How To Fix WS142 - The effective value of item &1 is negative. Please correct this


SAP Error Message - Details

  • Message type: E = Error

  • Message class: WS - Supplier Billing Document

  • Message number: 142

  • Message text: The effective value of item &1 is negative. Please correct this

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  • What is the cause and solution for SAP error message WS142 - The effective value of item &1 is negative. Please correct this ?

    Certainly! Here's a detailed explanation for the SAP error message WS142: "The effective value of item &1 is negative. Please correct this."


    Error Message:

    WS142
    The effective value of item &1 is negative. Please correct this.


    Cause:

    This error occurs when a system check finds that the effective value of a particular item (usually a wage type or a payroll-related value) is negative, which is not allowed in the context where it is being processed.

    • The "effective value" refers to the net or calculated value of a wage type or payroll item after all additions, deductions, and adjustments.
    • Negative values for certain wage types or payroll items are invalid because they may represent incorrect data entry, incorrect configuration, or calculation errors.
    • This often happens during payroll processing, time evaluation, or when posting wage types to accounting.

    Common Scenarios:

    • Negative wage type amounts where only positive values are expected.
    • Incorrect manual entries or overrides in payroll results.
    • Incorrect configuration of wage types or deduction rules.
    • Errors in time evaluation leading to negative time or wage values.
    • Posting to accounting where negative values are not allowed for certain accounts.

    Solution:

    1. Identify the Item:

      • The message will specify the item number (&1) that has the negative effective value.
      • Check the wage type or payroll item corresponding to this number.
    2. Check Payroll Results:

      • Review the payroll results (e.g., using transaction PC_PAYRESULT or PC00_M99_CWTR).
      • Look for negative values in the wage types or deductions.
    3. Review Time Evaluation:

      • If the error occurs during time evaluation, check for negative time entries or incorrect time quotas.
    4. Correct Data Entry:

      • If manual entries or overrides caused the negative value, correct or remove them.
    5. Check Wage Type Configuration:

      • Verify wage type settings in SPRO under Payroll ? Wage Types.
      • Ensure that wage types are configured to allow or disallow negative values appropriately.
    6. Adjust Payroll or Time Evaluation Rules:

      • Modify the rules or schemas that calculate wage types to prevent negative results.
      • For example, add checks to avoid negative calculations or set minimum values to zero.
    7. Re-run Payroll or Time Evaluation:

      • After corrections, re-run the payroll or time evaluation to confirm the error is resolved.
    8. Consult SAP Notes:

      • Check SAP Notes for any known issues related to this error message and your SAP version.

    Related Information:

    • Transaction Codes:

      • PC00_M99_CWTR – Display payroll results.
      • PC_PAYRESULT – Display payroll results.
      • PT60 – Time evaluation.
      • SM37 – Check background jobs for payroll/time evaluation.
    • SAP Tables:

      • RT – Payroll results table.
      • T512W – Wage type characteristics.
      • T510S – Time wage types.
    • SAP Notes:

      • Search for SAP Notes related to WS142 for specific patches or corrections.
    • Documentation:

      • SAP Help Portal on Payroll and Time Evaluation.
      • SAP HR Payroll configuration guides.

    Summary:

    Aspect Details
    Cause Negative effective value of a wage type or payroll item, which is invalid.
    Solution Identify the item, check payroll/time evaluation results, correct data/configuration, and reprocess.
    Related Payroll results, wage type configuration, time evaluation, SAP Notes.

    If you provide the specific context (e.g., payroll run, time evaluation, posting), I can help you with more targeted steps.

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