How To Fix R7B662 - Characteristic &1 with high cardinality must not be used in &2 (&3)

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: R7B - BW Metadata (InfoCube, InfoObject, InfoObject catalog)

• Message number: 662

• Message text: Characteristic &1 with high cardinality must not be used in &2 (&3)

Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message R7B662 - Characteristic &1 with high cardinality must not be used in &2 (&3) ?

  The SAP error message R7B662 indicates that a characteristic with high cardinality is being used in a context where it is not allowed. High cardinality refers to a characteristic that has a large number of unique values, which can lead to performance issues or inefficiencies in certain operations, such as reporting or data processing.
  Cause:
  The error typically occurs in the following scenarios:
  
  High Cardinality Characteristics: The characteristic in question has too many unique values (e.g., a customer ID, product ID, etc.), which can lead to performance degradation when used in certain contexts, such as aggregations or calculations.
  Inappropriate Context: The characteristic is being used in a context (like a query, report, or data model) that does not support high cardinality characteristics due to performance considerations.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve this error, consider the following approaches:
  
  
  Review the Use of the Characteristic:
  
  Check if the characteristic is necessary for the specific query or report. If it is not essential, consider removing it.
  
  
  
  Aggregate Data:
  
  If possible, aggregate the data at a higher level where the cardinality is lower. For example, instead of using individual customer IDs, you might use customer groups or regions.
  
  
  
  Change the Query Design:
  
  Modify the query or report design to avoid using high cardinality characteristics. This might involve restructuring how data is retrieved or displayed.
  
  
  
  Use Alternative Characteristics:
  
  If there are alternative characteristics with lower cardinality that can be used to achieve the same analytical goals, consider using those instead.
  
  
  
  Consult Documentation:
  
  Review SAP documentation or guidelines regarding the use of high cardinality characteristics in the specific context you are working with. There may be specific recommendations or best practices.
  
  
  
  Performance Tuning:
  
  If the use of high cardinality characteristics is unavoidable, consider performance tuning options in your SAP environment, such as indexing or optimizing the underlying data model.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Notes: Check for any relevant SAP Notes that might provide additional insights or solutions for this specific error message.
  SAP Community: Engage with the SAP Community forums to see if other users have encountered similar issues and what solutions they have implemented.
  Documentation: Review the SAP BW (Business Warehouse) or SAP HANA documentation for guidelines on handling high cardinality characteristics.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to address the R7B662 error and improve the performance and efficiency of your SAP queries and reports.