How To Fix IS217 - Serial number for material &1 must be the same as equipment number (&2)

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: IS - Equipment management

• Message number: 217

• Message text: Serial number for material &1 must be the same as equipment number (&2)

What causes this issue?

In the material master &V1&, the equipment- and serial number should be
assigned synchronously, or to be precise: If the equipment number has
already been assigned, then the serial number must have the same value.

System Response

If the equipment serial number should be maintained, then it should
only have the value &V2&.

How to fix this error?

Check if the serialization of the equipment should actually be
performed in the form which you have specified.
If this is the case, that is, a different assignment of equipment- and
serial numbers is really intended, then you should change the setting
in the material master record if necessary.

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 IS217 - Serial number for material &1 must be the same as equipment number (&2) ?

  The SAP error message IS217 indicates that there is a mismatch between the serial number of a material and the equipment number associated with it. This error typically occurs in the context of asset management or inventory management when dealing with serialized materials and equipment.
  Cause:
  The error arises when the system expects the serial number of a material to match the equipment number, but they do not match. This can happen due to several reasons:
  
  Data Entry Error: The serial number or equipment number may have been entered incorrectly.
  Configuration Issues: The system may not be configured correctly to handle the relationship between serial numbers and equipment numbers.
  Master Data Issues: The master data for the material or equipment may be inconsistent or incorrectly maintained.
  Process Flow Issues: The process flow for creating or managing equipment and materials may not be followed correctly.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve the IS217 error, you can take the following steps:
  
  
  Verify Serial Number and Equipment Number:
  
  Check the serial number of the material and the equipment number in the system. Ensure that they match as expected.
  
  
  
  Correct Data Entry:
  
  If there is a discrepancy, correct the data entry for either the serial number or the equipment number to ensure they are consistent.
  
  
  
  Review Master Data:
  
  Check the master data for both the material and the equipment. Ensure that the serial number is correctly assigned to the equipment in the system.
  
  
  
  Check Configuration:
  
  Review the configuration settings in SAP related to serial numbers and equipment management. Ensure that the settings align with your business processes.
  
  
  
  Consult Documentation:
  
  Refer to SAP documentation or help resources for guidance on managing serial numbers and equipment numbers.
  
  
  
  Test the Process:
  
  After making corrections, test the process again to ensure that the error does not reoccur.
  
  
  
  Seek Help from SAP Support:
  
  If the issue persists, consider reaching out to SAP support or your internal SAP team for further assistance.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Transaction Codes: You may use transaction codes like IE01 (Create Equipment), IE02 (Change Equipment), or IQ01 (Create Serial Number) to manage equipment and serial numbers.
  SAP Notes: Check for any relevant SAP Notes that may address known issues or provide additional guidance on this error.
  Documentation: Review SAP Help documentation for Asset Management and Inventory Management for best practices on handling serial numbers and equipment.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the cause of the IS217 error in SAP.