How To Fix QM_ARC_EXT003 - Test mode: start of retention dates not updated for application &1

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: QM_ARC_EXT - QM Archive Extraction

• Message number: 003

• Message text: Test mode: start of retention dates not updated for application &1

Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message QM_ARC_EXT003 - Test mode: start of retention dates not updated for application &1 ?

  The SAP error message QM_ARC_EXT003 indicates that there is an issue with the retention dates not being updated in test mode for a specific application (denoted by &1). This error typically arises in the context of Quality Management (QM) and archiving processes.
  Cause:
  The error occurs when the system is in test mode, and the retention dates for archiving are not being updated as expected. This can happen due to several reasons:
  
  Test Mode: The system is running in a test environment where certain updates, including retention date changes, are not applied to ensure that test data remains intact.
  Configuration Issues: There may be misconfigurations in the archiving settings or retention policies that prevent the update of retention dates.
  Authorization Issues: The user may not have the necessary authorizations to perform the update of retention dates.
  Data Integrity Issues: There may be inconsistencies or issues with the data that prevent the retention dates from being updated.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve the error, consider the following steps:
  
  
  Check Test Mode: If you are running in a test environment, verify whether you need to switch to a production environment to allow updates to retention dates. If you are testing, ensure that the test settings are correctly configured to allow for the necessary updates.
  
  
  Review Configuration: 
  
  Go to the archiving configuration settings in SAP and ensure that the retention periods and policies are correctly defined.
  Check the settings for the specific application indicated by &1 to ensure they are set up correctly.
  
  
  
  Authorization Check: Ensure that the user executing the process has the necessary authorizations to update retention dates. You may need to consult with your SAP security team to verify this.
  
  
  Data Consistency Check: Run consistency checks on the data related to the application to ensure there are no underlying issues that could be causing the retention dates not to update.
  
  
  Consult Documentation: Refer to SAP documentation or notes related to the specific error message for any additional troubleshooting steps or patches that may be available.
  
  
  Contact SAP Support: If the issue persists after checking the above points, consider reaching out to SAP support for further assistance, providing them with the error details and any relevant logs.
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Notes: Check for any SAP Notes related to the QM module and archiving processes that may address this specific error.
  Transaction Codes: Familiarize yourself with relevant transaction codes such as SARA (Archive Administration) and QA32 (Change Inspection Lot) that may help in managing archiving and quality management processes.
  Testing Procedures: If you are in a testing phase, ensure that you have a clear understanding of how test data is managed and what limitations exist in the test environment.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify the cause of the error and implement a solution to resolve it.