How To Fix VL386 - Item category determination not possible with &, &, &, &

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: VL -

• Message number: 386

• Message text: Item category determination not possible with &, &, &, &

What causes this issue?

No item category could be determined for the material.

How to fix this error?

The allowed item categories are defined in Customizing for Sales and
Distribution. The four influencing factors are delivery type, material
item category group, item category usage and item category of the higher
level item.
INCLUDE 'NA_CUST_MAINTAIN_3' OBJECT DOKU ID TX LANGUAGE E

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message VL386 - Item category determination not possible with &, &, &, & ?

  The SAP error message VL386 ("Item category determination not possible with &, &, &, &") typically occurs during the sales order or delivery processing when the system is unable to determine the appropriate item category for a line item. This can happen for various reasons, and understanding the cause is essential for resolving the issue.
  Causes:
  
  
  Missing Configuration: The item category determination relies on specific configuration settings in the system. If the necessary settings are not configured correctly, the system will not be able to determine the item category.
  
  
  Incomplete Master Data: The material master, customer master, or sales document type may be incomplete or incorrectly set up. For example, the material may not be assigned to the correct sales organization or distribution channel.
  
  
  Sales Document Type: The sales document type being used may not be compatible with the item category determination process.
  
  
  Item Category Group: The item category group in the material master may not be set correctly, which can prevent the system from determining the item category.
  
  
  Sales Area: The sales area (sales organization, distribution channel, and division) may not be correctly defined or may not match the data in the sales order or delivery.
  
  
  Solutions:
  
  
  Check Configuration:
  
  Go to the transaction code OVAK to check the item category determination configuration.
  Ensure that the item category determination rules are correctly set up for the relevant sales document type, item category group, and sales area.
  
  
  
  Review Master Data:
  
  Check the material master data using transaction code MM03 to ensure that the item category group is correctly assigned.
  Verify the customer master data using transaction code XD03 to ensure that the customer is set up correctly for the relevant sales area.
  
  
  
  Validate Sales Document Type:
  
  Ensure that the sales document type being used is appropriate for the transaction and that it is configured to allow the item category determination.
  
  
  
  Check Sales Area:
  
  Confirm that the sales area in the sales order or delivery matches the configuration in the system.
  
  
  
  Debugging:
  
  If the issue persists, you may need to debug the item category determination process to identify where the failure occurs. This can be done by using transaction SE80 or SE37 to analyze the relevant function modules.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  
  Transaction Codes:
  
  OVAK: Configuration for item category determination.
  MM03: Display material master.
  XD03: Display customer master.
  
  
  
  Documentation: Refer to SAP Help documentation for detailed information on item category determination and configuration.
  
  
  SAP Notes: Check for any relevant SAP Notes that may address specific issues related to item category determination.
  
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify the cause of the VL386 error and implement the necessary solutions to resolve it.