What it means
In a UBL invoice or credit note, each referenced invoice number (BT-25) at cac:BillingReference/cac:InvoiceDocumentReference/cbc:ID must contain no more than 35 characters. Spaces count towards this limit.
Why it matters
The French e-invoicing rules limit the length of this reference. It identifies an earlier invoice, so shortening the number arbitrarily could make the reference inaccurate.
How to fix it
Compare the referenced invoice number with the number on the original invoice. Remove labels, dates or surrounding spaces only if they are not part of that number. Correct the value in cac:BillingReference/cac:InvoiceDocumentReference/cbc:ID. If the original number itself exceeds 35 characters, do not truncate it; ask your software supplier how to resolve the reference. Check your corrected file again.
Once the file is corrected, check it again for free: Check an e-invoice
The rule as published
L'identifiant de facture référencée (cbc:ID) ne doit pas dépasser 35 caractères. Valeur actuelle : " … ". Veuillez vérifier que l'identifiant respecte cette limite. Where this rule applies
| Rule set | Version |
|---|---|
| France CTC (UBL invoice) | 1.4.0-04 |
| France CTC (UBL credit note) | 1.4.0-04 |
Check your file
Drop your e-invoice to see whether BR-FR-01_BT-25-1 still fails, and which other rules do.