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How To Fix VR521 - Employee responsible & is not a SAPoffice user


SAP Error Message - Details

  • Message type: E = Error

  • Message class: VR - Output for SD Reporting

  • Message number: 521

  • Message text: Employee responsible & is not a SAPoffice user

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Smart SAP Assistant

  • What is the cause and solution for SAP error message VR521 - Employee responsible & is not a SAPoffice user ?

    SAP Error Message:
    VR521Employee responsible & is not a SAPoffice user


    Cause:

    This error occurs when you try to assign an employee as the "Employee responsible" in a transaction (often in Travel Management, Expense Management, or related HR/Workflow scenarios), but the employee does not have a SAPoffice user ID assigned. SAPoffice is the internal messaging system in SAP used for workflow notifications, approvals, and communication.

    In other words, the system expects the responsible employee to be a valid SAPoffice user so that workflow messages or notifications can be sent to them. If the employee is not set up as a SAPoffice user, the system cannot send these messages, hence the error.


    Solution:

    1. Assign SAPoffice User to the Employee:

      • Go to transaction SU01 (User Maintenance).
      • Check if the employee has a SAP user ID.
      • If not, create or assign a SAP user ID to the employee.
    2. Link Employee to SAP User:

      • Use transaction PA30 (Maintain HR Master Data).
      • Select the employee and infotype 0105 (Communication) or 0100 (Organizational Assignment) depending on your system setup.
      • Ensure the SAP user ID is linked to the employee record.
    3. Check SAPoffice User Setup:

      • Use transaction SO10 or SOST to verify SAPoffice user setup.
      • Make sure the user is active and can receive SAPoffice messages.
    4. Workflow Configuration:

      • If this error occurs during workflow processing, verify that the workflow container has the correct user ID.
      • Ensure the responsible employee is correctly maintained in the workflow user assignment.

    Related Information:

    • SAPoffice is the internal SAP messaging system used for workflow notifications, mail, and alerts.
    • Employees involved in workflow steps must have valid SAP user IDs to receive notifications.
    • This error is common in Travel Management (e.g., when assigning a travel request approver) or Expense Management workflows.
    • If the employee is external or does not require SAP system access, consider assigning a proxy or different responsible person who has SAPoffice user rights.
    • Sometimes, the error can also occur if the SAP user is locked or inactive.

    Summary:

    Aspect Details
    Error VR521 – Employee responsible is not a SAPoffice user
    Cause Employee does not have a SAP user ID / SAPoffice user assigned
    Solution Assign a SAP user ID to the employee and link it properly in HR master data (PA30)
    Transactions SU01 (User Maintenance), PA30 (HR Master Data), SO10/SOST (SAPoffice messages)
    Notes Ensure user is active and workflow notifications can be sent to this user

    If you need further help, please provide the specific module or transaction where the error occurs, and I can give more tailored advice.

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