How To Fix N2M173 - Business process steps &1 and &2 cannot be associated

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: N2M - Global Trade: Item Category Management

• Message number: 173

• Message text: Business process steps &1 and &2 cannot be associated

What causes this issue?

You want to use business process step &V2& to generate business process
step &V1&. As both business process steps belong to different sides,
associations are generated that associate business processs step &V1&
and business process step &V2&.

System Response

No entry has been made in Customizing for association management to
enable business process steps &V1& and &V2& to be associated.
Editing is cancelled.

How to fix this error?

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

Procedure for System Administrators

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message N2M173 - Business process steps &1 and &2 cannot be associated ?

  The SAP error message N2M173 indicates that there is an issue with associating two business process steps in a specific context, typically within the SAP Business Process Management (BPM) or SAP Process Integration (PI) environment. This error can occur for various reasons, and understanding the cause is essential for finding a solution.
  Cause:
  
  Incompatible Business Process Steps: The two business process steps you are trying to associate may not be compatible due to differences in their configurations or definitions.
  Missing Dependencies: One or both of the business process steps may have missing dependencies or prerequisites that need to be fulfilled before they can be associated.
  Incorrect Configuration: There may be an issue with the configuration of the business process steps, such as incorrect parameters or settings that prevent them from being linked.
  Version Mismatch: If the business process steps are from different versions or releases, they may not be compatible for association.
  Authorization Issues: Lack of proper authorizations or roles assigned to the user trying to perform the association can also lead to this error.
  
  Solution:
  
  Check Compatibility: Review the definitions and configurations of both business process steps to ensure they are compatible for association.
  Fulfill Dependencies: Ensure that all necessary prerequisites and dependencies for both business process steps are met.
  Review Configuration: Go through the configuration settings of both steps to identify any discrepancies or errors that need to be corrected.
  Version Check: Verify that both business process steps are from the same version or release of the software.
  Authorization Review: Check the user roles and authorizations to ensure that the user has the necessary permissions to associate the business process steps.
  Consult Documentation: Refer to SAP documentation or help resources for specific guidelines related to the business process steps you are working with.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes for any known issues or patches related to this error message. SAP frequently updates its knowledge base with solutions for common problems.
  SAP Community: Engage with the SAP Community forums to see if other users have encountered the same issue and what solutions they have found.
  Transaction Codes: Familiarize yourself with relevant transaction codes that may help in troubleshooting or configuring business process steps (e.g., transaction codes related to BPM or PI).
  Testing: If possible, create a test environment to replicate the issue and experiment with different configurations without affecting the production environment.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify the cause of the N2M173 error and implement a solution to resolve it.