How To Fix COM_PRODUCT_CUSTMSG017 - Attribute alternative ID &1 contains invalid special characters

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: COM_PRODUCT_CUSTMSG - Product: Customer-Specific Messages

• Message number: 017

• Message text: Attribute alternative ID &1 contains invalid special characters

What causes this issue?

Your entry contains one or more invalid special characters. If you
intend to maintain object dependencies for this attribute, you cannot
use an attribute alias which contains special characters.
Attribute aliases correspond to characteristic IDs. Special characters
are also not allowed for characteristics in the SAP system. If you
intend to transfer this data from the CRM system to an SAP system and
want to avoid extensive mapping, attribute aliases should not contain
any special characters.

How to fix this error?

Only use alphanumeric characters, meaning uppercase characters from A to
Z, numbers from 0 to 9 and, if necessary, underscores.

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 COM_PRODUCT_CUSTMSG017 - Attribute alternative ID &1 contains invalid special characters ?

  The SAP error message COM_PRODUCT_CUSTMSG017 indicates that there is an issue with the "Alternative ID" attribute of a product. Specifically, it states that the Alternative ID contains invalid special characters. This error typically arises when the input for the Alternative ID does not conform to the allowed character set defined by SAP.
  Cause:
  The error is caused by the presence of special characters in the Alternative ID that are not permitted. This can include characters such as:
  
  Symbols (e.g., @, #, $, %, &, *, etc.)
  Spaces
  Punctuation marks
  
  The Alternative ID is expected to follow a specific format, which usually allows only alphanumeric characters (letters and numbers) and possibly a limited set of special characters.
  Solution:
  To resolve this error, you should:
  
  Identify the Invalid Characters: Review the Alternative ID that you are trying to input and identify any special characters that are not allowed.
  Modify the Alternative ID: Remove or replace the invalid characters with valid ones. Ensure that the Alternative ID consists only of allowed characters (typically alphanumeric).
  Check Configuration: If you are unsure about the allowed characters, check the configuration settings in SAP for the product attributes or consult the documentation for your specific SAP version.
  Test the Changes: After making the necessary changes, try to save or process the product again to see if the error persists.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Documentation: Refer to the SAP Help Portal or specific documentation related to your version of SAP for detailed information on valid character sets for product attributes.
  Transaction Codes: You may need to use transaction codes like MM02 (Change Material) or MM01 (Create Material) to modify product attributes.
  Data Validation: Implement data validation checks in your data entry processes to prevent the entry of invalid characters in the future.
  User Exits or BAdIs: If you have custom development, consider implementing user exits or BAdIs to enforce validation rules on the Alternative ID field.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the error and ensure that the Alternative ID is correctly formatted.