Make an entry in the "Cost Element Category" field
Message type: E = Error
Message class: FH - General ledger module messages
Message number: 216
Message text: Make an entry in the "Cost Element Category" field
What causes this issue?
You have not specified a cost element category for cost account &V1&/
&V2&.
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?
When you create a new cost account, this is possible if the G/L account
is locked for posting at the same time.
In all other cases, the following restrictions apply:
For G/L accounts of type <ZH>Secondary Costs</>, you must specify a cost
element category.
For G/L accounts of type <ZH>Primary Costs or Revenues</>, you can
configure the system behavior.
If you leave this system message as an error message, it ensures that
when a G/L account is created or changed, a cost element category is
always specified and thus also the data in the controlling area is
always written. This is the standard SAP configuration.
If you issue the message as a warning or deactivate it entirely, the
cost element category does not have to be specified when a G/L account
is created or changed. This changes the semantics of the G/L account
type. <ZH>Primary Costs or Revenues</> then means maximum use of the G/L
account. The account can, however, also be used as a G/L account of type
<ZH>Nonoperating Expense and Income</> for the controlling
areas/company codes in which the cost element category was left empty.
If you want to subsequently maintain the controlling area data (in
particular, the cost element category) for a larger number of primary
cost elements, you can do this by using transaction <DS:TRAN.OB_GLACC14>
G/L Accounts > Collective Processing > Controlling Area Data</>.
INCLUDE 'CUSTOMIZED_MESSAGE_INFO' OBJECT DOKU ID TX
Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.
Related Error Messages
FH215 G/L account type cannot be changed because transaction data exists
FH214 You cannot use the secondary costs account type without Controlling
FH217 You are not authorized to lock primary cost elements in CO area &1
FH218 You are not authorized to lock secondary cost elements in CO area &1