How To Fix CUMTX245 - & cannot begin with "&"

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: CUMTX - Variant Configuration - Master Data Maintenance

• Message number: 245

• Message text: & cannot begin with "&"

What causes this issue?

&v1& must start with a letter.
You can only use the following characters: letters from A-Z, figures
from 1-9, and underscore.

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?

Enter a letter as the first character for &v1&.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message CUMTX245 - & cannot begin with "&" ?

  The SAP error message CUMTX245 typically indicates that there is an issue with the naming convention of a certain object, such as a variable, field, or identifier, in your SAP system. The specific message "cannot begin with '&'" suggests that the name you are trying to use starts with an invalid character, which in this case is the ampersand (&).
  Cause:
  
  Invalid Naming Convention: In SAP, certain characters are not allowed at the beginning of identifiers. The ampersand (&) is one of those characters.
  Typographical Error: It could be a simple mistake where the user accidentally included an invalid character at the start of the name.
  Copy-Paste Issues: Sometimes, copying and pasting from other sources can introduce unwanted characters.
  
  Solution:
  
  Rename the Object: Change the name of the variable, field, or identifier to ensure it does not start with an ampersand or any other invalid character. Use valid characters such as letters (A-Z, a-z) or numbers (0-9) as the first character.
  Check Naming Conventions: Familiarize yourself with the naming conventions in SAP to avoid similar issues in the future. Generally, names should start with a letter and can include letters, numbers, and underscores.
  Review Code: If this error occurs in ABAP code, review the relevant code section to identify where the invalid name is being used and correct it.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Documentation: Refer to the official SAP documentation for guidelines on naming conventions and valid characters for identifiers.
  ABAP Naming Conventions: In ABAP, identifiers must start with a letter and can include letters, numbers, and underscores. Special characters like &, %, $, etc., are not allowed at the beginning.
  Error Handling: If you encounter this error frequently, consider implementing error handling or validation checks in your code to catch such issues early.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the CUMTX245 error and ensure that your identifiers conform to SAP's naming conventions.