What it means
The invoice line note (BT-127) is a free text comment on a single line, for example an extra remark about the item. Each line (cac:InvoiceLine, or cac:CreditNoteLine in a credit note) may carry only one.
Why it matters
The standard allows at most one note per line. A file with two does not follow it.
How to fix it
Look at the note fields of the line in your invoicing software. If a line has more than one note, merge them into one note. In the XML, each cac:InvoiceLine or cac:CreditNoteLine may contain at most one cbc:Note.
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
Invoice line note shall occur maximum once 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-SR-34 still fails, and which other rules do.
Related rules
- UBL-SR-35 A line can refer to only one purchase order line
- UBL-SR-36 A line can have only one invoice line period
- UBL-SR-37 A line can have only one price discount
- UBL-SR-39 An invoice can have only one project reference
- UBL-SR-40 The buyer can have only one trade name
- UBL-SR-42 A seller can have at most two tax scheme entries