How To Fix WE501 - Another EAN has already been entered for material and unit of measure

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: WE - Messages for EAN Customizing and for EAN management in MM_BD

• Message number: 501

• Message text: Another EAN has already been entered for material and unit of measure

Self-Explanatory Message

Since SAP believes that this specific error message is 'self-explanatory,' no more information has been given.The majority of messages in the SAP system have a message text, however this is frequently insufficient to comprehend or resolve the problem.

To make things easier, more detailed information is frequently added to describe the issue, how to fix it, and the necessary steps or configuration modifications.

Unfortunately, there isn't any extra information in this error notice.

What else can you do?

First, use our AnswerBot below to get a possible cause and solution (requires a premium subscription).

Also, review the in-depth Common Questions & Answers listed below; you could discover a solution there or be able to connect with others who have faced similar challenges.

You can also try searching the SAP support portal (support.sap.com) but you need a special user ID to access it. It is possible that an SAP support note exists that provides additional details about the mistake or even steps for fixing it.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message WE501 - Another EAN has already been entered for material and unit of measure ?

  Certainly! Here's a detailed explanation of the SAP error message WE501: "Another EAN has already been entered for material and unit of measure":
  
  Error Message:
  WE501 - Another EAN has already been entered for material and unit of measure
  
  Cause:
  This error occurs when you try to assign an EAN (European Article Number, also known as GTIN - Global Trade Item Number) to a material and unit of measure combination in the system, but there is already a different EAN assigned to the same material and unit of measure.
  In SAP, each material and unit of measure combination can only have one unique EAN assigned. If you attempt to enter a new EAN for the same material and unit of measure where an EAN already exists, the system throws this error to prevent duplicate or conflicting EAN assignments.
  
  Where does this happen?
  
  Typically during material master data maintenance (transaction MM02 or MM01).
  When maintaining EAN/UPC codes in the Additional Data tab or via the EAN/UPC maintenance screen.
  Also can occur during EDI processing or IDoc inbound processing if the system tries to update or create material EANs.
  
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Check existing EANs for the material:
  
  Go to transaction MM03 (Display Material).
  Navigate to the Additional Data tab.
  Select EAN/UPC to view all EANs assigned to the material.
  Verify which EANs are assigned to the specific unit of measure.
  
  
  
  If you want to assign a new EAN:
  
  Ensure that the new EAN is not already assigned to the same material and unit of measure.
  If you want to replace the existing EAN, delete or change the old EAN first before assigning the new one.
  
  
  
  If the EAN is assigned to a different unit of measure:
  
  You can assign different EANs for different units of measure for the same material.
  Make sure the unit of measure matches the EAN you want to assign.
  
  
  
  If the EAN is assigned to a different material:
  
  Check if the EAN is mistakenly assigned to another material.
  EANs should be unique across materials to avoid confusion.
  
  
  
  In case of EDI or IDoc processing:
  
  Check the inbound data for conflicting EAN assignments.
  Correct the source data or mapping to avoid duplicate EAN entries.
  
  
  
  
  Additional Information:
  
  EAN/UPC codes are used for barcode scanning and identification of materials in logistics and sales.
  SAP enforces uniqueness of EAN per material and unit of measure to maintain data integrity.
  The EAN assignment is stored in table MARM (Material Master: Units of Measure) and MARA (General Material Data).
  You can also use transaction MMAM (EAN/UPC Maintenance) to maintain EANs for materials.
  
  
  Summary:
  
  
  
  Aspect
  Details
  
  
  
  
  Cause
  Attempt to assign a new EAN to a material and unit of measure combination that already has a different EAN assigned.
  
  
  Solution
  Check existing EANs for the material and unit of measure; delete or update conflicting EANs before assigning new ones.
  
  
  Where it occurs
  Material master maintenance (MM01/MM02), EAN/UPC maintenance, EDI/IDoc inbound processing.
  
  
  Tables involved
  MARM, MARA
  
  
  
  
  If you need help with specific transaction steps or debugging, feel free to ask!