BR-DE-02:Payment terms text recommended
German invoices should include payment terms text (Zahlungsbedingungen) for clarity.
Engine Classification
Business data required · Explicit input workflow · No assumptions made
Required input: Payment Terms (Zahlungsbedingungen)
What is BR-DE-02?
BR-DE-02 is a fatal validation rule defined in the XRechnung (Germany) specification (DEU national rules). It validates the Note element under Invoice > PaymentTerms 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: XPath: /Invoice/cac:PaymentTerms/cbc:Note
Why This Error Matters
Clear payment terms reduce payment delays and disputes. German business practice expects explicit Skonto terms.
BR-DE-02 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.
Validator Behavior
- ·Causes invoice rejection
- ·Rejected by XRechnung endpoints
- ·Error returned: BR-DE-02
- ·Specification: XRechnung (Germany)
How to Fix It
Define terms
Specify payment deadline and any early payment discounts (Skonto)
Add to invoice
Insert PaymentTerms/Note element
Use German format
e.g., Zahlbar innerhalb von 30 Tagen ohne Abzug
Before / After
<cac:PayeeFinancialAccount> <!-- cbc:ID is missing --> </cac:PayeeFinancialAccount>
<cac:PayeeFinancialAccount> <cbc:ID>valid-value</cbc:ID> </cac:PayeeFinancialAccount>
Technical Reference
XPath: /Invoice/cac:PaymentTerms/cbc:NoteCode Example
<cac:PaymentTerms>\n <cbc:Note>Zahlbar innerhalb von 30 Tagen ohne Abzug</cbc:Note>\n</cac:PaymentTerms>Common Causes
- ·Generic templates
- ·Payment terms in ERP not exported
- ·Missing field mapping
Seeing this in production? The API handles BR-DE-02 automatically. See the fix response →
Commonly Seen In
Frequently Asked Questions
German invoices should include payment terms text (Zahlungsbedingungen) for clarity.
This requires user input to resolve. Provide the correct value for `cbc:ID`. Invoice Navigator detects this error and prompts for the required business data before applying a safe fix.
BR-DE-02 is a warning that may not always cause rejection, but it indicates a potential compliance issue that should be addressed to ensure full compatibility.
BR-DE-02 requires specific business data to resolve. Invoice Navigator detects the error and guides you through providing the needed information, then applies the fix with full audit documentation.
BR-DE-02 is commonly seen in exports from All German invoicing software. These software packages sometimes generate invoices that need adjustment to meet full compliance standards.
Related Content
Last updated: 3 March 2026
Resolve BR-DE-02 with Guided Input
The compliance engine detects this error and prompts for the required business data before applying a safe, auditable fix.