CII-SR-268: Leave the telex number out of the buyer's contact details

What it means

The buyer's contact details contain a TelexUniversalCommunication element. EN 16931 describes the buyer contact with a name (BT-56), a telephone number (BT-57) and an email address (BT-58), so a telex element should not be there. The check fails as soon as the element is in the file, whatever it contains.

Why it matters

This is only a warning, so the file is still accepted. Telex is not part of the EN 16931 data model, so the buyer's software has no field to read it into and the number will probably be lost. No amount or VAT figure depends on it.

How to fix it

Look for a telex or other extra communication field on the buyer's contact in your invoicing software and clear it, or switch off exporting it. If the number is one the buyer should ring, enter it in the normal phone field instead. It is worth acting on when the buyer needs that number or their platform is strict. Otherwise removing it simply keeps the file clean.

The rule as published

TelexUniversalCommunication should not be present

Where this rule applies