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Fatal

BR-FR-BD-14-EXT-FR-FE-136: Top-level GROUP lines need an earlier invoice reference

In short

Fatal: fails the selected checks.

BR-FR-BD-14-EXT-FR-FE-136 means a qualifying top-level GROUP line in your UBL invoice or credit note has no billing reference with an invoice identifier different from the current document number; in CII, it means the line lacks an invoice identifier in its invoice reference. This applies when BT-23 is S9, B9 or M9 and BT-3 is 261, 471, 473 or 502; add the actual earlier invoice number to that line's reference.

On this page

What it means

For those frameworks and document types, the UBL check runs on line billing references (BG-25) that identify the current document, carry GROUP (EXT-FR-FE-163) and have no parent line ID (EXT-FR-FE-162). It requires a cac:BillingReference on the same line with a cac:InvoiceDocumentReference/cbc:ID (EXT-FR-FE-136) different from the current document number. It does not check that the identifier is non-blank or that the referenced invoice is earlier. Date-element presence (EXT-FR-FE-138) is checked separately. In CII, the check runs on each GROUP line with no parent line ID and requires ram:SpecifiedLineTradeSettlement/ram:InvoiceReferencedDocument/ram:IssuerAssignedID; it does not compare this identifier with the current document number.

Why it matters

The line-level reference links the correction or credit to the invoice it concerns. The invoice number and date are separate parts of that reference.

How to fix it

On the affected UBL line, add or correct the cac:BillingReference for the actual earlier invoice. Enter its number in cac:InvoiceDocumentReference/cbc:ID (EXT-FR-FE-136), separately from the GROUP reference to the current document. Also enter the earlier invoice's date in cbc:IssueDate (EXT-FR-FE-138), which BR-FR-BD-14-EXT-FR-FE-138 checks for. In CII, enter the actual earlier invoice number in ram:SpecifiedLineTradeSettlement/ram:InvoiceReferencedDocument/ram:IssuerAssignedID on the affected GROUP line. Recheck your file.

Once the file is corrected, check it again for free: Check an e-invoice

The rule as published

BR-FR-BD-14-EXT-FR-FE-136 : Num Facture antérieure manquant ligne … : Lorsque le cadre de facturation (BT-23) est S9, B9 ou M9, et pour les factures rectificatives et avoirs chaque ligne (BG-25) avec un sous-type de ligne (EXT-FR-FE-163) égal à "GROUP" et sans identifiant de ligne Parent (EXT-FR-FE-162) doit comprendre un identifiant de facture antérieure à la ligne (EXT-FR-FE-136) ainsi que sa date (EXT-FR-FE-138).

Business terms: BG-25, BT-23

Where this rule applies

Rule set Version
France CTC (UBL invoice) 1.4.0-04
France CTC (UBL credit note) 1.4.0-04
France CTC (CII) 1.4.0-04
Rule text from phive-rules 4.6.4.

Check your file

Drop your e-invoice to see whether BR-FR-BD-14-EXT-FR-FE-136 still fails, and which other rules do.

Updated 8 November 2026