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Warning

UBL-CR-676: The direct debit mandate reference must not have a scheme

In short

Warning: worth checking.

UBL-CR-676 means the direct debit mandate reference (BT-89) has a scheme attribute (schemeID), which EN 16931 does not use. It is a warning; remove the schemeID from the mandate reference.

On this page

What it means

When an invoice is paid by direct debit, it can show the mandate reference (BT-89), the number that identifies the buyer's agreement for you to collect the money. In UBL that is cbc:ID inside cac:PaymentMandate. EN 16931 treats it as a plain reference with no scheme. This rule checks that this cbc:ID has no schemeID attribute.

Why it matters

This is a warning. The scheme has no place in the EN 16931 data. It is worth fixing the next time you adjust your export, and sooner if a recipient asks for a file with no warnings.

How to fix it

In your invoicing software, check the direct debit settings and make sure the mandate reference is only the reference itself, with no type or scheme chosen next to it. If you build the XML yourself, delete the schemeID attribute from the cbc:ID inside cac:PaymentMandate.

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 PaymentMandate/ID schemeID

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-676 still fails, and which other rules do.

Updated 6 November 2026