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How To Fix W/153 - Material & cannot be deleted as it is pricing ref. mat. for another mat.


SAP Error Message - Details

  • Message type: E = Error

  • Message class: W/ -

  • Message number: 153

  • Message text: Material & cannot be deleted as it is pricing ref. mat. for another mat.

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  • Self-Explanatory Message

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Smart SAP Assistant

  • What is the cause and solution for SAP error message W/153 - Material & cannot be deleted as it is pricing ref. mat. for another mat. ?

    Certainly! Here's a detailed explanation for the SAP error message:


    SAP Error Message:

    W/153 Material & cannot be deleted as it is pricing ref. mat. for another mat.


    Cause:

    This warning message occurs when you try to delete a material that is assigned as a pricing reference material for another material in the system.

    • In SAP, a pricing reference material is used to determine the price for other materials. Instead of maintaining separate pricing conditions for each material, you can assign a reference material whose pricing conditions are used.
    • If a material is set as a pricing reference for one or more other materials, SAP prevents you from deleting it to avoid inconsistencies in pricing data.

    Explanation:

    • The system checks the Material Master and Condition Records.
    • If the material you want to delete is referenced in the Pricing Reference Material field (usually in the Sales and Distribution module, in the Sales: Sales Org. 2 view or in condition records), the system issues this warning.
    • Deleting such a material would break the pricing logic for other materials that depend on it.

    Solution:

    1. Identify dependent materials:

      • Find all materials that use the material you want to delete as their pricing reference.
      • You can do this by checking the Material Master data of other materials or by reviewing condition records in transaction VK13 (Display Condition Records) or VK11 (Create Condition Records).
      • Alternatively, use table MVKE (Sales Data for Material) or KONV (Conditions) to find references.
    2. Remove or change the pricing reference:

      • For each material that references the material you want to delete, change the pricing reference material to another valid material or remove the reference.
      • This can be done in the material master (Sales Org. 2 view) or by updating condition records.
    3. After removing all references:

      • Once no other material references the material as a pricing reference, you can delete the material without receiving this warning.

    Additional Information:

    • This is a warning (W/153), not an error, so sometimes you can override it, but it is not recommended because it can cause pricing inconsistencies.
    • Always ensure that pricing data integrity is maintained.
    • If you are unsure which materials reference the pricing material, consult your SD (Sales and Distribution) or Pricing team.
    • Use transaction MM06 (Flag Material for Deletion) or MM17 (Mass Material Changes) carefully after resolving references.

    Summary:

    Aspect Details
    Cause Material is assigned as a pricing reference material for other materials.
    Effect SAP prevents deletion to avoid breaking pricing references.
    Solution Identify and remove/change pricing references in other materials before deleting.
    Transactions VK11, VK13, MM06, MM17, Material Master (Sales Org. 2 view)
    Notes Warning message; do not override without fixing references to maintain pricing integrity.

    If you need help with specific steps or queries to find dependent materials, feel free to ask!

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