What it means
Each postal address in the invoice (seller, buyer, the seller's tax representative or delivery) is a PostalTradeAddress block. EN 16931 builds an address from up to three address lines, a postcode, a city, a country subdivision and a country code. The rule checks that the block has no PostOfficeBox element, because the format has no separate field for a PO box.
Why it matters
A field the standard does not define has no agreed meaning for the recipient's software. The file therefore fails the check and the invoice is rejected.
How to fix it
Write the PO box in an address line, for example PO Box 123, and keep the postcode, city and country in their own fields. In your invoicing software, check whether the seller, buyer or delivery address has a separate PO box field and move its text into the first or second address line. If the file is generated and you cannot change that, ask your software supplier to export the PO box as an address line. In the XML, delete the PostOfficeBox line and put its text in LineOne, or in LineTwo if LineOne already holds the street.
The rule as published
PostOfficeBox shall not be used. Where this rule applies
| Rule set | Version |
|---|---|
| EN 16931 (CII) | 1.3.17 |
| XRechnung 3.0 (CII) | 3.0.2 |
| NLCIUS (CII) | 1.0.3.13 |
| France CTC (CII) | 1.4.0-04 |
Check your file
Drop your e-invoice to see whether CII-DT-083 still fails, and which other rules do.
Related rules
- CII-DT-084 A postal address must not use a building name element
- CII-DT-086 A postal address can have at most three address lines
- CII-DT-087 A postal address cannot have a fifth address line
- CII-DT-088 Put the street in the first address line, not a StreetName element
- CII-DT-089 A postal address must not use a city district element
- CII-DT-090 Give the country as a code, not as a country name