How To Fix W8071 - Element & has no structure reference, therefore no access to fld & in &

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: W8 - Workflow: Expressions, data flow

• Message number: 071

• Message text: Element & has no structure reference, therefore no access to fld & in &

What causes this issue?

The expression &v3& describes the access to the structure field &V2&
for element &V1&.
But, as the element &v1& was not defined with a structure reference in
the current container instance, this access cannot be achieved.

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?

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message W8071 - Element & has no structure reference, therefore no access to fld & in & ?

  Certainly! Here's a detailed explanation of the SAP error message:
  
  SAP Error Message:
  W8071 Element & has no structure reference, therefore no access to fld & in &
  
  Meaning / Cause:
  This warning message occurs when an ABAP program or a data dictionary object tries to access a field (fld &) of a structure element (Element &), but the element does not have a structure reference assigned to it. In other words, the system expects the element to be a structure or to have a reference to a structure, but it is not defined as such.
  This typically happens in the following scenarios:
  
  You are trying to access a component of a structure element, but the element is not defined as a structure or does not have a structure reference.
  The data element or type used for the field does not point to a structure type.
  The program or dictionary object expects a nested structure, but the element is a simple data type (like CHAR, NUMC, etc.).
  The structure reference is missing or incorrectly assigned in the data dictionary.
  
  
  Example:
  Suppose you have a structure S1 with an element E1. You try to access S1-E1-FIELD, but E1 is not a structure or does not have a structure reference. The system cannot resolve FIELD because E1 is not a structure.
  
  How to Identify:
  
  Check the data dictionary definition of the structure and its elements.
  Verify the data element or type of the element you are trying to access.
  Use transaction SE11 to inspect the structure and its components.
  Check the ABAP code where the field access is done.
  
  
  Solution / How to Fix:
  
  
  Assign a Structure Reference:
  
  If the element is supposed to be a structure, ensure that the data element or type assigned to it is a structure type.
  In SE11, for the element, assign a data element that references a structure or directly assign a structure type.
  
  
  
  Correct the Data Element:
  
  If the element is a simple type, do not try to access subfields of it.
  Change the code to access the element directly, not its subfields.
  
  
  
  Adjust the ABAP Code:
  
  Modify the code to avoid accessing fields of a non-structure element.
  Use proper field names and ensure the data types match the expected structure.
  
  
  
  Redefine the Structure:
  
  If necessary, redefine the structure to include nested structures properly.
  
  
  
  
  Additional Information:
  
  This is a warning message (W8071), so the program may still run, but the access to the field will not work as expected.
  It is important to fix this to avoid runtime errors or incorrect data processing.
  This message is related to data dictionary design and ABAP programming practices.
  Always ensure that nested structures are properly defined and referenced.
  
  
  Summary:
  
  
  
  Aspect
  Description
  
  
  
  
  Cause
  Trying to access a field of an element that has no structure reference (not a structure).
  
  
  Effect
  No access to the subfield; potential runtime issues or incorrect data handling.
  
  
  Solution
  Assign proper structure references, correct data elements, or adjust ABAP code accordingly.
  
  
  Related Tools
  SE11 (Data Dictionary), ABAP Editor (SE38/SE80)
  
  
  
  
  If you provide the specific code or structure definition, I can help you pinpoint the exact fix.