How To Fix RSDS171 - Character field &1, value '&2' contains illegal characters

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: RSDS - New DataSource

• Message number: 171

• Message text: Character field &1, value '&2' contains illegal characters

What causes this issue?

While defining the DataSource, you specified that <ZH>lower case letters
</> are not permitted as values of field &V1&.
If you have <ZU>not</> set this indicator in the DataSource maintenance,
the characteristic value is checked for consistency.
<ZH>Special characters</> are also not permitted. This is because
special characters in the country-specific character sets can be stored
in different positions in the ASCII table. This could lead to them being
displayed incorrectly after they have been transferred from the source
system.

System Response

The value &V2& was declined.

How to fix this error?

In the maintenance of permitted characters in BW (<DS:SIMG.BW_RSKC>
Maintain Permitted Additional Characters</>), you can declare special
characters as valid.
See also: <LS> <DS:NA.BRAIN063>Permitted Characters</></>.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message RSDS171 - Character field &1, value '&2' contains illegal characters ?

  The SAP error message RSDS171 indicates that a character field in a data source contains illegal characters. This typically occurs when the data being processed does not conform to the expected format or contains characters that are not allowed in the specific context.
  Cause:
  
  Illegal Characters: The value in the specified character field contains characters that are not permitted. This could include special characters, control characters, or characters that are not part of the defined character set.
  Data Source Configuration: The data source may be incorrectly configured, leading to the acceptance of invalid data.
  Data Extraction Issues: If the data is being extracted from a source system, there may be issues with the extraction process that introduce invalid characters.
  Data Type Mismatch: The field may be defined with a specific data type that does not match the incoming data.
  
  Solution:
  
  Identify the Field and Value: Check the error message for the specific field name (&1) and the value (&2) that is causing the issue.
  Data Validation: Review the data being processed to ensure that it conforms to the expected format. Remove or replace any illegal characters.
  Update Data Source: If the data source is incorrectly configured, update its settings to ensure it can handle the expected data correctly.
  Data Cleansing: Implement data cleansing processes to sanitize incoming data before it is processed by SAP.
  Check Data Extraction Logic: If the data is being extracted from another system, review the extraction logic to ensure it is correctly handling the data and not introducing illegal characters.
  Consult Documentation: Refer to SAP documentation for the specific data source or field to understand the allowed character set and constraints.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes for any known issues or patches related to this error message.
  Data Source Documentation: Review the documentation for the specific data source to understand its requirements and constraints.
  Transaction Codes: Use transaction codes like RSA1 (Data Warehousing Workbench) to analyze the data source and its configuration.
  Debugging: If necessary, use debugging tools to trace the data flow and identify where the illegal characters are being introduced.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the RSDS171 error and ensure that your data conforms to the required standards.