What it means
This rule checks for cbc:MaximumPaymentInstructionsNumeric within cac:PaymentMeans/cac:PaymentMandate in a UBL invoice or credit note. This element gives a maximum number of payment instructions. EN 16931 has no business term for it. The direct debit information uses the mandate reference (BT-89), creditor identifier (BT-90) and account to be debited (BT-91).
Why it matters
EN 16931 does not use a maximum instruction count in its direct debit information, so this element produces a warning.
How to fix it
Delete cbc:MaximumPaymentInstructionsNumeric from cac:PaymentMeans/cac:PaymentMandate. Leave any mandate reference and account to be debited in place. If your invoicing software adds the limit, adjust the XML export to omit this element rather than changing the underlying mandate. Export again and recheck the file.
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 PaymentMeans PaymentMandate MaximumPaymentInstructionsNumeric 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 |
Check your file
Drop your e-invoice to see whether UBL-CR-436 still fails, and which other rules do.
Related rules
- UBL-CR-437 A maximum direct debit amount is not used
- UBL-CR-438 A direct debit mandate signature ID is not used
- UBL-CR-439 A separate payer party in a direct debit mandate is not used
- UBL-CR-440 A name for the account to be debited is not used
- UBL-CR-441 An alias name for the account to be debited is not used
- UBL-CR-442 The type of the account to be debited is not used