BR-CO – Conditions and calculations

BR-CO-08: line charge reason and reason code do not match

ErrorEN 16931 business rule (CEN)

Official message

[BR-CO-08]-Invoice line charge reason code (BT-145) and Invoice line charge reason (BT-144) shall indicate the same type of charge reason.

Source: CEN EN 16931, version 1.3.16

What the message means

A charge in an invoice line, for example for special packaging or express delivery, may carry its reason as text and as a code from UNTDID 7161. Both details must mean the same kind of charge. Because no validator can judge the meaning of a free text, the rule is not checked technically and appears in no validation report. It addresses the issuer: the recipient reads text and code, and a contradiction between them costs trust and time.

Common causes

The charge code is taken from one preset for all lines.
An allowance code from UNTDID 5189 was used for a charge.
The text describes the item, not the reason for the charge.

How to fix it

Set per line charge the fitting code from UNTDID 7161, for example ABK for packaging, and a matching text, or only one of the two. In UBL they stand in cac:InvoiceLine/cac:AllowanceCharge with ChargeIndicator true.

Before – invalid

<cac:InvoiceLine>
  <cbc:ID>2</cbc:ID>
  <cac:AllowanceCharge>
    <cbc:ChargeIndicator>true</cbc:ChargeIndicator>
    <cbc:AllowanceChargeReasonCode>95</cbc:AllowanceChargeReasonCode>
    <cbc:AllowanceChargeReason>Special packaging</cbc:AllowanceChargeReason>
    <cbc:Amount currencyID="EUR">8.00</cbc:Amount>
  </cac:AllowanceCharge>
</cac:InvoiceLine>

After – corrected

<cac:InvoiceLine>
  <cbc:ID>2</cbc:ID>
  <cac:AllowanceCharge>
    <cbc:ChargeIndicator>true</cbc:ChargeIndicator>
    <cbc:AllowanceChargeReasonCode>ABK</cbc:AllowanceChargeReasonCode>
    <cbc:AllowanceChargeReason>Special packaging</cbc:AllowanceChargeReason>
    <cbc:Amount currencyID="EUR">8.00</cbc:Amount>
  </cac:AllowanceCharge>
</cac:InvoiceLine>

Frequently asked

Why do allowances and charges have different code lists?

Allowances use UNTDID 5189, charges UNTDID 7161, because the kinds of deductions and surcharges in trade differ; the BR-CL rules check the right list in each case.

Can I state the same charge at document level instead of per line?

Yes, when it does not belong to a single line. At document level BR-CO-06 then applies: “Document level charge reason code (BT-105) and Document level charge reason (BT-104) shall indicate the same type of charge.”

Fields concerned

BT-144
BT-145
BG-28

Related rules

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Technical details

UBL · Context (XPath): //cac:InvoiceLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()] | //cac:CreditNoteLine/cac:AllowanceCharge[cbc:ChargeIndicator = true()]
UBL · Schematron test: true()
CII · Context (XPath): //ram:SpecifiedLineTradeSettlement/ram:SpecifiedTradeAllowanceCharge/ram:ChargeIndicator[udt:Indicator = 'true']
CII · Schematron test: true()

Explanation written on 14 September 2026