PEPPOL-EN16931-R008: Empty XML elements are forbidden
Empty XML elements are forbidden; populate the business process identifier or omit optional empty elements.
What the rule says
[PEPPOL-EN16931-R008]-Document MUST not contain empty elements.
Official xrechnung source, version 2.6.0 / XRechnung 3.0.2. Apache 2.0; sources, licences and notices. Syntax and business checks are separate; this is not certification.
Empty XML elements are forbidden
Empty XML elements are forbidden. The controlled example changes the specific field or group named by this rule. Set only /*/cbc:ProfileID to ''.
Business terms: No explicit BT number in the official rule text; use the XML context below.
Populate the business process identifier or omit optional empty elements.
Reproduced failure and correction
Tested on 2 November 2026 with the production SaxonC-HE 13.1 / saxonche 13.1.1 engine, xrechnung mode, UBL. The XSD passes; the report then contains PEPPOL-EN16931-R008. Restoring this fragment makes the complete original invoice pass the selected checks.
[PEPPOL-EN16931-R008]-Document MUST not contain empty elements.Additional triggered rules: 0. None. Counts include distinct error and warning codes; the target code is excluded.
Precise mutated XPath: /*/cbc:ProfileID.
Before: triggers this rule
<ns0:ProfileID xmlns:ns0="urn:oasis:names:specification:ubl:schema:xsd:CommonBasicComponents-2" />
After: passes
<ns0:ProfileID xmlns:ns0="urn:oasis:names:specification:ubl:schema:xsd:CommonBasicComponents-2">urn:fdc:peppol.eu:2017:poacc:billing:01:1.0</ns0:ProfileID>
The context shown is part of a complete invoice; it is not a standalone invoice. Mutation: value at /*/cbc:ProfileID. The passing baseline is validated with the selected pinned package. UBL examples use a controlled single-line adaptation of the official XRechnung example; the CII example uses the official EN 16931 baseline.
Download complete failing invoice · Download complete passing invoice
Check the rest of the invoice
Repair the source data and exporter, then validate the complete invoice again with the same package. Review every remaining error and warning; a passing rule is not a guarantee of recipient acceptance.
EN 16931 syntax and business checks · XRechnung profile requirements · Pro/Team batch checks.