Fix BR-CL-19: Allowance reason code invalid (UNCL 5189)

BR-CL-19 in your own invoice? Upload the file and find every error in seconds.

Check invoice Get an API key

What does BR-CL-19 mean?

If an allowance carries a reason code, that code must come from UNCL 5189 - the code list for allowance reasons.

Common causes of BR-CL-19

Free text such as 'Discount' or 'Loyalty discount' sits in the ReasonCode instead of the Reason field.
A charge code from UNCL 7161 was wrongly used for an allowance.
An internal number (e.g. '01') was entered that does not exist in UNCL 5189.

How to fix BR-CL-19

Find the faulty spot in the XML. Open the XML of the invoice and go to field BT-98 along this XPath://ram:ApplicableHeaderTradeSettlement/ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge[ram:ChargeIndicator/udt:Indicator='false']/ram:ReasonCode
Apply the fix. Code the allowance reason (BT-98 on document level, BT-140 on invoice line level) with a code from UNCL 5189, e.g. '95' (discount), '100' (special rebate), '60' (manufacturer's rebate), '104' (standard rebate), '105' (annual bonus). Free text belongs in ram:Reason, not in ram:ReasonCode.
Validate again. Save the file and validate it again to check that BR-CL-19 is no longer reported.

Concrete fix

Code the allowance reason (BT-98 on document level, BT-140 on invoice line level) with a code from UNCL 5189, e.g. '95' (discount), '100' (special rebate), '60' (manufacturer's rebate), '104' (standard rebate), '105' (annual bonus). Free text belongs in ram:Reason, not in ram:ReasonCode.

XPath

//ram:ApplicableHeaderTradeSettlement/ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge[ram:ChargeIndicator/udt:Indicator='false']/ram:ReasonCode

Before / after: the XML example

This is the spot in question before and after the fix (Cross Industry Invoice, ZUGFeRD/Factur-X).

Wrong

<ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge>
  <ram:ChargeIndicator><udt:Indicator>false</udt:Indicator></ram:ChargeIndicator>
  <ram:ActualAmount>10.00</ram:ActualAmount>
  <ram:ReasonCode>RABATT</ram:ReasonCode>
  <ram:Reason>Treuerabatt</ram:Reason>
</ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge>

Correct

<ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge>
  <ram:ChargeIndicator><udt:Indicator>false</udt:Indicator></ram:ChargeIndicator>
  <ram:ActualAmount>10.00</ram:ActualAmount>
  <ram:ReasonCode>95</ram:ReasonCode>
  <ram:Reason>Treuerabatt</ram:Reason>
</ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge>

Frequent questions about BR-CL-19

Do I have to give a reason as text next to the code?

The code (BT-98) satisfies the rule. You may add plain text in ram:Reason (BT-97), but that is optional.

Does the rule also apply to allowances on invoice line level?

Yes. On line level it is BT-140 under ram:SpecifiedLineTradeSettlement/ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge. There too the code must come from UNCL 5189.

Related error codes

Check BR-CL-19 automatically

Instead of digging through the XML by hand you can validate your ZUGFeRD or XRechnung file online – upload the PDF or the XML and you get every error with rule ID, affected field, fix and XPath, as a readable report or as JSON through the API.

Validate online now Back to the lexicon