In its infinite wisdom, Sales decided to create duplicate part numbers in the system for the same part.  Went into T7INB to delete one version, which had no distory of any sort, and got the following error:
 
   WARN ERR - File T7INB.SRC  Line:1788  -  There is not Acitve Record in the file so you cannot delete it.
 
After I accept the warning, I look back in the item list, and the duplicate was deleted?!

I have seen this (sort of) when I delete a part number that has no transactions of any kind, in in no bills, has never been ordered or sold, and has an N for status (not active).  I get a message when I delete it that there is nothing to delete, the record does not exist.  When I go back into the inventory list it is gone, but it was there before.  I have always been confused by this but since it accomplished what I wanted just accepted it as a DBAism.