Software guides · AFAS · UBL 2.1

UBL 2.1 in AFAS

AFAS Software generates UBL 2.1 invoices natively for the Dutch and Belgian markets. This guide covers enabling the UBL output, configuring your company and customer data for correct mapping, and validating exports.

Prerequisites
  • AFAS Online environment with Financial module (Profit)
  • Company master data complete (KvK number, VAT, address)
  • Customer records with full address and tax details
  • Administrator access to manage environment settings
Step-by-step setup
  1. 01

    Configure company details for UBL

    In AFAS Profit, go to General > Organisation > Organisation settings. Ensure your legal company name, KvK number, VAT number (BTW-nummer), and full postal address including country code are complete. These map to UBL Seller (BG-4) fields.

  2. 02

    Set up customer records

    In CRM > Organisations, verify each customer has: full legal name (BT-44), complete postal address with country (BG-8), and VAT number where applicable. For government customers, add the buyer reference in the corresponding field.

  3. 03

    Enable electronic invoicing

    Navigate to Financial > Settings > Invoice settings. Enable electronic invoicing and select UBL 2.1 as the output format. Configure the default invoice template to include all required UBL fields.

  4. 04

    Generate and validate a test invoice

    Create a test invoice and export the UBL XML. Upload the file to Invoice Navigator to verify compliance with EN 16931 rules. Check that all mandatory elements are present and correctly formatted.

Common AFAS errors

BR-06Missing Seller Name

Why in AFAS

Organisation settings in AFAS may use a short trading name instead of the full legal entity name. AFAS has separate fields for trade name and legal name.

How to fix it

Go to General > Organisation > Organisation settings. Enter the full legal name in the designated field. This maps to BT-27 in the UBL output.

Full guide

BR-07Missing Buyer Name

Why in AFAS

Customer record in AFAS CRM does not have the full company name populated, only a short reference or contact name.

How to fix it

Open the customer in CRM > Organisations. Enter the full legal company name. AFAS maps this to BT-44 (Buyer name) in the UBL invoice.

Full guide

BR-16Duplicate Line Identifiers

Why in AFAS

When using AFAS invoice line templates with copy functionality, line identifiers may not be unique across all lines in the invoice.

How to fix it

AFAS typically assigns unique line IDs automatically. If duplicates occur, recreate the invoice lines instead of copying them.

Full guide

Pre-export checklist for AFAS

Before exporting UBL 2.1 from AFAS, verify these items:

  1. 01
    Verify company legal name and address are complete
  2. 02
    Confirm KvK number (NL) or enterprise number (BE) is populated
  3. 03
    Check customer records have full addresses with country codes
  4. 04
    Ensure VAT numbers include country prefix
  5. 05
    Verify invoice line items have quantities, unit prices, and VAT rates
Validate your output

Export your UBL invoices from AFAS and validate them with Invoice Navigator to catch EN 16931 compliance issues before delivery. The validator identifies AFAS-specific data mapping problems.

Check a UBL 2.1 file

FAQ
Which UBL version does AFAS generate?

AFAS generates UBL 2.1 invoices. For Dutch government invoicing, it can also generate SI-UBL 2.0 compliant output. See the SI-UBL guide for details.

Can I export UBL invoices in bulk from AFAS?

Yes, AFAS supports batch export of UBL invoices through the Financial module. You can select multiple invoices and export them as a batch of UBL XML files.

Related guides

Have a UBL 2.1 invoice from AFAS that came back rejected? Check it here.

Checking is free. The first verified download every 30 days is free. After that €1.90 per invoice, or €9 a month for all of them.