How To Fix MM038 - The material may not be a reference material for consumption for itself

MM038 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: MM - Messages for material master maintenance and Customizing

• Message number: 038

• Message text: The material may not be a reference material for consumption for itself

Self-Explanatory Message

Since SAP believes that this specific error message is 'self-explanatory,' no more information has been given.The majority of messages in the SAP system have a message text, however this is frequently insufficient to comprehend or resolve the problem.

To make things easier, more detailed information is frequently added to describe the issue, how to fix it, and the necessary steps or configuration modifications.

Unfortunately, there isn't any extra information in this error notice.

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message MM038 - The material may not be a reference material for consumption for itself ?

  The SAP error message MM038 ("The material may not be a reference material for consumption for itself") typically occurs in the context of materials management, particularly when dealing with material master data and consumption postings. This error indicates that the system is preventing a material from being used as a reference material for its own consumption, which is not allowed in SAP.
  
  Cause:
  
  Self-Referencing: The error arises when a material is being set up or processed in a way that it is trying to reference itself for consumption. This can happen during the creation of a consumption posting or when trying to set up a material as a reference material in a way that violates SAP's rules.
  Material Master Configuration: The material may be incorrectly configured in the material master data, particularly in the settings related to consumption or reference materials.
  Incorrect Transaction: The transaction being executed may not be appropriate for the material