How To Fix AO026 - Variant number &1 was already assigned - please correct

AO026 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: AO - Appropriation requests - Master data / Customizing

• Message number: 026

• Message text: Variant number &1 was already assigned - please correct

What causes this issue?

You entered variant number &V1&.
However, variant number &V1& has already been assigned, and cannot be
used again as an external variant number.

System Response

The system displays the variant number for you to change it.

How to fix this error?

Enter a different variant number.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

AO026 - Details

• The SAP error message AO026 indicates that a variant number you are trying to assign has already been assigned to another object or is already in use. This typically occurs in the context of Asset Accounting (FI-AA) when you are trying to create or modify a variant for asset transactions.
  
  Cause:
  
  Duplicate Assignment: The variant number you are trying to use is already assigned to another configuration or object within the system.
  Incorrect Configuration: There may be a misconfiguration in the asset accounting settings that leads to this conflict.
  System Migration or Updates: If the system has been recently migrated or updated, there may be remnants of old configurations that are causing conflicts.
  
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Check Existing Variants: 
  
  Go to the relevant transaction (e.g., OAOA for Asset Accounting) and check the list of existing variants to see if the variant number you are trying to use is already in use.
  If it is, you may need to choose