How To Fix POC_MODEL001 - Deletion of process definition not possible; process instances exist

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: POC_MODEL - Process Model Related Messages

• Message number: 001

• Message text: Deletion of process definition not possible; process instances exist

What causes this issue?

You want to delete a process definition in a view cluster.

System Response

A report states that the process definition contains instances.

How to fix this error?

Run the deletion report to delete the instances.

Procedure for System Administrators

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

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message POC_MODEL001 - Deletion of process definition not possible; process instances exist ?

  The SAP error message POC_MODEL001 indicates that you are trying to delete a process definition in SAP Process Orchestration (PO) or SAP Business Process Management (BPM), but the deletion is not possible because there are existing process instances associated with that process definition. 
  Cause:
  The primary cause of this error is that the process definition you are attempting to delete is currently in use. This means that there are active or completed instances of the process that have been created based on that definition. SAP prevents the deletion of process definitions that are still in use to maintain data integrity and ensure that ongoing processes are not disrupted.
  Solution:
  To resolve this error, you can follow these steps:
  
  
  Identify Active Instances:
  
  Use the SAP Process Monitoring tools to identify any active or completed instances of the process definition you want to delete. You can check the process instances in the Process Instance Management or the relevant monitoring tools in SAP.
  
  
  
  Terminate or Complete Instances:
  
  If there are active instances that you can terminate, you may choose to do so. This can usually be done through the Process Instance Management interface.
  If there are completed instances, you may need to ensure that they are archived or handled according to your organization's data retention policies.
  
  
  
  Delete or Archive Instances:
  
  If applicable, delete or archive the instances that are no longer needed. Ensure that you have the necessary permissions and that this action complies with your organization's policies.
  
  
  
  Retry Deletion:
  
  Once all instances associated with the process definition have been handled, you can attempt to delete the process definition again.
  
  
  
  Check for Dependencies:
  
  Ensure that there are no other dependencies or references to the process definition in other configurations or processes that might prevent deletion.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Process Instance Management: Familiarize yourself with the tools available in SAP for monitoring and managing process instances.
  SAP Documentation: Refer to the official SAP documentation for Process Orchestration and Business Process Management for detailed instructions on managing process definitions and instances.
  User Permissions: Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to delete process definitions and manage process instances.
  Backup: Always consider backing up important process definitions and instances before making deletions, in case you need to restore them later.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the POC_MODEL001 error and successfully delete the process definition if it is no longer in use.