How To Fix ERW004 - Preceding document &1: payer cannot be determined (VBPA)

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: ERW - Contract Accounts A/R and A/P: SD -> FI-CA interface

• Message number: 004

• Message text: Preceding document &1: payer cannot be determined (VBPA)

What causes this issue?

<ZH>System error</>
The partner with the role <LS>payer</> could not be determined for the
preceding document &v1& (table VBPA (sales and distribution document:
partner)).

How to fix this error?

The system issues an error message and will not allow you to continue with this transaction until the error is resolved.

Procedure for System Administrators

INCLUDE FICA_NA_OSS_1 OBJECT DOKU ID TX

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message ERW004 - Preceding document &1: payer cannot be determined (VBPA) ?

  The SAP error message ERW004 indicates that the system is unable to determine the payer for a specific document, which is often related to sales and distribution processes. This error typically arises in the context of sales orders, deliveries, or billing documents when the system cannot find a valid payer in the relevant master data.
  Cause:
  
  Missing Payer Information: The payer information may not be maintained in the customer master data (transaction code XD02 for general data or VD02 for sales area data).
  Incorrect Partner Function: The partner function for the payer may not be correctly assigned in the sales document or may be missing.
  Inconsistent Data: There may be inconsistencies in the customer master data or the sales document that prevent the system from determining the payer.
  Sales Area Issues: The sales area (sales organization, distribution channel, and division) may not be correctly set up or may not match the customer data.
  Document Type Configuration: The document type being used may not be configured to allow for a payer to be determined.
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Check Customer Master Data:
  
  Go to transaction code XD02 or VD02 and check the customer master data for the relevant customer. Ensure that the payer information is correctly maintained.
  Verify that the partner function for the payer is assigned correctly.
  
  
  
  Review Sales Document:
  
  Check the sales document (e.g., sales order, delivery) to ensure that the payer partner function is correctly assigned.
  You can do this by displaying the document in transaction code VA03 and checking the "Partner" tab.
  
  
  
  Verify Sales Area Configuration:
  
  Ensure that the sales area is correctly set up and that the customer is assigned to the correct sales area.
  Check the configuration in transaction code OVX5 for sales area assignments.
  
  
  
  Check Document Type Settings:
  
  Review the configuration of the document type being used to ensure that it is set up to allow for a payer to be determined.
  This can be done in transaction code VOTXN or VOTX for sales document types.
  
  
  
  Consult with SAP Support:
  
  If the issue persists after checking the above points, consider consulting with your SAP support team or checking SAP Notes for any known issues related to this error message.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Partner Functions: Understand the different partner functions in SAP (e.g., sold-to party, ship-to party, payer) and how they relate to each other.
  Transaction Codes: Familiarize yourself with relevant transaction codes such as XD02, VD02, VA03, and OVX5.
  SAP Documentation: Refer to SAP Help documentation for detailed information on partner determination and sales document processing.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue causing the ERW004 error message in SAP.