How To Fix MH139 - You can maintain only reference plants for generic materials

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: MH - Maintain Material Master Data (Retail)

• Message number: 139

• Message text: You can maintain only reference plants for generic materials

What causes this issue?

The data for a generic material and for a special plant that is not a
reference plant can be used neither in maintenance nor by operational
functions. For this reason, it is not possible to maintain such data.
The reference data for variants and special plants that are not
reference plants is at the level of the variant itself and of the
respective reference plants.

System Response

The system issues an error message and will not allow you to continue with this transaction until the error is resolved.

How to fix this error?

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message MH139 - You can maintain only reference plants for generic materials ?

  The SAP error message MH139, which states "You can maintain only reference plants for generic materials," typically occurs when you are trying to maintain or create a material master record for a generic material type, but the system is expecting a reference plant to be specified.
  Cause:
  
  Generic Material Type: The material you are trying to maintain is defined as a generic material. Generic materials are used in scenarios where the specific details of the material are not yet known, and they are often used in the context of variant configuration or when dealing with configurable materials.
  Reference Plant Requirement: For generic materials, SAP requires that you specify a reference plant. This is because generic materials do not have specific data associated with them until they are assigned to a reference plant.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve the error MH139, you can follow these steps:
  
  
  Specify a Reference Plant:
  
  When creating or maintaining the generic material, ensure that you specify a reference plant. This can usually be done in the material master data screen under the "Plant Data" or "Purchasing" views.
  If you are unsure which plant to use, consult with your materials management or production planning team to determine the appropriate reference plant.
  
  
  
  Check Material Type Settings:
  
  Ensure that the material type you are using is correctly configured in the system. You may need to check the configuration settings in transaction code OMH1 or OMS2 to ensure that the material type allows for the creation of generic materials.
  
  
  
  Use Transaction Codes:
  
  Use transaction codes like MM01 (Create Material) or MM02 (Change Material) to access the material master data and ensure that you are filling in all required fields, including the reference plant.
  
  
  
  Consult Documentation:
  
  Review SAP documentation or help files related to material master data and generic materials for additional guidance on how to properly set up and maintain these records.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Material Master Views: Familiarize yourself with the different views of the material master, especially the "Basic Data," "Purchasing," and "Sales" views, as they may have specific requirements for generic materials.
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes for any known issues or additional guidance related to error MH139. You can search for relevant notes in the SAP Support Portal.
  User Roles and Authorizations: Ensure that you have the necessary authorizations to create or change material master records, as insufficient permissions can also lead to errors.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the error and successfully maintain the material master record for the generic material.