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SAP Transport Return Codes Reference: RC 0, 4, 8, 12 and Above

This reference lists the return codes SAP tp and the transport log report for an import, from RC 0 and 4 (success) through RC 8 (object errors) to RC 12 and above (system errors), with the most common RC 8 causes split out by import step. It applies to SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP and ABAP Platform systems using TMS (STMS).

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Return code	Severity	Meaning	Typical import step	Where to look	First fix
0	OK	Transport ran without errors.	Any	STMS import queue, request shows green	Nothing to do.
4	Warning	Warnings were issued, but all objects were transported successfully. Example: an object deletion during export.	Any, often I (main import) or G (generation)	SE01/SE10 > request > Transport logs, expand the step with the yellow icon	Read the warnings; usually no action, but confirm deletions and generation warnings were intended.
8	Error	Individual objects could not be transported successfully. You must analyse and correct the errors.	A, G, I, R and others	Transport log of the request in SE01 or the STMS import queue (Goto > Import history, then log)	Open the step with RC 8, read the long text of the first error, fix the cause and re-import.
8 - syntax error in generated program	Error	A program, include or class was imported but fails syntax check when generated, usually because a dependent object is missing or older in the target.	G (generation of programs and screens)	Generation step log; then SE38 or SE80 syntax check in the target	Find the missing dependency (other request, newer include, DDIC object), import it, then re-import or regenerate.
8 - DDIC activation error	Error	A table, structure, data element or domain could not be activated in the target.	A (dictionary activation)	Activation step log; SE11 activation log of the object	Check the referenced domain, data element or search help exists and is active; import the prerequisite request first.
8 - table conversion failed	Error	A structure change to a table that already holds data needed a conversion that did not complete.	N (conversion)	Conversion step log; SE14 (Database Utility) for the table	Analyse in SE14, resolve the conversion (for example data that violates the new key), then continue.
8 - object or table missing in target	Error	Table entries (R3TR TABU) or objects reference a table or object that does not exist in the target system.	I (main import)	Main import log, message names the table	Transport the table definition first (workbench request), then re-import the customizing request.
8 - original or repaired object not overwritten	Error	An object in the target is an original there or carries a repair flag, so the import does not overwrite it.	I (main import)	Main import log; SE03 or TADIR for the original system (SRCSYSTEM)	Confirm which version is right; release the repair or use the import option to overwrite originals only if that is intended.
8 - XPRA or after-import method error	Error	A report or method that runs after import (XPRA, after-import method) failed.	R (execution of reports after put / methods)	Method execution step log; ST22 for a dump at the same time	Read the method log and any dump, correct data or customizing it depends on, then re-run the import.
12 and higher	Critical	A critical error has occurred, probably not caused by the contents of the request. Inform the system administrator.	Any step program	SLOG and ALOG in /usr/sap/trans/log; SM37 for the import jobs; ST22	Look for an aborted R3trans or background job (for example RDDEXECL), fix the system cause, then restart the import.
Over 200	Critical	General tp errors not tied to one request, for example tp cannot connect to the database.	Before or between steps	ULOG and SLOG in /usr/sap/trans/log; tp explainrc <rc>	Test the DB connection from the transport host (tp connect <SID> pf=<TP_DOMAIN profile>) and check the transport profile.
Over 200 - transport directory access	Critical	tp or R3trans cannot read or write files under /usr/sap/trans (data, cofiles, log, buffer).	Export or import	ULOG, OS permissions on /usr/sap/trans and its subdirectories	Give <sid>adm (and the target system user) read and write access to the shared transport directory; check the NFS or share mount.
No RC, import waits	Critical	A step that runs as a background job never starts, typically because RDDIMPDP is not scheduled in the target client 000 or no BTC work process is free.	A, N, R, G and other job-based steps	SM37 for RDDIMPDP in client 000; SM50 for free BTC work processes	Schedule RDDIMPDP with report RDDNEWPP in client 000 (and the other clients as needed), free a BTC process, restart the import.

The overall return code of an import is the highest return code of all its steps. Codes of 12 and higher are critical errors; values above 200 are general tp errors not tied to one request. RC 0 and 4 mean success, 8 and above mean failure. Run tp explainrc <rc> on the transport host for the short text of any code, and always read the long text of the first error in the step log.

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How to read a transport log by step

A transport import is a sequence of steps, each run by R3trans or a background job, and each step writes its own log with its own return code. The overall RC you see in STMS is simply the highest of those step codes. Open the request in SE01 or SE10, choose Transport logs, and expand the target system: each line is a step with a letter or name and its code. Go straight to the first step with RC 8 or higher and read the first error message and its long text, because later messages are often follow-on errors. The same logs exist as files in /usr/sap/trans/log, alongside ULOG (every tp command), ALOG (return codes per call) and SLOG (step-by-step progress per system).

H: dictionary import
A: dictionary activation
N: table conversion
I: main import of objects and table entries
R: reports and methods after import (XPRA, after-import methods)
G: generation of programs and screens

Worked example: RC 8 in the generation step

A developer releases request DEVK900456 containing a changed function module that calls a new method of a class. QA imports it and STMS shows RC 8. The log shows step G (generation) ended with 8, with the message that the program could not be generated and a syntax error naming the class method that does not exist. The class change sits in request DEVK900431, which was never released to QA. Fix: release DEVK900431, import it into QA, then re-import DEVK900456 (or regenerate the function group in SE80). The generation step now ends with 0 or 4. Lesson: generation errors are almost always about import order or a missing dependency, not about the object you imported.

RC 12 and above: think system, not request

SAP documents RC 12 and higher as critical errors that are probably not caused by the contents of the request. Typical causes are a step program that terminated (R3trans abort, a background job such as RDDEXECL cancelled or dumped), the database not reachable from tp, or file system problems under /usr/sap/trans. Check SM37 in client 000 for the import jobs and RDDIMPDP, ST22 for dumps at the time of the import, and the SLOG file for the exact point it stopped. Fix the system cause and restart the import rather than re-releasing the request. Values above 200 are general tp errors; run tp explainrc on the transport host to get the text.

Common mistakes

The most frequent mistake is reading only the last message in the log; the first error in the failing step is the real one. The second is treating RC 4 as a failure and re-importing, which can overwrite objects for no reason. The third is importing requests out of sequence, which produces RC 8 in activation or generation that disappears once the queue is imported in order. Finally, an RC 8 with the original or repair message is a governance question, not a technical one: decide which system owns the object before forcing an overwrite with import options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does return code 8 mean in an SAP transport?

RC 8 means individual objects could not be transported successfully. The import ran, but at least one step (often activation A, main import I, methods R or generation G) reported an object error. Open the transport log, find the step with RC 8, read the first error and its long text, fix the cause and re-import.

Is SAP transport return code 4 an error?

No. RC 4 means warnings were issued but all objects were transported successfully. Common warnings are deletions recorded during export or generation warnings. Read them to confirm nothing unintended happened, but do not re-import just because of RC 4.

Where is the SAP transport error log?

In the system, open the request in SE01 or SE10 and choose Transport logs, or use the STMS import queue and import history. At OS level, the logs are in /usr/sap/trans/log, including ULOG for tp commands, ALOG for return codes and SLOG for step progress, plus one log file per step.

How do I get the text for a tp return code?

Run tp explainrc followed by the return code on the transport host as <sid>adm, for example tp explainrc 12. It prints the short description for that code. For object errors, the long text of the message in the step log is more useful than the code text.

If you want your Basis team to ask your SAP landscape about failed imports and their logs in plain English, on your own servers, we can set that up.

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