Software guides · Exact Online · UBL 2.1
UBL 2.1 in Exact Online
Exact Online generates UBL 2.1 invoices natively for the Dutch and Belgian markets. This guide covers configuring the UBL output, ensuring your company and customer data maps correctly to UBL fields, and validating the output before sending.
- Exact Online subscription with Accountancy or Sales module
- Company details fully configured (address, VAT number, KvK/BCE number)
- Customer records with complete address and tax information
- Administrator access to configure e-invoicing settings
- 01
Verify company master data
Navigate to Settings > Company > General. Ensure your company name, address, VAT number (BTW-nummer), and KvK number (NL) or BCE number (BE) are complete. These map directly to UBL Seller (BG-4) fields. Missing data causes BR-06 and BR-08 errors.
- 02
Configure customer records for UBL
In CRM > Accounts, open each customer and verify: full company name (maps to BT-44), address with postal code and country (BG-8), and VAT number if applicable. For B2G customers, add the buyer reference (Kenmerk) in the reference fields.
- 03
Enable UBL output for sales invoices
Navigate to the invoicing settings and ensure electronic invoicing is enabled. Select UBL 2.1 as the output format. Exact Online will generate UBL XML alongside the PDF for each invoice.
- 04
Create and export a test invoice
Create a test invoice in Sales > Invoices. After posting, download the UBL XML from the invoice detail view. Check that all mandatory fields are populated: invoice number (BT-1), issue date (BT-2), currency (BT-5), and line items.
- 05
Validate the UBL output
Upload the exported UBL XML to Invoice Navigator to validate against EN 16931 rules. Fix any reported errors in the source data before sending to customers.
BR-06Missing Seller Name
Company name in Exact Online is incomplete or uses an abbreviated trading name instead of the full legal entity name required by EN 16931.
How to fix itGo to Settings > Company > General and enter the full legal company name. This maps to BT-27 (Seller name) in the UBL output.
BR-05Missing Currency Code
Invoice created without specifying the currency, or the default currency is not configured in the company settings.
How to fix itSet the default currency in Settings > Company > Financial. Ensure each invoice has a currency selected in the header.
BR-09Missing Seller Country Code
Company address in Exact Online does not include the country code, which is required for the Seller postal address (BG-5).
How to fix itNavigate to Settings > Company > General > Address and ensure the country is selected from the dropdown.
Before exporting UBL 2.1 from Exact Online, verify these items:
- 01Verify company legal name, address, and VAT number are complete
- 02Confirm customer address includes country code
- 03Check that KvK number (NL) or BCE number (BE) is populated
- 04Ensure invoice has line items with quantities and unit prices
- 05Verify default currency is set correctly
After exporting UBL invoices from Exact Online, use the Invoice Navigator API to validate them against all EN 16931 business rules. The validator checks both structural completeness and data accuracy, identifying Exact Online-specific configuration issues.
What UBL version does Exact Online generate?
Exact Online generates UBL 2.1 invoices compliant with the NLCIUS (Netherlands) and BE-UBL (Belgium) specifications.
Can I customize the UBL output from Exact Online?
The UBL output structure is fixed by Exact Online. To add or modify fields, export the UBL and process it through your integration layer before sending. Invoice Navigator can validate custom modifications.
Have a UBL 2.1 invoice from Exact Online 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.