InvoiceGlass

The invoice contains an empty XML field · PEPPOL-EN16931-R008

  • Severity · Error
  • Applies to · UBL / CII
  • Editorial review pending

The check included in XRechnung looks at XML elements without child elements. Such an element can fail the check if it contains only whitespace or no text. There are exceptions for specific elements.

As of

Who can correct it?

The sender can correct the invoice.

How to fix it

  1. Ask the sender to check the field named in the validation report.
  2. If you issued the invoice, enter an appropriate value or omit the field from the export if the field is optional.

Rule text and source

Paraphrase · In the KoSIT XRechnung check, XML leaf elements need text content. The exceptions are the purchase order reference cbc:ID under cac:OrderReference in UBL and ram:ApplicableHeaderTradeDelivery in CII.

Message to the sender

Subject: Invoice {invoiceNumber} – The invoice contains an empty XML field

Hello,

Thank you for your invoice {invoiceNumber} dated {issueDate}. The validation report flags an empty XML field (PEPPOL-EN16931-R008). Please check the reported location and send the corrected invoice.

Kind regards

Example

An invoice note exported as an empty XML field triggers the rule. If you have no note, the software can omit the optional note group.

UBL

cbc:Note

Fails the rule
<cbc:Note/>

Corrected
<cbc:Note>Lieferung am 4. April.</cbc:Note>

CII

rsm:ExchangedDocument/ram:IncludedNote/ram:Content

Fails the rule
<ram:Content/>

Corrected
<ram:Content>Lieferung am 4. April.</ram:Content>

Rule versions

KoSIT · XRechnung Schematron 2.6.0

Validate a file