How To Fix AO188 - Variant &1 cannot be deleted, since it is assigned to version &2 &3

AO188 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

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

• Message number: 188

• Message text: Variant &1 cannot be deleted, since it is assigned to version &2 &3

What causes this issue?

You want to delete variant &V1&. Variant &V1&, however, is assigned to
version &V2& in approval year &V3&. Variants that are assigned cannot
be deleted.

System Response

How to fix this error?

You can delete the variant only if you are authorized to remove all
assignments of this variant to plan versions. To do so, remove all
entries for variant &V1& on the 'plan versions' tab page.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message AO188 - Variant &1 cannot be deleted, since it is assigned to version &2 &3 ?

  The SAP error message AO188 indicates that you are trying to delete a variant (identified by &1) that is currently assigned to a version (identified by &2) in the system. This is a common issue when working with variants in SAP, particularly in the context of planning and reporting.
  
  Cause:
  The error occurs because the variant you are attempting to delete is still in use or linked to a specific version. In SAP, variants are often used to store specific settings or parameters for reports, and if they are assigned to a version, they cannot be deleted until that assignment is removed.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve this error, you need to follow these steps:
  
  
  Identify the Version: Determine which version (&2) the variant (&1) is assigned to. You can do this by checking the version management in the relevant application (e.g., SAP BW, SAP BPC, etc.).
  
  
  Remove the Assignment:
  
  Navigate to the version management screen where the variant