errorPeppol BIS 3.0

PEPPOL-COMMON-R040:GLN must have a valid format according to GS1 rules

GLN must have a valid format according to GS1 rules. This validation rule ensures Invoice compliance with Peppol BIS 3.0.

Severity
Fatal
Rule set
Peppol BIS 3.0
Country
All EU
Fix type
INPUT REQUIRED
Category
identifier

Engine Classification

Business data required · Explicit input workflow · No assumptions made

Required input: Correct GLN (Global Location Number)

What is PEPPOL-COMMON-R040?

PEPPOL-COMMON-R040 is a fatal validation rule defined in the Peppol BIS 3.0 specification. It validates the EndpointID 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: //cbc:EndpointID[@schemeID='0088']

Why This Error Matters

Invoice will be rejected by PEPPOL validation. Invalid GLN cannot be used to identify parties or locations on the network.

PEPPOL-COMMON-R040 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 PEPPOL Access Points
  • ·Error returned: PEPPOL-COMMON-R040
  • ·Specification: Peppol BIS 3.0

How to Fix It

1.

Find the correct GLN

Look up your company's GLN in the GS1 registry or on your GS1 membership certificate. GLNs are always exactly 13 digits.

2.

Verify the check digit

The last digit is a check digit. If it was manually entered, a typo here is the most common cause of this error.

3.

Update your settings

Correct the GLN in your invoicing software. This number identifies your company in the Peppol network.

Before / After

Failing XML
<Invoice>
  <!-- Issue: GLN must have a valid format according to GS1 rules -->
</Invoice>
Corrected XML
<Invoice>
  <!-- Issue resolved per Peppol BIS 3.0 -->
</Invoice>

Technical Reference

XPath//cbc:EndpointID[@schemeID='0088']
SpecPeppol BIS 3.0
Operationnormalize
StrategyUser must provide the correct GLN from business records. Auto-fix only works for single check-digit errors.

Common Causes

  • ·GLN entered with a typo in the last digit
  • ·GLN copied from a barcode with OCR error
  • ·Old GLN that was reassigned or deactivated
  • ·Test GLN used in production

Seeing this in production? The API handles PEPPOL-COMMON-R040 automatically. See the fix response →

Commonly Seen In

All invoicing software using GLN identifiers for Peppol routing

See Also

Related Errors

Last updated: 27 February 2026

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Handle PEPPOL-COMMON-R040 Automatically in Your Pipeline

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