How To Fix TD118 - The first character of '&' must be a letter

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

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

• Message number: 118

• Message text: The first character of '&' must be a letter

What causes this issue?

An invalid name was specified.

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?

Please specify a name where the first character is a letter.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message TD118 - The first character of '&' must be a letter ?

  The SAP error message TD118, which states "The first character of '&' must be a letter," typically occurs when there is an issue with the naming convention of a variable, object, or identifier in SAP. This error is often encountered in various contexts, such as when defining a variable in ABAP, creating a data element, or working with other SAP objects.
  Cause:
  The error is triggered because SAP has specific naming conventions that must be followed. According to these conventions:
  
  Identifiers (like variable names, function names, etc.) must start with a letter (A-Z or a-z).
  The first character of the identifier cannot be a number, special character, or any other non-letter character.
  
  In the error message, the '&' symbol indicates that the identifier being referenced does not start with a valid letter.
  Solution:
  To resolve the TD118 error, you should:
  
  Check the Identifier: Review the identifier that is causing the error. Ensure that it starts with a letter.
  Rename the Identifier: If the identifier starts with a non-letter character (like a number or special character), rename it to start with a letter.
  Follow Naming Conventions: Ensure that the entire identifier follows SAP's naming conventions, which typically allow letters, numbers, and underscores after the first character.
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Naming Conventions: Familiarize yourself with SAP's naming conventions for different types of objects (e.g., variables, function modules, classes) to avoid similar errors in the future.
  ABAP Development Guidelines: If you are working in ABAP, refer to the ABAP development guidelines provided by SAP for best practices in naming and coding.
  Debugging: If you are unsure which identifier is causing the issue, you can use debugging tools or logs to trace back to the point where the error occurs.
  
  By ensuring that all identifiers conform to the required naming standards, you can prevent the TD118 error from occurring.