SAP: 'This Function Is Not Possible' - Causes and How to Diagnose
this function is not possible sap
Also searched as
- sap message function is not possible
- sap this function is not possible in this status
- sap function not possible posting
Short answer
'This function is not possible' is not one error. It is a generic text used by many SAP messages when the object you are working on is in a state that does not allow the action, or when a check blocks it. Read the long text (F1 on the message, or double-click it), note the message class and number, and then check status, authorization (SU53) and the configuration for that transaction.
Applies to: SAP ECC 6.0 and S/4HANA, all modules (MM, PP, SD, FI, PM, QM)
How to find the real cause
- 1Do not retry blindly. Put the cursor on the message in the status bar, or double-click it, and read the long text. Note the message class and number (shown in the technical information).
- 2Open the object's status. For orders and notifications use Goto > Status / Header > Status (user and system status). Many actions are simply not allowed in status such as TECO, CLSD, DLFL or LKD.
- 3Run SU53 right after the error to see whether an authorization check failed, and ask your security team to compare it with the role in PFCG.
- 4Check for locks with SM12 and for open update requests with SM13. A locked or half-updated object often blocks follow-on functions.
- 5Check posting context: closed period (OB52, MMPV), wrong document type, missing field status, or a movement type that does not allow the action.
- 6Look up the message in SE91 with its class and number, and in SE80 or the debugger find which check raises it. Put a breakpoint on MESSAGE if needed.
- 7If it is a custom enhancement or user exit, check SE80 / SMOD / BAdI implementations for the transaction; custom code raising a generic text is common.
- 8Record the status, user, transaction and message number before you escalate, so the functional consultant can reproduce it.
Why the text is so generic
SAP messages are stored by message class and number (table T100, maintained in SE91). Several classes contain a general 'function not possible' style text, and developers of custom Z programs reuse it. So two people searching the same words can have completely different root causes.
The status bar message is only the headline. The long text, the technical information in the dialog (F1 on the message, then the Technical Information button), and the ABAP source of the check give you the real reason. Always capture message class and number before searching forums.
The five usual causes
Status: a production order, process order, maintenance order, purchase document or notification is in a status that forbids the action. For example, you cannot confirm or change a TECO or closed order, and you cannot post to a locked item.
Authorization: some checks report a refusal in business terms rather than 'You are not authorized'. SU53 shows the failed authorization object and field values. Posting period and document type: the period is closed, or the document type does not allow the account type. Configuration or master data: for example the movement type is not set up for the plant, or the material is flagged for deletion. Custom code: a Z enhancement that blocks the action with a generic text.
Useful transactions
SU53 and SU56 for authorization, SM12 for locks, SM13 for updates, ST22 for short dumps, SLG1 for the application log, SE91 for messages, and SE37 / SE80 to read the check logic. In S/4HANA also check the Fiori app message details when the error arrives from a Fiori screen.
SU53 last failed authorization check for your user
SM12 lock entries; SM13 update requests
SE91 message class + number -> long text
SLG1 application log for the object
Try it here, free
SAP SQL Query Generator: Users With an Authorization Object
Enter an authorization object, field and value to generate SQL that lists users with that access through single and composite roles.
Common pitfalls
- !Searching only the English text and applying a fix that was for a different message class.
- !Asking for authorization to be widened before checking status; most cases are status or period related.
- !Ignoring locks and incomplete update tasks, which can leave an object looking 'finished' while it is not.
- !Changing status manually or via a table update to force the function, which breaks consistency.
- !Forgetting that custom Z code can raise the message, so standard notes will not help.
How an ERP-grounded AI assistant handles this
A grounded assistant over the SAP system can take the message class, number, user and object, read the object's status history, locks and the application log, and tell the consultant which of these is blocking the function. ERPray is read-only by default and respects SAP roles, so it does not fix anything itself; it shortens the diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
Is 'This function is not possible' always an authorization problem?
No. Authorization failures are only one possible cause. More often the object status, the posting period, a lock, or a configuration check is blocking the action. Use SU53 to rule authorization in or out first, then examine status and the message long text.
How do I find which program raises the message?
Note the message class and number, then use SE91 and the where-used list, or set a breakpoint on the MESSAGE statement in the debugger. For custom code, search the Z programs and BAdI implementations of the transaction.
Can I just reset the status to get past it?
Only through the supported transaction and with functional approval. Directly editing status tables breaks the status history and can corrupt downstream processes. Reversing the previous step through the standard transaction is the safe route.
Why does it happen in only one plant or company code?
Configuration and period controls are plant or company code specific. A closed period, missing movement type assignment, or different field status variant in that organizational unit will produce the same message there and not elsewhere.
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Error fixSAP M7 021: Deficit of SL Stock Quantity
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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.
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