Texts

Message Short Texts

Standards and Guidelines*

Use precise and unequivocal language. Write concisely to allow for a potentially longer translation. Provide a maximum of information in a minimum of space.

Use	Do Not Use
Enter a valid unit of measurement	Entry not permitted
Enter a valid unit of measurement	Unallowed entry

Use sentence style. The first word of the message should begin with a capital letter.

Do not use an article at the start of the sentence.

Use	Do Not Use
Purchase order unit must not be deleted	The purchase order unit must not be deleted

In longer message texts, omit articles within the text unless this creates ambiguity.

Use	Do Not Use
Unable to display status; period is already completed	Enter a period that ends in future

Always include a verb.

Exception: Error messages (no verb required) and search result messages (no auxiliary verb required)

Use	Do Not Use
Material is not available	Material not available

Use the present tense wherever possible.

Use	Do Not Use
Unable to determine previous period	Previous period could not be determined [past tense inappropriate here]

Exception: Success or failure messages should reflect the actual status.

Use

Master data saved

Do not use punctuation within a message, unless the message contains a statement followed by a reason for the error or recommended user action. In that case, separate the two with a semicolon, and observe standard capitalization rules after the semicolon.

Use	Do Not Use
Data is not available; define the result areas first	No result areas are defined

Questions: In that case, separate the two with a period.

Use	Do Not Use
Unsaved data will be lost. Do you want to save?	Data will be lost! Save?

Do not use special characters such as angle brackets (< >), dollar signs ($), quotes ("), or asterisks (*).
Do not use ALL CAPS or s p a c e d t y p e for emphasis (also applies to variables).
Avoid abbreviations.

Avoid using formulations that cause problems in translation, especially in texts containing variables.

Use	Do Not Use
Entry 0002 of the entries to be copied...	The 0002nd entry to be copied...

Use vocabulary that the user will understand. Focus on the task at hand, not the technical function performed by the system. Write from the point of view of the user, not the system.

Use Do Not Use

Enter the company code The BUKRS field is not complete
Avoid using technical terms.
Use direct speech wherever possible — that is, address the user directly. Avoid using the passive voice.
Do not use "please" when asking the user to do something.
If possible, and space permitting, provide assistance; do not simply diagnose the error. Formulate the text in a positive tone, rather than reprimanding the user.

Use	Do Not Use
Enter a material class	Material class does not exist
Enter a valid company code	Company code incorrect
Enter a period that ends in the future	You cannot enter a period end in the past
Error during data transfer; check the log	Errors occurred during data transfer
Order is not available; check your entry	Order is not available

Standard Message Short Texts*

The following standard message texts will be included in the Online Text Repository, a tool to assist developers when writing message short texts.

I. Instructions for Entering Data

Enter <object>

Use	Do Not Use
Enter a valid period	Maintain the period
Enter a short text for the action	Enter short text for action

II. Inability to Display Data

Unable to display <object>; <reason>

Always provide a reason. For example, if the selected revision status cannot be displayed because it is located in a period that was already completed (that is, the period entered is not applicable here), say so in the short text. If you do not have enough space in the short text, insert the reason in the long text.

Use	Do Not Use
Unable to display revision status; period is already completed	You cannot display inventory data here
	Displaying inventory data here is not possible

III. Occurrence of Error(s)

Error while <operation>; <instructions>

In this type of error message, do not use a verb. Always indicate how to correct the error.

Use	Do Not Use
Error while processing long text; check the long text indicator	Errors were found
Error while posting; check the log	Error occurred during update

IV. Check for Saving Data

Do you want to save the <object>?
Do you still want to save the <object>?
Do you want to save the <object> first?

Use	Do Not Use
Do you want to save the changed values?	Should the data be saved?
Do you still want to save the data?	Do you want to save before exiting?
Do you want to save the entries first?	Value was changed. Should it be saved?

V. Check for Saving Data, with Data Loss Warning

Unsaved data will be lost. Do you want to save?

Use	Do Not Use
Unsaved data will be lost. Do you want to save?	Unsaved data will be lost
Unsaved data will be lost. Do you want to save?	Data will be lost! Save?

VI. Inability to Execute Operations

<Action> is not permitted; <reason>
<Action> is not possible; <reason>
You cannot <action>; <reason>

Always provide a reason. If you do not have enough space in the short text, insert it in the long text.

Use	Do Not Use
Function is not permitted for user status; <reason>	Function prohibited for user status
You cannot delete here; actual values exist	Deleting not possible because actual values exist
Deletion is not permitted; <reason>	Deletion unallowed
You cannot configure a planning variant here; vendor address is invalid	Material number invalid
	Material notice cannot be maintained here
	Valid selection screen does not exist
	Operation & is not supported

VII. Lack of Authorization

You are not authorized to <do this>

Avoid using transaction codes. State the function instead.

Use	Do Not Use
You are not authorized to initialize program <program name>	No authorization to delete status
You are not authorized to display master data	You do not have change authorization for this control data
Your authorization profile & does not allow changing data	You do not have change authorization for this control data

VIII. Selecting Objects

Select <object>
Additional <objects> are not selected

Use	Do Not Use
Select the lines to be deleted	Select end of block
Select the row above which the entry should be inserted
Additional status schemes are not selected

IX. (Non-)existence or (Un-)availability of Objects

<Object> does not exist
<Object> is not available
<Object> already exists
<Object> is already available

In certain cases, there is a difference between an object that does not exist and one that is not available. For example, if a budget "does not exist," it has not been created. However, a budget may not be "available" even though it "exists"; in that case, it has been created but not allocated.

Check whether the object is unavailable or nonexistent because the user has made an incorrect entry. If this is the case, provide instructions.

Use	Do Not Use
Info object does not exist; define class type & first	Class type & is not defined
Data is not available; define the result areas first	No result areas are defined
Alternative unit does not exist; define an alternative unit first	No alternative unit entered

X. Search Results

<Object> not found
No <object> found

In search result messages, do not use an auxiliary verb.

Use	Do Not Use
No documents found	Documents were not found
No suitable entry found	No suitable entry was found

XI. Continuing Processing

Processing continued
Do you want to continue processing?

<Process> continued
Do you want to continue <process (gerund)>?

If the operation or activity is self-evident to the user, use the first or second of the above standard texts; do not specify the technical name of the operation. For example, if the context is the posting of a material master record, use "Processing continued," not "Posting of material master record continued."

Use	Do Not Use
Processing continued	Continuation of processing
Do you want to continue processing?	Do you want to continue?

XII. Terminating Processing

Processing terminated
Do you want to terminate processing?

<Process> terminated
Do you want to terminate <process (gerund)>?

If the operation or activity is self-evident to the user, use the first or second of the above standard texts; do not specify the technical name of the operation. For example, if the context is the posting of a material master record, use "Processing terminated," not "Posting of material master record terminated."

Use	Do Not Use
Processing terminated	Termination of processing
Update terminated	Do you want to terminate?

*Note: In the examples, the text on the left does not always correspond to that on the right -- that is, it does not necessarily mean "Use <...> instead of <...>."

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