How To Fix WU173 - Assignment of an external supplier to supplier & not possible

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: WU - Promotion management messages

• Message number: 173

• Message text: Assignment of an external supplier to supplier & not possible

What causes this issue?

An attempt was made to assign an external vendor to a vendor of an
material. Assignment can however only be carried out for distribution
centers.
It is possible that no external vendor was found for a
distribution center as well.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message WU173 - Assignment of an external supplier to supplier & not possible ?

  The SAP error message WU173, which states "Assignment of an external supplier to supplier & not possible," typically occurs in the context of supplier management and procurement processes. This error indicates that there is an issue with the assignment of an external supplier to a specific supplier number in the system.
  Causes:
  
  Incorrect Supplier Type: The supplier you are trying to assign may not be of the correct type (e.g., external vs. internal).
  Existing Assignments: The supplier number may already be assigned to another external supplier, leading to conflicts.
  Configuration Issues: There may be configuration settings in the supplier master data that prevent the assignment.
  Data Inconsistencies: There could be inconsistencies in the data related to the supplier, such as missing or incorrect information.
  Authorization Issues: The user may not have the necessary permissions to perform the assignment.
  
  Solutions:
  
  Check Supplier Type: Verify that the supplier you are trying to assign is indeed an external supplier and matches the required criteria.
  Review Existing Assignments: Check if the supplier number is already assigned to another external supplier. If so, you may need to reassign or delete the existing assignment.
  Configuration Review: Consult with your SAP configuration team to ensure that the settings for supplier assignments are correctly configured.
  Data Validation: Ensure that all required fields in the supplier master data are filled out correctly and that there are no inconsistencies.
  User Permissions: Confirm that the user attempting the assignment has the necessary authorizations to make changes to supplier assignments.
  
  Related Information:
  
  Transaction Codes: You may need to use transaction codes like MK01 (Create Vendor), MK02 (Change Vendor), or MK03 (Display Vendor) to manage supplier data.
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes for any known issues or patches related to this error message.
  Documentation: Refer to SAP documentation for supplier management to understand the requirements and processes involved in assigning suppliers.
  Support: If the issue persists, consider reaching out to SAP support or your internal SAP helpdesk for further assistance.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify the cause of the WU173 error and implement a solution to resolve it.