How do I fix UBL-CR-168?

Invoice Navigator automatically removes the disallowed `cac:PhysicalLocation` element from your Invoice. You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.

Is UBL-CR-168 a critical error?

Yes, UBL-CR-168 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.

Can UBL-CR-168 be automatically fixed?

Many instances of UBL-CR-168 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.

errorUBL 2.1

`UBL-CR-168`:A UBL invoice should not include the AccountingSupplierParty Party...

Your invoice contains a PhysicalLocation element in the supplier party section which is not allowed in EN16931 invoices. This element must be removed.

Severity

Fatal

Rule set

UBL 2.1

Country

All EU

Fix type

AUTO-FIX

Confidence

95%

Engine Classification

Remove disallowed UBL element per EN16931 specification

Confidence: 95% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is UBL-CR-168?

UBL-CR-168 is a fatal validation rule defined in the UBL 2.1 specification. It validates the PhysicalLocation element under AccountingSupplierParty > Party 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/cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PhysicalLocation

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Why This Error Matters

Invoice will be rejected by PEPPOL/EN16931 validators. Safe to remove - these elements are explicitly prohibited in EN16931 and contain no required business data.

UBL-CR-168 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
·Fails UBL schema validation
·Error returned: UBL-CR-168
·Specification: UBL 2.1

Before / After

Failing XML

<cac:Party>
  <cac:PhysicalLocation>value</cac:PhysicalLocation>
</cac:Party>

Corrected XML

<cac:Party>
  <!-- cac:PhysicalLocation removed for EN 16931 compliance -->
</cac:Party>

Technical Reference

XPath/Invoice/cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PhysicalLocation

SpecUBL 2.1

Operationremove

StrategyRemove disallowed UBL element per EN16931 specification

Common Causes

·Source ERP exports full UBL 2.1 supplier address fields instead of EN16931 subset
·Generic UBL template includes optional address elements not needed for e-invoicing
·Conversion from another format added unsupported supplier address elements
·Manual XML editing introduced non-standard supplier party elements
·Invoice software not configured for EN16931 compliance on supplier data

Seeing this in production? The API handles UBL-CR-168 automatically. See the fix response →

Handle UBL-CR-168 Automatically in Your Pipeline

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

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UBL-CR-168:A UBL invoice should not include the AccountingSupplierParty Party...