How To Fix C1871 - Characteristic cannot be shown

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: C1 - Characteristics maintenance messages

• Message number: 871

• Message text: Characteristic cannot be shown

What causes this issue?

There are several reasons why characteristics are hidden from the
characteristic value assignment screen. For example:
In characteristics maintenance functions, you can define that a
characteristic is not shown on the characteristic value assignment
screen.
Characteristics can be excluded from display by object dependencies.
The user can hide characteristics on the characteristic value
assignment screen.
Characteristics that are hidden due to settings in characteristics
maintenance functions or object dependencies cannot be shown by the
user. The user can only show hidden characteristics that were hidden by
the user originally.

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?

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message C1871 - Characteristic cannot be shown ?

  The SAP error message C1871, which states "Characteristic cannot be shown," typically occurs in the context of SAP's classification system, particularly when dealing with characteristics in the classification of materials or objects. This error can arise due to several reasons, and understanding the cause is essential for finding a solution.
  Causes of Error C1871
  
  
  Characteristic Not Defined: The characteristic you are trying to display may not be defined in the system or may have been deleted.
  
  
  Authorization Issues: The user may not have the necessary authorizations to view the characteristic.
  
  
  Inactive Characteristics: The characteristic might be inactive or not assigned to the class you are trying to access.
  
  
  Data Consistency Issues: There may be inconsistencies in the data, such as missing links between the characteristic and the class or object.
  
  
  Technical Issues: There could be technical issues or bugs in the SAP system that prevent the characteristic from being displayed.
  
  
  Solutions
  
  
  Check Characteristic Definition:
  
  Go to the transaction code CT04 (for characteristics) and verify if the characteristic exists and is correctly defined.
  
  
  
  Check Authorizations:
  
  Ensure that the user has the necessary authorizations to view the characteristic. This can be checked in transaction SU53 after the error occurs.
  
  
  
  Check Class Assignment:
  
  Use transaction CL02 to check if the characteristic is assigned to the correct class. If it is not, you may need to reassign it.
  
  
  
  Activate Characteristics:
  
  If the characteristic is inactive, you can activate it in transaction CT04.
  
  
  
  Data Consistency Check:
  
  Perform a consistency check on the classification data to ensure that all links are intact. This can sometimes be done through transaction CL20.
  
  
  
  Technical Support:
  
  If the issue persists, consider reaching out to your SAP support team or consulting SAP Notes for any known issues or patches related to this error.
  
  
  
  Related Information
  
  
  Transaction Codes:
  
  CT04: Create/Change Characteristic
  CL02: Change Class
  CL20: Class/Characteristic Consistency Check
  SU53: Authorization Check
  
  
  
  SAP Notes: Check the SAP Support Portal for any relevant SAP Notes that might address this specific error or provide additional troubleshooting steps.
  
  
  Documentation: Review SAP documentation on classification and characteristics for a better understanding of how they work and how to manage them effectively.
  
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify the cause of the C1871 error and implement a solution to resolve it.