BR-FR-02_EXT-FR-FE-136: Invoice reference on a line has an invalid format

What it means

For UBL invoices and credit notes, the check applies to cac:BillingReference/cac:InvoiceDocumentReference/cbc:ID on a line. The permitted characters are letters A-Z and a-z, digits and + - _ /, with no spaces allowed. The value must not consist only of spaces, start or end with a space, or contain consecutive spaces. For CII, the corresponding line reference in ram:IssuerAssignedID permits letters A-Z and a-z, digits and + - _ /, but no spaces.

Why it matters

The reference identifies another invoice linked to the line. The French rules restrict its format, but meeting those restrictions must not come at the cost of identifying the wrong invoice.

How to fix it

Find the affected invoice or credit note line. In UBL, check cac:BillingReference/cac:InvoiceDocumentReference/cbc:ID. In CII, check ram:IssuerAssignedID in the line's invoice reference. Compare the value with the original invoice number. Remove accidental unsupported characters and correct the spaces according to your XML format. Do not replace characters blindly. If the original number itself cannot meet the format, check with its issuer before changing the reference. Save your corrected file and check it again.

The rule as published

L'identifiant de facture référencée en ligne (cbc:ID) doit respecter le format autorisé : caractères alphanumériques et les symboles - + _ /. Il ne doit pas contenir uniquement des espaces, ni commencer ou se terminer par un espace, ni contenir d'espaces consécutifs. Valeur actuelle : " … ". Veuillez corriger le format de l'identifiant.

Where France CTC (CII) run it, the rule reads:

L'identifiant de facture référencée en ligne (ram:IssuerAssignedID) contient des caractères non autorisés. Valeur actuelle : " … ". Seuls les caractères alphanumériques et les symboles + - _ / sont autorisés, sans espaces.

Where this rule applies