How To Fix FH238 - Reconciliation account cannot be changed because transaction data exists

FH238 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: FH - General ledger module messages

• Message number: 238

• Message text: Reconciliation account cannot be changed because transaction data exists

What causes this issue?

You want to change the assigned bank reconciliation account from &V1& to
&V2& although there are already postings to G/L account &V3&.

System Response

It is not possible to change the bank reconciliation account.

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

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message FH238 - Reconciliation account cannot be changed because transaction data exists ?

  The SAP error message FH238 indicates that you are trying to change a reconciliation account in the system, but the change cannot be made because there is existing transaction data associated with that account. This is a common issue in SAP, particularly in the context of financial accounting.
  
  Cause:
  The primary cause of this error is that the reconciliation account you are attempting to modify has already been used in transactions. Reconciliation accounts are linked to sub-ledgers (like accounts receivable or accounts payable) and are designed to ensure that the general ledger reflects the balances of these sub-ledgers. Because of this linkage, SAP prevents changes to reconciliation accounts that have existing transaction data to maintain data integrity.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve this error, you have a few options:
  
  
  Check for Existing Transactions: 
  
  Review the transactions that are linked to the reconciliation account. You can use transaction codes like FB03 (Display Document) or FBL1N (Vendor Line Item