How To Fix TD085 - ERROR: Invalid start marker: & instead of &

TD085 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: TD - SAPscript: Text editor, composer, forms, styles and fonts

• Message number: 085

• Message text: ERROR: Invalid start marker: & instead of &

What causes this issue?

The transport file contains a format error. An invalid format was read
when the start marker of the transport object was read.

System Response

The line in the transport file is ignored and skipped.

How to fix this error?

No action is required. This message may have been generated by a
previous error when the last transport object was imported, resulting
in the import program restarting in the middle of a transport object.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

TD085 - Details

• The SAP error message TD085, which states "Invalid start marker: & instead of &," typically occurs in the context of SAPscript or Smart Forms when there is an issue with the formatting of text or control commands. This error indicates that the system has encountered an unexpected character or marker in the text that it cannot interpret correctly.
  
  Cause:
  
  Incorrect Formatting: The error often arises when there is a mismatch in the expected start markers for control commands. For example, SAPscript uses & to denote variables or commands, and if there is an incorrect character or an extra &, it can lead to this error.
  Special Characters: If special characters are not properly escaped or if they are used inappropriately within the text, it can trigger this error.
  Copy-Paste Issues: Sometimes, copying and pasting text from other sources (like Word documents or web pages) can introduce hidden characters or formatting that SAP does not