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BR-54:Corrective invoice must reference original

Corrective invoices (type 384) must reference the invoice being corrected.

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NEEDS INPUT

Requires user input: Missing attribute name or value. Cannot auto-fill because attributes contain product-specific information.

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Why This Error Matters

Invoice rejected. Product attributes must have both name and value to be meaningful.

How to Fix It

1

Add reference

BillingReference/InvoiceDocumentReference

2

Include ID

Original invoice number

3

Include date

Original invoice issue date

Code Example

<cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>384</cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>
<cac:BillingReference>
  <cac:InvoiceDocumentReference>
    <cbc:ID>INV-2024-001000</cbc:ID>
    <cbc:IssueDate>2024-11-15</cbc:IssueDate>
  </cac:InvoiceDocumentReference>
</cac:BillingReference>

Technical Details

XPath: /Invoice/cac:BillingReference

Common Causes

  • Item attribute added with missing name or value
  • AdditionalItemProperty missing Name or Value element
  • Custom attribute partially filled in source
  • Template exports empty attribute placeholders
  • Attribute name present but value field empty

Commonly Seen In

All invoicing software

Frequently Asked Questions

Corrective invoices (type 384) must reference the invoice being corrected.
Add billing reference to corrective invoices. You can also use Invoice Navigator's automatic Fixer tool to correct this instantly.
Yes, BR-54 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission to ensure your invoice is accepted by the recipient's system.
Many instances of BR-54 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's Fixer tool. Upload your invoice and the tool will identify and fix common issues, including corrective invoice must reference original.
BR-54 is commonly seen in exports from All invoicing software. These software packages sometimes generate invoices that need adjustment to meet full compliance standards.

Related Errors

BR-35

Credit note must reference original invoice

BR-52

Invalid invoice type code

Last updated: 18 January 2026

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