How To Fix MC803 - View field & in & Union select: Length of 1st occurrence must be larger

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: MC - Aggregate: views, matchcodes, lock objects

• Message number: 803

• Message text: View field & in & Union select: Length of 1st occurrence must be larger

What causes this issue?

A view containing a union and constants was defined in the selections.
The corresponding view fields for working in the ABAP environment are
determined using the type specification in the first selection of the
union. Here, this is a constant and, in the specified selection of the
union, a column or constant is used whose length is greater.

System Response

The view will not be activated or checked successfully.

How to fix this error?

The length of a column or constant in selections must be in accordance
with the defined column of the first selection.

Procedure for System Administrators

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 MC803 - View field & in & Union select: Length of 1st occurrence must be larger ?

  The SAP error message MC803 typically occurs in the context of the Material Management (MM) module, particularly when dealing with the Material Master or related data. This error indicates that there is an issue with the length of a field in a database view or a union select statement, where the first occurrence of a field is expected to have a larger length than what is currently defined.
  Cause:
  
  Field Length Mismatch: The error is often caused by a mismatch in the expected length of a field in a database view or a union select statement. For example, if a field is defined to hold a certain number of characters but the actual data being processed exceeds that length, this error can occur.
  Data Model Changes: Changes in the data model or database structure that have not been properly reflected in the views or queries can lead to this error.
  Custom Development: If there are custom reports or programs that involve union selects or database views, they may not be correctly handling the field lengths.
  
  Solution:
  
  Check Field Definitions: Review the field definitions in the database view or the union select statement. Ensure that the length of the first occurrence of the field is defined correctly and is larger than any subsequent occurrences.
  Adjust Data Types: If necessary, adjust the data types and lengths in the database view or the underlying tables to ensure consistency.
  Review Custom Code: If the error arises from custom ABAP code, review the code for any union selects or database views that may be incorrectly defined. Make sure that the field lengths are consistent across all occurrences.
  Rebuild Views: If the issue persists, consider rebuilding the affected views or regenerating the database objects to ensure that they are up to date with the current data model.
  Consult SAP Notes: Check the SAP Support Portal for any relevant SAP Notes that may address this specific error or provide guidance on similar issues.
  
  Related Information:
  
  Transaction Codes: You may need to use transaction codes like SE11 (Data Dictionary) to check the definitions of database views or SE80 (Object Navigator) for custom programs.
  Debugging: If you have access to debugging tools, you can set breakpoints in the ABAP code to identify where the error is being triggered.
  SAP Community: Engaging with the SAP Community forums can provide insights from other users who may have encountered similar issues.
  
  If the problem persists after trying the above solutions, it may be beneficial to reach out to SAP support for further assistance.