How To Fix FTBBYC223 - Circular business partner hierarchy for &1: Cannot determine parent

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: FTBBYC - Messages for DB accesses

• Message number: 223

• Message text: Circular business partner hierarchy for &1: Cannot determine parent

Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message FTBBYC223 - Circular business partner hierarchy for &1: Cannot determine parent ?

  The SAP error message FTBBYC223 indicates that there is a circular reference in the business partner hierarchy, which prevents the system from determining the parent business partner. This typically occurs when a business partner is incorrectly set up in a way that creates a loop in the hierarchy, meaning that a business partner is designated as its own parent or there are multiple business partners that reference each other in a circular manner.
  Cause:
  
  Circular Reference: The most common cause is that the business partner hierarchy has been configured incorrectly, leading to a situation where a business partner is both a parent and a child of another business partner.
  Incorrect Hierarchy Setup: The hierarchy may have been manually set up or modified in a way that violates the rules of a hierarchical structure.
  Data Integrity Issues: There may be data integrity issues in the business partner master data that need to be addressed.
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Review Business Partner Hierarchy:
  
  Go to the business partner transaction (e.g., BP) and review the hierarchy structure.
  Check for any business partners that are incorrectly set as parents or children.
  
  
  
  Correct Circular References:
  
  Identify the business partners involved in the circular reference.
  Modify the hierarchy to remove the circular reference. This may involve changing the parent-child relationships to ensure that no business partner points back to itself or creates a loop.
  
  
  
  Use Transaction Codes:
  
  Use transaction codes like BP (Business Partner) to view and edit the business partner details.
  Use BP_HIER or similar reports to analyze the hierarchy structure.
  
  
  
  Data Validation:
  
  Run data validation checks to ensure that all business partners are set up correctly and that there are no inconsistencies in the hierarchy.
  
  
  
  Consult Documentation:
  
  Refer to SAP documentation or help resources for guidance on setting up business partner hierarchies correctly.
  
  
  
  Seek Help from SAP Support:
  
  If the issue persists after checking the hierarchy, consider reaching out to SAP support for further assistance.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Business Partner Master Data: Understanding how business partners are structured and managed in SAP is crucial. Familiarize yourself with the concepts of business partner roles and relationships.
  SAP Notes: Check for any relevant SAP Notes that may address known issues or provide additional guidance on resolving this error.
  Training and Documentation: Consider training sessions or documentation on business partner management in SAP to prevent similar issues in the future.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the FTBBYC223 error and ensure that your business partner hierarchy is correctly configured.