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Getting Started with Invoicing via PEPPOL
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Interpreting Error Messages
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More Information
After you have sent the invoice, you will receive feedback on the invoice delivery in case of any errors. Each individual error starts with the error code within square brackets [ ] and after the code comes the error message as specified by the standard.
Examples of error messages in InExchange Network
| Error Code | Error Message | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| [BR-08] | An Invoice shall contain the Seller postal address. | |
| [BR-10] | Invoice shall contain the Buyer postal address (BG-8). | |
| [BR-23] | Invoice line (BG-25) shall have an Invoiced quantity unit of measure code (BT-130). | Quantity code must match the predefined ones within Peppol Bis. See the link below for specification: http://docs.peppol.eu/poacc/billing/3.0/bis/#_unit_of_measure |
| [BR-27] | Item net price (BT-146) shall NOT be negative | |
| [BR-CL-10] | identifier identification scheme identifier MUST be coded using one of the ISO 6523 ICD list. Mandate reference MUST be provided for direct debit. | |
| [BR-CL-13] | classification identifier identification scheme identifier MUST be coded using one of the UNTDID 7143 list. Item net price MUST equal (Gross price - Allowance amount) when gross price is provided. | |
| [BR-CL-14] | Country codes in an invoice MUST be coded using ISO code list 3166-1 Invoice line net amount MUST equal (Invoiced quantity * (Item net price/item price base quantity) + Sum of invoice line charge amount - sum of invoice line allowance amount Invoice line net amount MUST equal (Invoiced quantity * (Item net price/item price base quantity) + Sum of invoice line charge amount - sum of invoice line allowance amount Country code MUST be according to ISO 3166 Alpha-2. | |
| [BR-CO-04] | Invoice line (BG-25) shall be categorized with an Invoiced item VAT category code (BT-151). | |
| [BR-CO-09] | Seller VAT identifier (BT-31), the Seller tax representative VAT identifier (BT-63) and the Buyer VAT identifier (BT-48) shall have a prefix in accordance with ISO code ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 by which the country of issue may be identified. Nevertheless, Greece may use the prefix ‘EL’. | |
| [BR-CO-13] | total amount without VAT (BT-109) = Σ Invoice line net amount (BT-131) - Sum of allowances on document level (BT-107) + Sum of charges on document level (BT-108). | |
| [BR-CO-15] | total amount with VAT (BT-112) = Invoice total amount without VAT (BT-109) + Invoice total VAT amount (BT-110). | |
| [BR-CO-16] | due for payment (BT-115) = Invoice total amount with VAT (BT-112) - Paid amount (BT-113) + Rounding amount (BT-114). | |
| [BR-CO-17] | category tax amount (BT-117) = VAT category taxable amount (BT-116) x (VAT category rate (BT-119) / 100), rounded to two decimals. | Incorrectly calculated VAT, the decimals do not match the specified values for the field cbc:TaxAmount (cac:TaxSubtotal / cbc:TaxableAmount x cac:TaxSubtotal / cac:TaxCategory / cbc:Percent), must be rounded down to two decimals, and match exactly with TaxableAmount x Percent |
| [BR-CO-18] | An Invoice shall at least have one VAT Breakdown group (BG-23). | A summary must always exist of what VAT rates are included in the document, a summary of sums. TaxSubTotal |
| [BR-E-08] | a VAT Breakdown (BG-23) where the VAT category code (BT-118) is "Exempt from VAT" the VAT category taxable amount (BT-116) shall equal the sum of Invoice line net amounts (BT-131) minus the sum of Document level allowance amounts (BT-92) plus the sum of Document level charge amounts (BT-99) where the VAT category codes (BT-151, BT-95, BT-102) are “Exempt from VAT". | |
| [BR-S-01] | Invoice that contains an Invoice line (BG-25), a Document level allowance (BG-20) or a Document level charge (BG-21) where the VAT category code (BT-151, BT-95 or BT-102) is “Standard rated” shall contain in the VAT Breakdown (BG-23) at least one VAT category code (BT-118) equal with "Standard rated" | |
| [BR-S-05] | an Invoice line (BG-25) where the Invoiced item VAT category code (BT-151) is "Standard rated" the Invoiced item VAT rate (BT-152) shall be greater than zero. For Swedish suppliers, only standard VAT rate of 6, 12 or 25 are used | |
| [BR-S-08] | each different value of VAT category rate (BT-119) where the VAT category code (BT-118) is "Standard rated", the VAT category taxable amount (BT-116) in a VAT Breakdown (BG-23) shall equal the sum of Invoice line net amounts (BT-131) plus the sum of document level charge amounts (BT-99) minus the sum of document level allowance amounts (BT-92) where the VAT category code (BT-151, BT-102, BT-95) is “Standard rated” and the VAT rate (BT-152, BT-103, BT-96) equals the VAT category rate (BT-119) | |
| [BR-S-09] | VAT category tax amount (BT-117) in a VAT Breakdown (BG-23) where VAT category code (BT-118) is "Standard rated" shall equal the VAT category taxable amount (BT-116) multiplied by the VAT category rate (BT-119). | |
| [BR-S-10] | A VAT Breakdown (BG-23) with VAT Category code (BT-118) "Standard rate" shall not have a VAT exemption reason code (BT-121) or VAT exemption reason text (BT-120). | |
| [BR-64] | The Item standard identifier (BT-157) shall have a Scheme identifier | There must be a SchemeID on the element ubl:Invoice / cac:InvoiceLine / cac:Item / cac:StandardItemIdentification / cbc:ID. It is unclear what though... |
| [BR-CO-14] | Invoice total VAT amount (BT-110) = Σ VAT category tax amount (BT-117). | |
| [SE-R-005] | For Swedish suppliers, when using Seller tax registration identifier, 'Approved for F-tax' must be stated | |
| [SE-R-006] | For Swedish suppliers, only standard VAT rate of 6, 12 or 25 are used | |
| [DK-R-014] | For Danish Suppliers it is mandatory to use schemeID when PartyLegalEntity/CompanyID is used for AccountingCustomerParty or AccountingSupplierParty | |
| [PEPPOL-EN16931-CL005] | Country code MUST be according to ISO 3166 Alpha-2. | |
| [PEPPOL-EN16931-R120] | -Invoice line net amount MUST equal (Invoiced quantity * (Item net price/item price base quantity) + Sum of invoice line charge amount - sum of invoice line allowance amount |
The error message means that an invoice line does not comply with PEPPOL's calculation rule: Common causes are that the quantity or unit price has been rounded on the invoice, but not in the ERP system, which causes a discrepancy. - Check that quantity, unit price, charges, and discounts are correctly calculated. - Ensure that the total follows the formula above and is rounded to exactly two decimals. |
| [PEPPOL-EN16931-R040] | Allowance/charge amount must equal base amount * percentage/100 if base amount and percentage exists | |
| [PEPPOL-EN16931-R006] | Only one invoiced object is allowed on document level | |
| [PEPPOL-EN16931-R053] | Only one tax total with tax subtotals MUST be provided. | |
| [PEPPOL-EN16931-R054] | Only one tax total without tax subtotals MUST be provided when tax currency code is provided. |
Below is a quick guide on how these messages should be interpreted.
Standard, format, region-specific or BIS error?
Below are brief descriptions of the most common errors that may occur.
Standard Error - error code starts with [BR]
If the error code starts with BR, e.g., [BR-CL-03], it means that the error violates EN16931, thus the standard. These errors occur regardless of who the issuer or recipient is and must be corrected. All error codes are available here: http://docs.peppol.eu/poacc/billing/3.0/rules/
Example
| [BR-CL-03] - currencyID MUST be coded using ISO code list 4217 alpha-3 |
The currency used in the document must be coded according to an ISO code list.
Format Error - error code starts with [UBL]
If the error code starts with UBL, e.g., [UBL-DT-01], the error is such that the content violates the UBL format, which is the origin of Peppol BIS.
Example
| [UBL-DT-01] - Amounts shall be decimal up to two fraction digits |
All amounts in the document must be stated with a maximum of two decimals.
Region-Specific Error - error code starts, for example, with [SE]
If the error code starts with a country code, e.g., SE, DK, IT, or NO, it means that the document violates the region-specific rules that exist in Peppol BIS Billing 3. It is possible to create country-specific rules for Peppol BIS, which are "triggered" by the country codes present on the issuer/supplier.
Example
| [SE-R-004] - Swedish organisation numbers consist of 10 characters |
If the issuer has country code SE, the organization number must consist of 10 digits, which is the standard for Swedish companies.
BIS - error code starts with [PEPPOL]
And finally, if the error code starts with PEPPOL, e.g., [PEPPOL-EN16931-R121], the error is of a nature that causes the document to violate rules specific to Peppol BIS Billing 3, which were created by OpenPEPPOL.
Example
| [PEPPOL-EN16931-R121] - Base quantity MUST be a positive number above zero |
For an invoice line, the quantity must always be 0 or a positive number. If one wants to credit only a certain line on an invoice, the unit price must be negative and the quantity positive.