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Warning

UBL-CR-046: The despatch reference should not include a UUID

In short

Warning: worth checking.

UBL-CR-046 means the despatch advice reference contains a UUID, which EN 16931 does not use. Remove cbc:UUID from cac:DespatchDocumentReference.

On this page

What it means

The despatch advice reference (BT-16) points at the despatch advice, the document that lists what was sent. In a UBL invoice or credit note it is cac:DespatchDocumentReference. This rule checks that the block does not contain a UUID (cbc:UUID), a universally unique identifier.

Why it matters

EN 16931 does not use a separate UUID element inside the despatch advice reference.

How to fix it

If the UUID is the actual despatch advice reference, use that value in cac:DespatchDocumentReference/cbc:ID instead. Delete cbc:UUID from cac:DespatchDocumentReference. If the software adds the UUID itself, ask its supplier for an export that leaves it out. Then check the file again.

Once the file is corrected, check it again for free: Validate an invoice against EN 16931

Or fix the invoice in a form and download the corrected file, for 1 credit: Fix a rejected e-invoice

The rule as published

A UBL invoice should not include the DespatchDocumentReference UUID

Where this rule applies

Rule set Version
EN 16931 (UBL) 1.3.17
EN 16931 (UBL credit note) 1.3.17
XRechnung 3.0 (UBL) 3.0.2
XRechnung 3.0 (UBL credit note) 3.0.2
Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 (invoice) 2026.5
Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 (credit note) 2026.5
SI-UBL 2.0 / NLCIUS (invoice) 2.0.3.13
SI-UBL 2.0 / NLCIUS (credit note) 2.0.3.13
France CTC (UBL invoice) 1.4.0-04
France CTC (UBL credit note) 1.4.0-04
CIUS-RO UBL Invoice 1.0.9 1.0.9
CIUS-RO UBL Credit Note 1.0.9 1.0.9
Rule text from phive-rules 4.6.4.

Check your file

Drop your e-invoice to see whether UBL-CR-046 still fails, and which other rules do.

Updated 6 November 2026