Error
Error Code:
5198
SAP S/4HANA Error 5198: Unicode Conversion Failure
Description
This error, ERR_TEXT_COMMON_CONV_TO_UNI_FAILED, indicates that the SAP S/4HANA system encountered an issue while attempting to convert text data into the Unicode format. It typically occurs during data import, interface communication, or processing of text containing special characters, preventing data from being correctly stored or displayed.
Error Message
ERR_TEXT_COMMON_CONV_TO_UNI_FAILED
Known Causes
4 known causesInvalid Character Input
Data being entered or imported contains characters that are not recognized or supported by the target Unicode standard within SAP S/4HANA.
Mismatched Character Sets
The source system or file uses a different character encoding (e.g., ISO-8859-1) than what SAP S/4HANA expects for a successful Unicode conversion.
Data Truncation or Corruption
During data transfer or processing, text data may become truncated or corrupted, preventing the system from performing a correct Unicode conversion.
System Configuration Issues
Incorrect system settings or missing language/character set configurations within SAP S/4HANA can lead to failures in Unicode conversion for specific data.
Solutions
3 solutions available1. Verify and Correct Character Encoding in Source Data medium
Ensures that the data being loaded or processed by S/4HANA is correctly encoded in UTF-8.
1
Identify the source of the data causing the conversion failure. This could be an external file, an interface, or data within another SAP system.
2
Determine the original character encoding of the source data. Common encodings include ASCII, ISO-8859-1, or specific code pages.
3
If the source data is not UTF-8, convert it to UTF-8 before it is processed by S/4HANA. This can be done using various tools or scripting languages.
Example using Python to convert a file:
python
import codecs
input_file = 'source_data.txt'
output_file = 'utf8_data.txt'
input_encoding = 'iso-8859-1' # Replace with actual input encoding
with codecs.open(input_file, 'r', encoding=input_encoding) as infile,
codecs.open(output_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as outfile:
for line in infile:
outfile.write(line)
4
Ensure that any data transfer mechanisms (e.g., RFC, IDoc, file uploads) are configured to handle UTF-8 correctly.
2. Check and Adjust SAP System's Language and Character Set Configuration medium
Verifies that the S/4HANA system's internal settings are aligned for Unicode processing.
1
Log in to your S/4HANA system with administrative privileges.
2
Navigate to transaction `RZ10` (Parameter Maintenance).
3
Select the relevant profile (e.g., DEFAULT, START, or instance-specific profile).
4
Check the following parameters. Ensure they are set to values that support Unicode. For a Unicode system, `zcsa/installed_languages` should include 'E' (English) and potentially other languages, and `zcsa/system_languages` should reflect the installed languages.
Parameter examples:
- `zcsa/installed_languages` (e.g., 'EN' or 'DE' or 'ENDE')
- `zcsa/system_languages` (e.g., 'E' or 'D' or 'ED')5
If any parameters are incorrect or missing, create or modify them. After making changes, save the profile and restart the S/4HANA application server.
6
Verify the system's code page settings using transaction `WE02` or `SCC4` and ensure they are consistent with Unicode standards.
3. Analyze and Correct Corrupted Data Entries in Database Tables advanced
Identifies and rectifies individual data records that contain invalid characters preventing Unicode conversion.
1
Identify the specific table and record(s) causing the error. This often requires debugging the application or analyzing SAP logs (e.g., SM21, ST22) for detailed error messages pointing to the problematic data.
2
Use SQL to query the suspected table and look for unusual characters or patterns that might be non-Unicode compliant. You may need to use database-specific functions for character inspection.
Example for HANA DB (adjust for your specific database):
sql
SELECT * FROM YOUR_TABLE WHERE LENGTH(your_character_column) <> LENGTH(CONVERT(your_character_column USING utf8));
This query attempts to find entries where the length changes after a potential UTF-8 conversion, indicating an issue.3
If problematic data is found, carefully assess the nature of the invalid characters. Attempt to clean or replace them with valid Unicode characters. This might involve manual correction or a scripted update.
Example SQL UPDATE statement (use with extreme caution and after thorough testing):
sql
UPDATE YOUR_TABLE
SET your_character_column = REPLACE(your_character_column, 'INVALID_CHAR', 'REPLACEMENT_CHAR');
Replace 'INVALID_CHAR' and 'REPLACEMENT_CHAR' with the actual characters. Consider using database functions for more robust character replacement if available.4
After correcting the data, re-run the process that triggered the error to confirm the issue is resolved.