How do I fix DE-R-031?

Invoice Navigator automatically fixes this issue by correcting the `cac:PaymentMandate` element in your Invoice (DE-R-031). You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.

Is DE-R-031 a critical error?

Yes, DE-R-031 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.

Can DE-R-031 be automatically fixed?

Many instances of DE-R-031 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.

errorDEUEN 16931

`DE-R-031`:If the group "DIRECT DEBIT" (BG-19) is delivered, the element "Debited...

Debited account missing. When direct debit (BG-19) is used, the debited account identifier (BT-91) containing the buyer's IBAN is required.

Severity

Fatal

Rule set

EN 16931

Country

DEU

Fix type

AUTO-FIX

Confidence

75%

Engine Classification

Ensure invoice period start date is present for XRechnung

Confidence: 75% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is DE-R-031?

DE-R-031 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification (DEU national rules). It validates the StartDate 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: //cac:InvoicePeriod/cbc:StartDate

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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-031 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
·Rejected by XRechnung endpoints
·Error returned: DE-R-031
·Specification: EN 16931

Before / After

Failing XML

<cac:PaymentMeans>
  <cac:PaymentMandate><!-- invalid or missing value --></cac:PaymentMandate>
</cac:PaymentMeans>

Corrected XML

<cac:PaymentMeans>
  <cac:PaymentMandate>correct-value</cac:PaymentMandate>
</cac:PaymentMeans>

Technical Reference

XPath//cac:InvoicePeriod/cbc:StartDate

SpecEN 16931

Operationset_default

StrategyEnsure invoice period start date is present for XRechnung

Common Causes

·Direct debit group missing debited account
·BT-91 required when BG-19 is present
·SEPA mandate missing customer account IBAN
·cac:PayerFinancialAccount absent in PaymentMandate
·Direct debit needs customer bank account identifier

Seeing this in production? The API handles DE-R-031 automatically. See the fix response →

Related Errors

BR-67

An Invoice shall contain maximum one Payment Mandate (BG-19).

DE-R-020

Debited account identifier (BT-91) should contain a valid IBAN if code 59...

DE-R-030

Creditor identifier missing. When direct debit (BG-19) is used, the bank...

Last updated: 27 February 2026

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Handle DE-R-031 Automatically in Your Pipeline

The compliance engine auto-remediates this error with controlled safety policies and evidence pack generation.

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DE-R-031:If the group "DIRECT DEBIT" (BG-19) is delivered, the element "Debited...