CII-DT-095: A postal address must not use a department name element

What it means

Each postal address in the invoice is a PostalTradeAddress block. The rule checks that the block has no DepartmentName element, which would hold the department at that address, such as Accounts payable. EN 16931 has no separate field for it in an address.

Why it matters

The recipient's software reads only the address parts that EN 16931 defines. A department element has no agreed meaning there, so the file fails the check and the invoice is rejected.

How to fix it

Write the department in an address line, for example Accounts payable in the second line. If it names who handles the invoice rather than where post goes, it can instead go in the contact point of the seller (BT-41) or the buyer (BT-56). If the file is generated, ask your software supplier to export the department as an address line or contact. In the XML, delete the DepartmentName line after moving its text.

The rule as published

DepartmentName shall not be used.

Where this rule applies