How To Fix WW081 - The material you have entered (&) is not a reference material

WW081 - Overview

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: WW - Material group master maintenance

• Message number: 081

• Message text: The material you have entered (&) is not a reference material

What causes this issue?

You can only assign reference materials (material category 30).

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?

Enter a reference material.

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message WW081 - The material you have entered (&) is not a reference material ?

  The SAP error message WW081 indicates that the material you have entered is not recognized as a reference material in the system. This typically occurs in the context of material management or production planning when a user attempts to perform an action that requires a reference material, such as creating a bill of materials (BOM) or a production order.
  
  Cause:
  
  Material Type: The material you are trying to use may not be defined as a reference material in the system. Reference materials are usually specific types of materials that have been configured in SAP to serve as templates or standards for other materials.
  Material Status: The material may be inactive or not properly set up in the system.
  
  Configuration Issues: There may be configuration issues in the material master data that prevent the material from being recognized as a reference material.
  Incorrect Material Number: The material number entered may be incorrect or may not exist