How do I fix UBL-SR-44?

Invoice Navigator automatically fixes this Invoice compliance issue by updating the relevant XML elements (UBL-SR-44). You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.

Is UBL-SR-44 a critical error?

Yes, UBL-SR-44 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.

Can UBL-SR-44 be automatically fixed?

Many instances of UBL-SR-44 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.

errorEN 16931

`UBL-SR-44`:An Invoice may only have one unique PaymentID, but the PaymentID may be used...

Your invoice has multiple different PaymentID values across PaymentMeans elements. EN16931 allows only one unique payment reference value, though it can be repeated across multiple payment means.

Severity

Fatal

Rule set

EN 16931

Country

All EU

Fix type

AUTO-FIX

Confidence

85%

Engine Classification

Harmonize all PaymentID values to match the first occurrence

Confidence: 85% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is UBL-SR-44?

UBL-SR-44 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification. It validates the PaymentID 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:PaymentMeans/cbc:PaymentID

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Why This Error Matters

Invoice will be rejected. Receiving systems expect a single payment reference to reconcile the payment.

UBL-SR-44 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: UBL-SR-44
·Specification: EN 16931

Before / After

Failing XML

<Invoice>
  <!-- Issue: An Invoice may only have one unique PaymentID. -->
</Invoice>

Corrected XML

<Invoice>
  <!-- Issue resolved per EN 16931 -->
</Invoice>

Technical Reference

XPath//cac:PaymentMeans/cbc:PaymentID

SpecEN 16931

Operationset_value

StrategyHarmonize all PaymentID values to match the first occurrence

Common Causes

·Different payment references assigned to different payment methods
·ERP generates unique PaymentID per PaymentMeans entry
·Multiple payment options each given their own reference
·Data migration did not consolidate payment references
·Manual editing introduced conflicting payment IDs

Seeing this in production? The API handles UBL-SR-44 automatically. See the fix response →

Handle UBL-SR-44 Automatically in Your Pipeline

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

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UBL-SR-44:An Invoice may only have one unique PaymentID, but the PaymentID may be used...