How To Fix R1287 - Business partner with external number &1 already exists

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: R1 - Business Partner Messages from S_BUPA_GENERAL

• Message number: 287

• Message text: Business partner with external number &1 already exists

Self-Explanatory Message

Since SAP believes that this specific error message is 'self-explanatory,' no more information has been given.The majority of messages in the SAP system have a message text, however this is frequently insufficient to comprehend or resolve the problem.

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message R1287 - Business partner with external number &1 already exists ?

  The SAP error message R1287 indicates that there is an attempt to create or update a business partner (BP) with an external number that already exists in the system. This typically occurs when the external number assigned to the business partner is not unique, which is a requirement in SAP for business partner records.
  Cause:
  
  Duplicate External Number: The external number you are trying to assign to the business partner already exists in the system for another business partner.
  Incorrect Data Entry: There may have been a mistake in entering the external number, leading to an attempt to create a duplicate.
  Data Migration Issues: If data was migrated from another system, there may be conflicts with existing records in SAP.
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Check Existing Business Partners: 
  
  Use transaction code BP to search for existing business partners using the external number you are trying to use. This will help you confirm if the number is already in use.
  
  
  
  Use a Unique External Number: 
  
  If the external number is indeed in use, you will need to assign a different, unique external number to the new business partner you are trying to create.
  
  
  
  Modify Existing Business Partner: 
  
  If the existing business partner with the same external number is no longer needed, you can consider modifying or deleting that record (if appropriate) to free up the external number.
  
  
  
  Data Validation: 
  
  Implement data validation checks in your processes to ensure that external numbers are unique before attempting to create or update business partners.
  
  
  
  Consult Documentation: 
  
  Review SAP documentation or consult with your SAP support team for any specific configurations or settings that might affect business partner creation.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  
  Transaction Codes: 
  
  BP - Business Partner Maintenance
  SE16N - Data Browser (to check existing records in relevant tables)
  
  
  
  Tables: 
  
  Business partner data is typically stored in tables like BUT000 (General Data) and BUT020 (Address Data).
  
  
  
  SAP Notes: 
  
  Check SAP Notes for any known issues or updates related to business partner management that might provide additional insights or solutions.
  
  
  
  User Authorization: 
  
  Ensure that you have the necessary authorizations to create or modify business partners in the system.
  
  
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the R1287 error and successfully manage your business partner records in SAP.