How To Fix TDL_FR_BAPI017 - Incorrect format of START_DATE (YYYYMMDDHHMMSS) field

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: TDL_FR_BAPI - BAPI: Mass Load of Fixed Demands

• Message number: 017

• Message text: Incorrect format of START_DATE (YYYYMMDDHHMMSS) field

Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message TDL_FR_BAPI017 - Incorrect format of START_DATE (YYYYMMDDHHMMSS) field ?

  The SAP error message TDL_FR_BAPI017, which indicates an "Incorrect format of START_DATE (YYYYMMDDHHMMSS) field," typically arises when the date format provided in the START_DATE field does not conform to the expected format of YYYYMMDDHHMMSS. This format requires:
  
  YYYY: Four-digit year
  MM: Two-digit month (01 to 12)
  DD: Two-digit day (01 to 31)
  HH: Two-digit hour (00 to 23)
  MM: Two-digit minute (00 to 59)
  SS: Two-digit second (00 to 59)
  
  Cause
  The error can occur due to several reasons:
  
  Incorrect Date Format: The date string provided does not match the required format. For example, using slashes, dashes, or spaces (e.g., 2023-10-01 12:00:00).
  Invalid Date Values: The date values themselves may be invalid, such as 20230230 (February 30th does not exist).
  Data Type Mismatch: The field may be receiving a data type that is not compatible with the expected string format.
  Leading or Trailing Spaces: The input string may have unintended spaces that cause the format to be invalid.
  
  Solution
  To resolve the error, you can take the following steps:
  
  
  Check the Format: Ensure that the START_DATE is formatted correctly as YYYYMMDDHHMMSS. For example, if you want to set the date to October 1, 2023, at 12:00:00, it should be 20231001120000.
  
  
  Validate Date Values: Make sure that the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second values are valid. For example, ensure that the month is between 01 and 12, the day is valid for the given month, and so on.
  
  
  Trim Spaces: Remove any leading or trailing spaces from the date string before passing it to the BAPI.
  
  
  Data Type Check: Ensure that the variable or field you are using to store the date is of the correct data type (usually a string).
  
  
  Debugging: If you are using a program or script to generate the date string, add debugging statements to log the value of START_DATE before it is sent to the BAPI.
  
  
  Related Information
  
  SAP Documentation: Refer to the SAP documentation for the specific BAPI you are using to understand the expected input formats and any additional constraints.
  Date Functions: If you are generating the date programmatically, consider using date functions provided by your programming language or SAP to ensure the correct format.
  Testing: Test with various valid date inputs to ensure that the BAPI behaves as expected and does not throw the error.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the TDL_FR_BAPI017 error and successfully pass the correct START_DATE format to the BAPI.