How To Fix 5C201 - Payroll units could not be determined (Personnel subarea)

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: 5C - HR: Messages for Switzerland

• Message number: 201

• Message text: Payroll units could not be determined (Personnel subarea)

What causes this issue?

No settings were found for a personnel area / subarea assigned to the
employee in this evaluation period.

System Response

No payroll units are read.

How to fix this error?

Check the employee's personnel subarea assignment.

Procedure for System Administrators

The system issues an error message and will not allow you to continue with this transaction until the error is resolved.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message 5C201 - Payroll units could not be determined (Personnel subarea) ?

  The SAP error message 5C201 ("Payroll units could not be determined (Personnel subarea)") typically occurs in the context of payroll processing when the system is unable to determine the appropriate payroll units for a specific personnel subarea. This can happen for various reasons, and understanding the cause is crucial for resolving the issue.
  Causes:
  
  Configuration Issues: The personnel subarea may not be properly configured in the system. This includes missing or incorrect settings in the payroll area or the related infotypes.
  Missing Payroll Area Assignment: The employee may not be assigned to a payroll area that corresponds to the personnel subarea.
  Data Inconsistencies: There may be inconsistencies in the employee master data, such as missing infotypes or incorrect entries.
  Customizing Settings: The customizing settings for payroll may not be correctly defined, leading to the inability to determine payroll units.
  Transport Issues: If recent changes were transported to the system, there may be issues with the transport that affect the payroll configuration.
  
  Solutions:
  
  
  Check Configuration:
  
  Go to the SPRO transaction and navigate to the payroll configuration settings.
  Ensure that the personnel subarea is correctly defined and linked to the appropriate payroll area.
  
  
  
  Verify Employee Master Data:
  
  Use transaction PA20 or PA30 to check the employee's master data.
  Ensure that the employee is assigned to the correct personnel subarea and payroll area.
  
  
  
  Review Payroll Area Assignment:
  
  Check if the payroll area is assigned to the personnel subarea in the configuration.
  Make sure that the employee's payroll area matches the configuration.
  
  
  
  Check Infotypes:
  
  Ensure that all relevant infotypes (e.g., IT0001, IT0008, IT0014) are correctly filled out for the employee.
  Look for any missing or incorrect entries that could affect payroll processing.
  
  
  
  Consult Documentation:
  
  Review SAP documentation or notes related to payroll configuration for any specific guidance on the error.
  
  
  
  Testing:
  
  After making changes, run a test payroll for the affected employee to see if the issue is resolved.
  
  
  
  Contact SAP Support:
  
  If the issue persists after checking the above points, consider reaching out to SAP support for further assistance.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Transaction Codes: Familiarize yourself with relevant transaction codes such as PA20 (Display HR Master Data), PA30 (Maintain HR Master Data), and SPRO (SAP Project Reference Object).
  SAP Notes: Check for any SAP Notes related to payroll processing and error 5C201 for additional insights or patches.
  User Forums: Engage with SAP community forums or user groups where similar issues may have been discussed.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the cause of the error message 5C201 in SAP.