How To Fix NP637 - Field & contains '-'; change the field

NP637 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: NP - New checks in the activating program

• Message number: 637

• Message text: Field & contains '-'; change the field

&USE&
The character '-' is not allowed within an object name in the SAP
naming convention. Existing fields that contain this character,
however, are accepted.
With the introduction of type definitions in the ABAP Dictionary, using
'-' in field names can result in ambiguity. Example:
X and Y are structures:
X Fields Type Y Fields Type
B Y C DTEL3
B-C DTEL1 E DTEL4
D DTEL2
X-B-C is ambiguous. It can be either field B-C of structure X, or
component C of structure B of X.
Structures with '-' in field names can only be addressed with LIKE, but
not with TYPE, in ABAP programs. Structures in which fields contain
structures as type, on the other hand, can only be used with TYPE.

How to fix this error?

Change the field names. The valid characters within a name are letters,
digits and underlining. Digits may not appear in the first position.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

NP637 - Details

• The SAP error message NP637, which states "Field & contains '-'; change the field," typically occurs when a field in a transaction or data entry does not meet the expected format or criteria defined by the system. The presence of a hyphen ('-') in a field that is not allowed can trigger this error.
  
  Cause:
  
  Invalid Character: The field in question is expected to contain only certain characters (e.g., alphanumeric) and the presence of a hyphen is not permitted.
  Data Entry Error: The user may have inadvertently entered a hyphen when filling out the field.
  Configuration Issue: The field may be configured in a way that does not allow certain characters, and the data being entered does not comply with these rules.
  
  
  Solution:
  
  Check the Field: Review the field that is causing the error and ensure that it does not contain a hyphen. Remove any hyphens and replace them with valid characters if necessary.
  Data Validation: Ensure