CII-SR-03:ExchangedDocument element required
CII must have ExchangedDocument with ID and TypeCode.
Engine Classification
Financial or legal field · Modification blocked by policy
Reason: CII documents require the ExchangedDocument element containing document ID and type code. This is a mandatory CII structure element that must be generated by your invoicing software.
What is CII-SR-03?
CII-SR-03 is a fatal validation rule defined in the cii-d16b specification. It validates the rsm:ExchangedDocument element under rsm:CrossIndustryInvoice 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: XPath: /rsm:CrossIndustryInvoice/rsm:ExchangedDocument
Why This Error Matters
ExchangedDocument contains document identification.
CII-SR-03 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.
Validator Behavior
- ·Causes invoice rejection
- ·Fails CII schema validation
- ·Error returned: CII-SR-03
- ·Specification: cii-d16b
How to Fix It
Add ExchangedDocument
Document header information
Include required
ram:ID and ram:TypeCode
XML Example
Generic example based on the rule's target XPath. Your actual XML structure may differ.
<!-- Triggers validation error --> <rsm:ExchangedDocument></rsm:ExchangedDocument>
<!-- Corrected --> <rsm:ExchangedDocument>VALID_VALUE</rsm:ExchangedDocument>
Technical Reference
XPath: /rsm:CrossIndustryInvoice/rsm:ExchangedDocumentCommon Causes
- ·Missing document header
- ·Missing ID or TypeCode
Seeing this in production? The API handles CII-SR-03 automatically. See the fix response →
Frequently Asked Questions
CII must have ExchangedDocument with ID and TypeCode.
Add ExchangedDocument with document number and type. You can also use Invoice Navigator's automatic Fixer tool to correct this instantly.
Yes, CII-SR-03 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.
Related Errors
Last updated: 18 January 2026
Handle CII-SR-03 Automatically in Your Pipeline
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