How To Fix CMS196 - Error occurred during character conversion

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: CMS - KPro: Content Management Service

• Message number: 196

• Message text: Error occurred during character conversion

Self-Explanatory Message

Since SAP believes that this specific error message is 'self-explanatory,' no more information has been given.The majority of messages in the SAP system have a message text, however this is frequently insufficient to comprehend or resolve the problem.

To make things easier, more detailed information is frequently added to describe the issue, how to fix it, and the necessary steps or configuration modifications.

Unfortunately, there isn't any extra information in this error notice.

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message CMS196 - Error occurred during character conversion ?

  The SAP error message CMS196, which states "Error occurred during character conversion," typically arises when there is an issue with the character encoding or conversion between different character sets in SAP systems. This can happen during data transfer, file uploads, or when processing data that includes special characters.
  Causes:
  
  Character Set Mismatch: The source and target systems may be using different character sets (e.g., UTF-8, ISO-8859-1). If the data being processed contains characters that cannot be represented in the target character set, this error can occur.
  Data Corruption: If the data being processed is corrupted or improperly formatted, it may lead to conversion errors.
  Incorrect Configuration: The SAP system may not be configured correctly to handle the specific character set being used.
  File Encoding Issues: When uploading files, if the file encoding does not match the expected encoding in SAP, it can lead to conversion errors.
  
  Solutions:
  
  Check Character Sets: Ensure that the character sets of the source and target systems match. You can check the character set settings in the SAP system using transaction code RZ10 or RZ11.
  Data Validation: Validate the data being processed to ensure it does not contain unsupported characters or is not corrupted.
  File Encoding: If the error occurs during file uploads, check the encoding of the file. Convert the file to the appropriate encoding (e.g., UTF-8) before uploading.
  SAP Notes: Check for any relevant SAP Notes that may address this specific error. SAP frequently releases updates and patches that may resolve known issues.
  Debugging: If you have access to debugging tools, you can trace the process to identify where the conversion is failing. This may provide insights into the specific data or character causing the issue.
  Consult Documentation: Review SAP documentation for any specific guidelines related to character conversion and encoding.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Support: If the issue persists, consider reaching out to SAP support for assistance. They can provide more detailed troubleshooting steps based on your specific system configuration.
  Community Forums: SAP Community and other forums can be helpful resources where you can find discussions related to similar issues and potential solutions shared by other users.
  Transaction Codes: Familiarize yourself with relevant transaction codes such as SE38 (ABAP Editor) for running programs that may help in testing character conversions.
  
  By addressing the underlying causes and following the suggested solutions, you should be able to resolve the CMS196 error in your SAP system.