BR-01:Invoice must have specification identifier
Every Peppol BIS invoice must include a specification identifier (CustomizationID) that indicates which profile the invoice conforms to.
Engine Classification
Add default Peppol BIS 3.0 CustomizationID if missing
Confidence: 95% · Applied automatically in pipeline
What is BR-01?
BR-01 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification. It validates the CustomizationID element in the UBL invoice XML.
When this rule fires, the invoice is non-compliant and will be rejected by Peppol access points and national validation services. The sending system receives a rejection response and the invoice does not reach the buyer.
Target path: /Invoice/cbc:CustomizationID
Why This Error Matters
Invoice rejected immediately. Receiver cannot identify the standard being used.
BR-01 is a hard failure. Invoices that trigger this rule are rejected at the access point and never reach the recipient. In Peppol networks, this means your sending system receives an MLR (Message Level Response) with a rejection status. The invoice must be corrected and re-sent, adding delay to your payment cycle.
Invoice Navigator can automatically correct this error in your pipeline. The fix is applied with full audit evidence, so your compliance trail remains intact.
Validator Behavior
- ·Causes invoice rejection
- ·Error returned: BR-01
- ·Specification: EN 16931
How to Fix It
Identify the correct profile
For Peppol BIS Billing 3.0, use urn:cen.eu:en16931:2017#compliant#urn:fdc:peppol.eu:2017:poacc:billing:3.0
Add to invoice
Insert the CustomizationID element as a child of the Invoice element
Validate
Re-run validation to confirm the error is resolved
Before / After
<cbc:CustomizationID></cbc:CustomizationID>
<cbc:CustomizationID>urn:cen.eu:en16931:2017#compliant#urn:fdc:peppol.eu:2017:poacc:billing:3.0</cbc:CustomizationID>
Technical Reference
/Invoice/cbc:CustomizationIDCode Example
<cbc:CustomizationID>urn:cen.eu:en16931:2017#compliant#urn:fdc:peppol.eu:2017:poacc:billing:3.0</cbc:CustomizationID>Common Causes
- ·Invoice exported without standard EN16931 header section
- ·ERP template missing CustomizationID specification field
- ·Manual XML creation without required boilerplate elements
- ·Export configuration not set for PEPPOL/EN16931 format
- ·Conversion from legacy format omitted specification identifier
Seeing this in production? The API handles BR-01 automatically. See the fix response →
ERP-Specific Causes
Commonly Seen In
Frequently Asked Questions
Every Peppol BIS invoice must include a specification identifier (CustomizationID) that indicates which profile the invoice conforms to.
Add the correct CustomizationID element to your invoice header. You can also use Invoice Navigator's automatic Fixer tool to correct this instantly.
Yes, BR-01 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission to ensure your invoice is accepted by the recipient's system.
Many instances of BR-01 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's Fixer tool. Upload your invoice and the tool will identify and fix common issues, including invoice must have specification identifier.
BR-01 is commonly seen in exports from SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Custom ERP. These software packages sometimes generate invoices that need adjustment to meet full compliance standards.
See Also
Related Errors
Last updated: 27 February 2026
Handle BR-01 Automatically in Your Pipeline
The compliance engine auto-remediates this error with controlled safety policies and evidence pack generation.