How To Fix MW038 - Program can only be run in the background (see long text)

MW038 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: MW - Messages IS-R / Allocation Tables

• Message number: 038

• Message text: Program can only be run in the background (see long text)

What causes this issue?

You cannot run this program online, as it is only processed in the
background.
&what_to_do&
You can either:

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

Generate documents online
Generate documents for several allocation tables
From the Allocation menu, choose "Allocation table-> Generate follow-on
documents"
Generate documents for one allocation table
Choose "Allocation table -> Display" and then "Allocation table ->
Generate follow-on documents"
Generate documents in the background
Create a selection variant and run the program in the background or
schedule the program as a job.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message MW038 - Program can only be run in the background (see long text) ?

  The SAP error message MW038, which states "Program can only be run in the background," typically occurs when a user attempts to execute a program or transaction that is designed to be run only in the background processing mode, rather than in the foreground.
  
  Cause:
  
  Program Design: The program you are trying to execute is specifically designed to run in the background. This is often the case for programs that process large amounts of data or require significant processing time.
  Transaction Type: Some transactions are inherently background jobs due to their nature, such as batch processing or data uploads.
  User Permissions: In some cases, the user may not have the necessary permissions to run the program in the foreground.
  
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Run in Background: To resolve this error, you should run the program in the background. You can do this by:
  
  Using the transaction code SM37 to monitor background jobs.
  If you are in a transaction that allows background