How To Fix ME133 - Narrow down the selection

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: ME - Purchasing: General Messages

• Message number: 133

• Message text: Narrow down the selection

What causes this issue?

You have not entered any delimiting criteria for selection purposes.

System Response

The system has terminated the processing.

How to fix this error?

Enter delimiting criteria to narrow down the 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 ME133 - Narrow down the selection ?

  The SAP error message ME133 ("Narrow down the selection") typically occurs in the context of purchasing documents, such as purchase orders or purchase requisitions, when a user attempts to execute a report or transaction that returns too many records. This error is a prompt to refine the selection criteria to limit the number of records being processed.
  Cause:
  
  Too Broad Selection Criteria: The selection criteria used in the report or transaction is too broad, resulting in a large number of records being retrieved.
  System Performance: The system may have performance limitations that prevent it from processing a large dataset efficiently.
  Configuration Settings: Certain configurations in the SAP system may impose limits on the number of records that can be processed at once.
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Narrow Down Selection Criteria:
  
  Refine the selection parameters by adding more specific filters. For example, you can filter by date range, document type, vendor, material number, or other relevant fields.
  Use specific values instead of ranges where possible to limit the number of records returned.
  
  
  
  Use Additional Filters:
  
  If available, utilize additional filtering options provided in the selection screen to further limit the dataset.
  
  
  
  Check for Default Settings:
  
  Review any default settings in the transaction that may be causing a broad selection. Adjust these settings as necessary.
  
  
  
  Consult Documentation:
  
  Refer to SAP documentation or help resources for the specific transaction or report you are using to understand the best practices for selection criteria.
  
  
  
  System Configuration:
  
  If the issue persists, consult with your SAP Basis or technical team to check if there are any system configuration settings that can be adjusted to allow for larger selections, though this is less common.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Transaction Codes: The error may occur in various transaction codes related to purchasing, such as ME2N (Purchase Orders by PO Number), ME2L (Purchase Orders by Vendor), etc.
  Performance Considerations: When working with large datasets, consider the performance implications and the potential impact on system resources.
  User Training: Ensure that users are trained on how to effectively use selection criteria in SAP to avoid this error in the future.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the ME133 error and successfully execute your desired transaction or report.