2172969 - When opening an appraisal document, an error is displayed: 500 Error: Access via 'NULL' reference not possible (termination: RABAX_STATE)

When an appraisal document is opened in the portal, the following error is displayed:

500 SAP Internal Server Error
ERROR: Access via 'NULL' reference not possible (termination: RABAX_STATE)

In ST22, the following dump file is displayed:

Category                     ABAP Programming Error
Runtime Errors             OBJECTS_OBJREF_NOT_ASSIGNED_NO
Except.                        CX_SY_REF_IS_INITIAL
ABAP Program              CL_HAP_PMP_PERSISTENCY_MANAGERCP
Application Component  PA-PD-PM
 
Short text                                                          
    Access via 'NULL' object reference not possible.
 
Error analysis                                                                                    
    An exception occurred that is explained in detail below.                                      
    The exception, which is assigned to class 'CX_SY_REF_IS_INITIAL', was not                     
     caught in                                                                                    |
    procedure "UPDATE_ORG_GOALS" "(METHOD)", nor was it propagated by a RAISING                   
     clause.                                                                                      
    Since the caller of the procedure could not have anticipated that the                         
    exception would occur, the current program is terminated.                                     
    The reason for the exception is:                                                              
    You attempted to use a 'NULL' object reference (points to 'nothing')                          
    access a component.                                                                           
    An object reference must point to an object (an instance of a class)                          
    before it can be used to access components.                                                   
    Either the reference was never set or it was set to 'NULL' using the                          
    CLEAR statement.

bjh, ESS, MSS, portal, lr_appraisee , KBA , PA-PD-AP , Appraisal Systems , PA-PD , Personnel Development , Problem