Period Closing Error: Opening and Closing MM Periods
MM keeps its own posting period, separate from FI. MMPV (Close Period for Materials Management) moves the current MM period forward one month, MMRV allows posting back into the previous period, and OMSY initializes periods once at setup. The control values are stored in table MARV, one row per company code. Most MMPV errors mean the periods are not in the state the program expects or open work blocks closing.
Error fixSAP IDoc Status 51: Application Document Not Posted
Status 51 tells you the IDoc reached the application layer and failed to post, but the status text itself is not the error - the real cause sits in the status record's long text or the linked application log. Fix the underlying data or configuration, then reprocess the IDoc through BD87 rather than editing the status.
Error fixSAP Short Dump TIME_OUT: Maximum Runtime Exceeded
A TIME_OUT runtime error means a dialog (or RFC) work process ran longer than the maximum allowed runtime, controlled by profile parameter rdisp/max_wprun_time (600 seconds by default). The fix is almost always to move the long-running work to background processing or tune the underlying program, not to raise the timeout.
AI for ERPAI for SAP S/4HANA Procurement (MM) That Reads POs, Receipts and Invoices Together
AI for SAP S/4HANA procurement: query purchase orders, goods receipts and invoice matching in plain English, on-prem if needed, read-only by default.
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Free tools
- SAP MM Transaction Codes ReferenceSearchable list of the SAP MM transaction codes consultants and buyers use daily, grouped by purchasing, inventory, invoice verification and MRP.
- SAP MM and QM BAPI and API List ReferenceA searchable list of the common SAP MM and QM BAPIs and S/4HANA OData APIs, what each does, and whether it needs a commit.
- SAP MM Output Form Templates ListA searchable starter list of SAP MM output documents and the output type, application and form technology behind each one.
ERP fixes and how-tos
- SAP Error Message MM899 and the Most Common MM Error MessagesWhat SAP message MM899 means, how to read the real error behind it with SE91 and long text, and a practical guide to the most common MM, M7 and ME messages.
- SAP MM Errors and Solutions: The Common Ones, by Process StepCommon SAP MM errors by process step, with cause and fix: stock deficit, closed periods, release strategy, blocked invoices and account determination.
- SAP M7 021: Deficit of SL Stock QuantitySAP M7 021 Deficit of SL stock quantity means you are issuing more stock than exists for that batch. Here is the fix and the OMJ1 config behind it.