How To Fix 5G551 - Date entered means retro. date is &1; enter a date further in the past

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: 5G - HR: Messages for Britain

• Message number: 551

• Message text: Date entered means retro. date is &1; enter a date further in the past

What causes this issue?

You have entered an archiving date that entails a retroactive
accounting limit that is later than that allowed by statutory
regulations. These require that a retrocalculation can be performed
over three full tax years.

System Response

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

How to fix this error?

Enter a new archiving date that is further in the past. The system will
then propose an appropriate retroactive accounting limit.

Procedure for System Administrators

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message 5G551 - Date entered means retro. date is &1; enter a date further in the past ?

  The SAP error message 5G551 indicates that the date you have entered is considered a retroactive date, which means it is earlier than the allowed date for processing certain transactions. This error typically occurs in the context of payroll or personnel administration when trying to enter a date that is too far in the past for the system to process correctly.
  Cause:
  
  Retroactive Date: The date you entered is earlier than the system's defined retroactive limit. This limit is set to prevent changes to historical data that could affect payroll calculations or other time-sensitive processes.
  Configuration Settings: The system may have specific settings that define how far back you can enter dates for certain transactions, such as payroll runs or employee data changes.
  
  Solution:
  
  Enter a Valid Date: Change the date you are trying to enter to a date that is within the allowed range. This typically means entering a date that is not considered retroactive.
  Check Configuration: If you believe the date you are entering should be valid, check with your SAP administrator or HR configuration team to review the retroactive date settings in the system. They may need to adjust the configuration if necessary.
  Consult Documentation: Review SAP documentation or help resources related to the specific module you are working with (e.g., SAP HR) to understand the rules regarding retroactive entries.
  Use Transaction Codes: If applicable, use transaction codes like PA30 (Maintain HR Master Data) or PA40 (Personnel Actions) to check the employee's data and ensure that the changes you are trying to make are valid.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes for any known issues or updates related to this error message. SAP frequently releases notes that provide solutions or workarounds for specific error messages.
  User Roles and Permissions: Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to make changes to the data you are trying to update. Sometimes, restrictions can lead to errors.
  Testing in a Sandbox: If you are unsure about the changes, consider testing the entry in a sandbox environment to see how the system responds before making changes in the production environment.
  
  If the issue persists after trying the above solutions, it may be beneficial to reach out to your SAP support team for further assistance.