SAP BW: Line Item Dimension Error

You will run into this rare, but frustrating bug in SAP’s Netweaver BW modeling interface when editing infocubes: unable to uncheck or unselect the Line Item Dimension.

Given my luck, I run into this issue every other time an infocube needs to be created, remodeled, or rebalanced.

In the above scenario, I was creating a new infocube for Delivery information. The requirement was to include the following granular information: delivery number, sales order number, purchasing document number, and serial number.

You’ve read that correctly. In additional to the delivery and related document numbers, an additional requirement is to list the serial numbers related to each delivery/item/material/batch combination. There will be several line items dimension for this cube.

As you can imagine, I accidentally selected the ‘Line Item Dimension’ checkbox for one of the dimensions. Once that happens, you’re stuck. The field is grayed out, so you cannot uncheck or unselect that option. Also, there are no options in the menu to undo that action. Saving your progress will result in the following error message:

“The line item dimension contains more than one characteristic”

How do you undo an action when SAP prevents the option?

Answer: Re-enter RSA1.

In fact, you should consider existing your data modeling session and re-enter RSA1 when you encounter odd error messages or situations like this.

I’ve lost count of the number of times that I reactivated a transformation only to see an obscure error message when activating/executing a DTP.

In any case, here is the same data model screen after I re-enter RSA1. Bug-B-Gone, right?

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