How To Fix RTCMMD140 - The main assignment of material & cannot be deleted manually

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: RTCMMD - Article Hierarchy

• Message number: 140

• Message text: The main assignment of material & cannot be deleted manually

What causes this issue?

You cannot delete the main assignment if the hierarchy has active status
and the multiple material assignment or mandatory assignment is
activated.
You can delete the main assignment if the hierarchy has planned status,
the main assignment to be deleted does not have any secondary
assignments and only has one date record.

System Response

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

How to fix this error?

Procedure for System Administrators

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message RTCMMD140 - The main assignment of material & cannot be deleted manually ?

  The SAP error message RTCMMD140, which states "The main assignment of material & cannot be deleted manually," typically occurs in the context of material master data management. This error indicates that you are trying to delete a main assignment for a material that is not allowed to be deleted manually due to certain constraints or settings in the system.
  Cause:
  
  Main Assignment Restrictions: The main assignment of a material (such as a main supplier, main plant, or main storage location) is often protected from manual deletion to maintain data integrity and consistency.
  Dependencies: There may be dependencies or relationships with other data objects (like purchase orders, stock levels, etc.) that prevent the deletion of the main assignment.
  Configuration Settings: The system configuration may have specific settings that restrict the deletion of main assignments for certain materials or material types.
  
  Solution:
  
  Check Dependencies: Review any existing dependencies related to the material. Ensure that there are no active transactions or references that would prevent the deletion of the main assignment.
  Use Appropriate Transactions: Instead of trying to delete the main assignment manually, consider using the appropriate SAP transaction codes (like MM02 for changing material master data) to modify or update the assignment as needed.
  Consult Configuration: If you have access, check the configuration settings in the material management module to see if there are specific rules that prevent the deletion of main assignments. You may need to consult with your SAP administrator or functional consultant.
  Use Alternative Methods: If you need to remove the main assignment, consider using alternative methods such as marking the assignment as inactive or using a different transaction that allows for the modification of the assignment.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes for any known issues or updates related to this error message. SAP frequently releases notes that provide solutions or workarounds for specific error messages.
  Documentation: Review the SAP documentation related to material master data management for more insights on how main assignments work and the implications of deleting them.
  User Roles and Permissions: Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to make changes to material master data. Sometimes, restrictions are in place based on user roles.
  
  If the issue persists after trying the above solutions, it may be beneficial to reach out to your SAP support team for further assistance.