Reference · EN 16931 · BR
BR — Core rules
The EN 16931 business rules in the BR family (Core rules), with CEN's own wording, the business terms each one names, and where each is asserted in a UBL invoice. To check a document against these rules, use the free EN 16931 validator.
These are the EN 16931 business rules of this family, as published by CEN/TC 434 in the validation artefacts that accompany the standard. The wording here is the rule text itself, and it is never a paraphrase. The codes in parentheses are business terms (BT-) and business term groups (BG-), the semantic model's names for the fields a rule constrains, and the location given with each rule is where it is asserted in a UBL invoice.
Rules
An Invoice shall have a Specification identifier (BT-24).
Terms: BT-24
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
An Invoice shall have an Invoice number (BT-1).
Terms: BT-1
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
An Invoice shall have an Invoice issue date (BT-2).
Terms: BT-2
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
An Invoice shall have an Invoice type code (BT-3).
Terms: BT-3
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
An Invoice shall have an Invoice currency code (BT-5).
Terms: BT-5
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
An Invoice shall contain the Seller name (BT-27).
Terms: BT-27
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
An Invoice shall contain the Buyer name (BT-44).
Terms: BT-44
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
The Seller postal address (BG-5) shall contain a Seller country code (BT-40).
Terms: BG-5, BT-40
Location: cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress
An Invoice shall contain the Buyer postal address (BG-8).
Terms: BG-8
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
The Buyer postal address shall contain a Buyer country code (BT-55).
Terms: BT-55
Location: cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress
An Invoice shall have the Sum of Invoice line net amount (BT-106).
Terms: BT-106
Location: cac:LegalMonetaryTotal
An Invoice shall have the Invoice total amount without VAT (BT-109).
Terms: BT-109
Location: cac:LegalMonetaryTotal
An Invoice shall have the Invoice total amount with VAT (BT-112).
Terms: BT-112
Location: cac:LegalMonetaryTotal
An Invoice shall have the Amount due for payment (BT-115).
Terms: BT-115
Location: cac:LegalMonetaryTotal
An Invoice shall have at least one Invoice line (BG-25)
Terms: BG-25
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
The Payee name (BT-59) shall be provided in the Invoice, if the Payee (BG-10) is different from the Seller (BG-4)
Terms: BT-59, BG-10, BG-4
Location: cac:PayeeParty
The Seller tax representative name (BT-62) shall be provided in the Invoice, if the Seller (BG-4) has a Seller tax representative party (BG-11)
Terms: BT-62, BG-4, BG-11
Location: cac:TaxRepresentativeParty
The Seller tax representative postal address (BG-12) shall be provided in the Invoice, if the Seller (BG-4) has a Seller tax representative party (BG-11).
Terms: BG-12, BG-4, BG-11
Location: cac:TaxRepresentativeParty
The Seller tax representative postal address (BG-12) shall contain a Tax representative country code (BT-69), if the Seller (BG-4) has a Seller tax representative party (BG-11).
Terms: BG-12, BT-69, BG-4, BG-11
Location: cac:TaxRepresentativeParty/cac:PostalAddress
Each Invoice line (BG-25) shall have an Invoice line identifier (BT-126).
Terms: BG-25, BT-126
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
Each Invoice line (BG-25) shall have an Invoiced quantity (BT-129).
Terms: BG-25, BT-129
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
An Invoice line (BG-25) shall have an Invoiced quantity unit of measure code (BT-130).
Terms: BG-25, BT-130
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
Each Invoice line (BG-25) shall have an Invoice line net amount (BT-131).
Terms: BG-25, BT-131
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
Each Invoice line (BG-25) shall contain the Item name (BT-153).
Terms: BG-25, BT-153
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
Each Invoice line (BG-25) shall contain the Item net price (BT-146).
Terms: BG-25, BT-146
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
The Item net price (BT-146) shall NOT be negative.
Terms: BT-146
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
The Item gross price (BT-148) shall NOT be negative.
Terms: BT-148
Location: cac:InvoiceLine | cac:CreditNoteLine
If both Invoicing period start date (BT-73) and Invoicing period end date (BT-74) are given then the Invoicing period end date (BT-74) shall be later or equal to the Invoicing period start date (BT-73).
Terms: BT-73, BT-74
Location: cac:InvoicePeriod
If both Invoice line period start date (BT-134) and Invoice line period end date (BT-135) are given then the Invoice line period end date (BT-135) shall be later or equal to the Invoice line period start date (BT-134).
Terms: BT-134, BT-135
Location: cac:InvoiceLine/cac:InvoicePeriod | cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:InvoicePeriod
Each Document level allowance (BG-20) shall have a Document level allowance amount (BT-92).
Terms: BG-20, BT-92
Location: /ubl:Invoice/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()] | /cn:CreditNote/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()]
Each Document level allowance (BG-20) shall have a Document level allowance VAT category code (BT-95).
Terms: BG-20, BT-95
Location: /ubl:Invoice/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()] | /cn:CreditNote/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()]
Each Document level allowance (BG-20) shall have a Document level allowance reason (BT-97) or a Document level allowance reason code (BT-98).
Terms: BG-20, BT-97, BT-98
Location: /ubl:Invoice/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()] | /cn:CreditNote/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()]
Each Document level charge (BG-21) shall have a Document level charge amount (BT-99).
Terms: BG-21, BT-99
Location: /ubl:Invoice/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()] | /cn:CreditNote/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()]
Each Document level charge (BG-21) shall have a Document level charge VAT category code (BT-102).
Terms: BG-21, BT-102
Location: /ubl:Invoice/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()] | /cn:CreditNote/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()]
Each Document level charge (BG-21) shall have a Document level charge reason (BT-104) or a Document level charge reason code (BT-105).
Terms: BG-21, BT-104, BT-105
Location: /ubl:Invoice/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()] | /cn:CreditNote/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()]
Each Invoice line allowance (BG-27) shall have an Invoice line allowance amount (BT-136).
Terms: BG-27, BT-136
Location: //cac:InvoiceLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()] | //cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()]
Each Invoice line allowance (BG-27) shall have an Invoice line allowance reason (BT-139) or an Invoice line allowance reason code (BT-140).
Terms: BG-27, BT-139, BT-140
Location: //cac:InvoiceLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()] | //cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = false()]
Each Invoice line charge (BG-28) shall have an Invoice line charge amount (BT-141).
Terms: BG-28, BT-141
Location: //cac:InvoiceLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()] | //cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()]
Each Invoice line charge shall have an Invoice line charge reason or an invoice line allowance reason code.
Location: //cac:InvoiceLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()] | //cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()]
Each VAT breakdown (BG-23) shall have a VAT category taxable amount (BT-116).
Terms: BG-23, BT-116
Location: cac:TaxTotal/cac:TaxSubtotal
Each VAT breakdown (BG-23) shall have a VAT category tax amount (BT-117).
Terms: BG-23, BT-117
Location: cac:TaxTotal/cac:TaxSubtotal
Each VAT breakdown (BG-23) shall be defined through a VAT category code (BT-118).
Terms: BG-23, BT-118
Location: cac:TaxTotal/cac:TaxSubtotal
Each VAT breakdown (BG-23) shall have a VAT category rate (BT-119), except if the Invoice is not subject to VAT.
Terms: BG-23, BT-119
Location: cac:TaxTotal/cac:TaxSubtotal
A Payment instruction (BG-16) shall specify the Payment means type code (BT-81).
Terms: BG-16, BT-81
Location: cac:PaymentMeans
A Payment account identifier (BT-84) shall be present if Credit transfer (BG-17) information is provided in the Invoice.
Terms: BT-84, BG-17
Location: cac:PaymentMeans[cbc:PaymentMeansCode='30' or cbc:PaymentMeansCode='58']/cac:PayeeFinancialAccount
BR-51 warning
In accordance with card payments security standards an invoice should never include a full card primary account number (BT-87). At the moment PCI Security Standards Council has defined that the first 6 digits and last 4 digits are the maximum number of digits to be shown.
Terms: BT-87
Location: cac:PaymentMeans/cac:CardAccount/cbc:PrimaryAccountNumberID
Each Additional supporting document (BG-24) shall contain a Supporting document reference (BT-122).
Terms: BG-24, BT-122
Location: cac:AdditionalDocumentReference
If the VAT accounting currency code (BT-6) is present, then the Invoice total VAT amount in accounting currency (BT-111) shall be provided.
Terms: BT-6, BT-111
Location: /ubl:Invoice | /cn:CreditNote
Each Item attribute (BG-32) shall contain an Item attribute name (BT-160) and an Item attribute value (BT-161).
Terms: BG-32, BT-160, BT-161
Location: //cac:AdditionalItemProperty
Each Preceding Invoice reference (BG-3) shall contain a Preceding Invoice reference (BT-25).
Terms: BG-3, BT-25
Location: cac:BillingReference
Each Seller tax representative party (BG-11) shall have a Seller tax representative VAT identifier (BT-63).
Terms: BG-11, BT-63
Location: cac:TaxRepresentativeParty
Each Deliver to address (BG-15) shall contain a Deliver to country code (BT-80).
Terms: BG-15, BT-80
Location: cac:Delivery/cac:DeliveryLocation/cac:Address
If the Payment means type code (BT-81) means SEPA credit transfer, Local credit transfer or Non-SEPA international credit transfer, the Payment account identifier (BT-84) shall be present.
Terms: BT-81, BT-84
Location: cac:PaymentMeans
The Seller electronic address (BT-34) shall have a Scheme identifier.
Terms: BT-34
Location: cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cbc:EndpointID
The Buyer electronic address (BT-49) shall have a Scheme identifier.
Terms: BT-49
Location: cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cbc:EndpointID
The Item standard identifier (BT-157) shall have a Scheme identifier.
Terms: BT-157
Location: cac:InvoiceLine/cac:Item/cac:StandardItemIdentification/cbc:ID | cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:Item/cac:StandardItemIdentification/cbc:ID
The Item classification identifier (BT-158) shall have a Scheme identifier.
Terms: BT-158
Location: cac:InvoiceLine/cac:Item/cac:CommodityClassification/cbc:ItemClassificationCode | cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:Item/cac:CommodityClassification/cbc:ItemClassificationCode
What this does not cover
This page states what the rules say. To check a document against them, use the free EN 16931 validator.
Sources
- CEN/TC 434 EN 16931 validation artefacts (Schematron) — the published rule set this page quotes, in the abstract model and code list rule files.