DE-R-026:Preceding invoice reference missing. Corrected invoices (type code 384) should reference the original invoice being corr
Fix: Preceding invoice reference missing. Corrected invoices (type code 384) should reference the original invoice being corrected in group BG-3.
Preceding invoice reference missing. Corrected invoices (type code 384) should reference the original invoice being corrected in group BG-3.
Engine Classification
Requires user confirmation before application
What is DE-R-026?
DE-R-026 is a warning validation rule defined in the PEPPOL_BIS specification (DEU national rules). It validates the Name element under Party > Contact in the UBL invoice XML.
The invoice may pass transmission, but this non-compliance can cause problems during tax audits or buyer-side processing.
Target path: //cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:Contact/cbc:Name
Why This Error Matters
Invoice will be rejected by German XRechnung validators. German e-invoicing has specific format requirements for payment details, contact information, and attachments.
DE-R-026 is a soft failure that can cause issues at the receiving end — tax audits, ERP processing, or VAT reconciliation mismatches.
Validator Behavior
- ·Generates validation warning
- ·Rejected by PEPPOL Access Points
- ·Rejected by XRechnung endpoints
- ·Error returned: DE-R-026
- ·Specification: PEPPOL_BIS
How to Fix It
Find the missing or empty field
Check cbc:Name at //cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:Contact/cbc:Name. This field is required but is either missing or empty.
Set the required value
Preceding invoice reference missing. Corrected invoices (type code 384) should reference the original invoice being corrected in group BG-3.
Re-validate your invoice
Upload the corrected invoice to confirm DE-R-026 is resolved.
XML Example
Generic example based on the rule's target XPath. Your actual XML structure may differ.
<!-- Incorrect value --> <cbc:Name>INVALID</cbc:Name>
<!-- Corrected value --> <cbc:Name>VALID_VALUE</cbc:Name>
Technical Reference
//cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:Contact/cbc:NameCommon Causes
- ·Corrected invoice missing preceding invoice reference
- ·BT-3 code 384 should have BG-3 reference
- ·Invoice correction without reference to original
- ·cac:BillingReference missing for correction
- ·Corrected invoice needs link to original document
Seeing this in production? The API handles DE-R-026 automatically. See the fix response →
Frequently Asked Questions
Preceding invoice reference missing. Corrected invoices (type code 384) should reference the original invoice being corrected in group BG-3.
Preceding invoice reference missing. Corrected invoices (type code 384) should reference the original invoice being corrected in group BG-3. You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.
DE-R-026 is a warning that may not always cause rejection, but indicates a compliance issue.
Many instances of DE-R-026 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.
Related Content
Last updated: 14 April 2026
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