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

WU173 - Overview

• 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