How To Fix BRAIN171 - Key figure &2 has exception aggr. &3, thus ref.char. &1 must be filled

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: BRAIN -

• Message number: 171

• Message text: Key figure &2 has exception aggr. &3, thus ref.char. &1 must be filled

What causes this issue?

Key figure &V2& has exception aggregation &V3& with reference
characteristic &V1&. Change data record &V2& can therefore only be
filled if &V1& is also filled. This is not the case here.
There might be an error in the input-readiness control.

System Response

The changes cannot be saved.

How to fix this error?

Change the query or at least the current drilldown.

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 BRAIN171 - Key figure &2 has exception aggr. &3, thus ref.char. &1 must be filled ?

  The SAP error message BRAIN171 indicates that there is an issue with the aggregation of a key figure in a query or report. Specifically, it states that the key figure has an exception aggregation method defined, which requires that a reference characteristic must be filled in order to perform the aggregation correctly.
  Cause:
  
  Exception Aggregation: The key figure in question has been defined with an exception aggregation method (e.g., SUM, AVG, MAX, etc.) that requires a reference characteristic to be populated. This means that the system expects certain data to be available to perform the aggregation correctly.
  Missing Reference Characteristic: The reference characteristic (in this case, &1) is not filled in the context of the query or report. This could be due to filters, selections, or the way the data is being retrieved.
  
  Solution:
  
  Check Query Design: Review the query or report design in the SAP BW/BI system. Ensure that the reference characteristic is included in the query and is being populated correctly.
  Modify Filters: If there are filters applied that exclude the reference characteristic, consider modifying them to ensure that the characteristic is included in the data set.
  Data Source: Verify that the data source being used for the query contains the necessary data for the reference characteristic. If the data is missing, you may need to check the data loading process.
  Aggregation Settings: If the exception aggregation is not necessary for your analysis, consider changing the aggregation method for the key figure to a standard aggregation that does not require a reference characteristic.
  Test with Different Selections: Run the query with different selections or parameters to see if the issue persists. This can help identify if the problem is related to specific data or selections.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP BW/BI Documentation: Refer to the official SAP documentation for more details on exception aggregation and how to configure key figures and characteristics in queries.
  SAP Community: Engage with the SAP Community forums to see if other users have encountered similar issues and what solutions they have found.
  Transaction Codes: Familiarize yourself with relevant transaction codes such as RSA1 (Data Warehousing Workbench) and RSRT (Query Monitor) for analyzing and troubleshooting queries.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the BRAIN171 error and ensure that your key figures are aggregated correctly in your SAP BW/BI reports.