CII-SR-407: Leave structured late-payment penalty terms out of the invoice

What it means

The payment terms contain an ApplicableTradePaymentPenaltyTerms element, a structured block describing a penalty or interest for paying late. EN 16931 does not use it. It gives the payment terms as free text (BT-20).

Why it matters

This is a warning, so the invoice is still accepted. The buyer's software does not read the block, so the penalty terms are not visible to them. It is worth fixing if you want the buyer to see the late-payment conditions on the invoice.

How to fix it

Remove the ApplicableTradePaymentPenaltyTerms element. Write the conditions in the payment terms text (BT-20), for example the interest rate that applies after the due date. Look for a payment terms or notes field in your invoicing software.

The rule as published

ApplicableTradePaymentPenaltyTerms should not be present

Where this rule applies