E-Invoicing Germany

Unlike discounts, credit notes cannot be included directly in the original invoice. Because some invoicing systems do not support negative invoice line items, credit notes must be recorded separately.

This means that you must create an independent document for the credit note instead of including it in the original invoice. This keeps the original invoice properly structured, and the recipient can clearly identify the reference.

When recording the credit note, it is important to use document type 381 and enter the credit amount as a positive value. You should also include a reference to the original invoice for which the credit note is issued.

Important: A credit note cannot be recorded as a cancellation invoice.

The fields GrossPriceProductTradePrice and NetPriceProductTradePrice do not refer to taxes, but to surcharges and deductions. If no surcharges or deductions apply to the item, the gross and net price will be identical.

VAT is recorded separately in the section ApplicableTradeTax, where the percentage is specified in RateApplicablePercent.

To correctly display cash discounts in your XML invoices, proceed as follows:

1. Enter the cash discount conditions in the section

   SpecifiedTradePaymentTerms:
   
   <ram:SpecifiedTradePaymentTerms>

<ram:Description>#SKONTO#TAGE=14#PROZENT=3.00#BASISBETRAG=xx#</ram:Description>

Explanation:

• #SKONTO#

  = identifies the entry as a cash discount

• #TAGE=14#

  = discount valid within 14 days

• #PROZENT=3.00#

  = discount rate of 3%

• #BASISBETRAG=xx#

  = amount on which the discount is calculated

2. The actual cash discount amount must be shown under TotalPrepaidAmount in SpecifiedTradeSettlementHeaderMonetarySummation.

Do not enter the discount as a separate invoice line item. Use the structured XML notation described above.

1. Discounts should not be recorded as negative invoice line items. They can be shown as part of the line item or at header level.
2. Enter the discount in SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement
   - Enter the gross price in GrossPriceProductTradePrice
   - Enter the net price after discount in NetPriceProductTradePrice

This way, the deduction is already included in the net price.

Optionally, additional details (discount rate, calculation base) can be added in SpecifiedLineTradeSettlement.

Important: The discount must always relate to the total price of the invoice item, not the unit price.

Document: Abbildung von Abschlägen und Rabatten nach DIN16931

Document: Abbildung von Abschlägen und Zuschlägen nach DIN16391

Document: Abbildung von Zuschlägen nach DIN16391

The error “freight charge not mapped” in SupplyOn indicates incorrect mapping of freight costs. Causes may include:

• Freight charges not linked to the correct booking codes
• Missing mapping in SupplyOn
• Incorrect categorization or formatting

Check whether freight charges are correctly configured and mapped.

Fill in these fields:

• einv.validation.field.partners.seller.contactData.identifier – Supplier contact/department
• einv.validation.field.partners.seller.street – Supplier street/PO box
• einv.validation.field.partners.buyer.street – Customer street/PO box
• einv.validation.field.partners.buyer.country – Customer country

Complete information ensures proper processing.

Subheadings must be entered as free-text lines, not as lines with quantity = 0. Using quantity zero will cause the invoice to be rejected.

Yes. Both formats must match exactly.

XML is machine-readable. If any information is only in the PDF (e.g., delivery date), but missing or incorrect in XML, it cannot be processed and the invoice may be rejected.

1. Correct field mapping

• Only enter the intended values into the fields (e.g., “Order number” should contain only the order number)

2. Structured XML data

• Each line correctly separated: quantity, article number, price, discount
• No combining or duplicating fields
• Discounts must not be entered as negative quantities

3. Avoid typical errors

• Exact match with order number
• No additional notes in the address fields
• Use correct amounts and currencies
• Clean formatting — avoid unnecessary spaces or characters

4. Validation before sending

• Use the preview function
• Use automated validation rules if available

Warehouse rental must be entered via BilledQuantity in SpecifiedLineTradeDelivery.

Ensure:

• Quantity (BilledQuantity) and unitCode match the price basis
• Do not use BasisQuantity, as this will apply the wrong unit (e.g., 1 m³ instead of 1000 m³)

If a line includes both variable and fixed costs:

• Variable costs (per unit) must be summed and multiplied by quantity
• Fixed costs must be added after multiplying variable costs
• Only total variable and total fixed costs should be shown
• Do not mix variable + fixed costs and multiply together (this creates rounding errors)

Errors occur when the PDF contains multiple bank accounts but XML contains only one.

Only the XML counts — the PDF is ignored.

You must:

• Either list all bank accounts in XML,
  or
• Ensure the bank account stored in Siemens master data matches the XML.

Previously paid items may be included, but:

• Do not apply tax to already-paid items
• Tax must only be applied to the remaining payable amount

Otherwise, the system detects tax inconsistencies and may reject the invoice.

At GrossPrice level:

• Only allowances (discounts) are permitted
• No charges (surcharges) allowed
  Even charges with value 0 will cause rejection.

A quick overview of allowed/unallowed XML paths is included (as in original text).

Tax not correctly recorded. VAT must be recorded in ApplicableTradeTax under RateApplicablePercent.

Discounts/surcharges not correctly recorded. Review the section on discounts.

Invoice total incorrect, often due to PDF/XML mismatch or incorrect mixed calculation.

Tax incorrectly entered — same rule as above.

Possible causes:

1. Negative line item
2. Quantity = 0
3. Too many decimal places

Possible causes:

• Discounts entered as negative items
• Invoice mistakenly recorded as credit note
• Mixing invoices and credit notes

The address of the service recipient is incomplete in the XML file of your invoice that is relevant for legal validation. Please fill in the required field “Street / P.O. Box.”

Your invoice in PDF format contains an embedded XML file, which is required under the Growth Opportunities Act. Please ensure that the addresses are provided according to the following format:

<ram:PostalTradeAddress>

<ram:PostcodeCode>POSTLEITZAHL</ram:PostcodeCode>

<ram:LineOne>STRAßE / POSTFACH</ram:LineOne>

<ram:CityName>STADT</ram:CityName>

<ram:CountryID>LÄNDERKÜRZEL</ram:CountryID>

</ram:PostalTradeAddress>

If you have received this rejection notice, please check your XML file. Make sure that the addresses for you, your customer, and, if applicable, the recipient of the goods are entered correctly. For example, ensure that the P.O. box is not included in the name, as this can cause mapping issues.

Please check your XML file for line items with a negative quantity. Negative quantities are not permitted in an electronic invoice.

If you wish to include a discount or rebate, please do not represent it as a negative line item quantity. Instead, you have the following options:

1. Specify a discount instead of a negative line item

The reason for the rejection is that you have reported the discounts as negative line items rather than as discounts.

Here are two documents available for download that explain how to correctly specify discounts. Please adjust your invoices and resend them to the Siemens billing address.

Dokument: Abbildung von Abschlägen und Zuschlägen nach DIN16391

Dokument: Abbildung von Zuschlägen nach DIN16391

2. Alternatively: Issue a credit memo in accordance with EN 16931:
In cases where you wish to invoice a negative total amount or a refund,
please use document type 381 (credit memo).
This document type is intended for precisely such business transactions and is supported by the standard.

Please check your XML file for line items with a negative quantity. Negative quantities are not permitted in an electronic invoice.

If you wish to include a discount, please do not represent it as a negative quantity. Instead, you have the following options:

1. Report discounts instead of negative line items

   The reason for the rejection is that you reported the discounts as negative line items rather than as discounts.

   Here are two documents you can download that explain how to report discounts correctly. Please update your invoices and resend them to the Siemens billing address.
   
   Dokument: Abbildung von Abschlägen und Zuschlägen nach DIN16391
   Dokument: Abbildung von Zuschlägen nach DIN16391

2. Alternatively: Issue a credit memo in accordance with EN 16931:

In cases where you wish to invoice a negative total amount or a refund, please use document type 381 (credit memo). This document type is intended for precisely such business transactions and is supported by the standard.

Your invoice in PDF format contains an embedded XML file, which is required under the Growth Opportunities Act. Please ensure that your bank details are listed in the XML file according to the following format:

<ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans>

<ram:TypeCode>58</ram:TypeCode> <!-- 58 = SEPA-Überweisung -->

<ram:Information>VERWENDUNGSZWECK/RECHNUNGSNUMMER</ram:Information>

<ram:PayeePartyCreditorFinancialAccount>

<ram:IBANID>IHRE IBAN</ram:IBANID>

<ram:AccountName>KONTOINHABER</ram:AccountName>

</ram:PayeePartyCreditorFinancialAccount>

<ram:PayeeSpecifiedCreditorFinancialInstitution>

<ram:BICID>IHRE BIC</ram:BICID>

<ram:Name>BANKNAME</ram:Name>

</ram:PayeeSpecifiedCreditorFinancialInstitution>

</ram:SpecifiedTradeSettlementPaymentMeans>

If you have received this rejection notice, please check your XML file. Make sure your bank account information is complete and correct.

Your invoice in PDF format contains an embedded XML file, which is required under the Growth Opportunities Act.
This error message is usually caused by one of the following three reasons. Please check all of these for accuracy in your invoice and make any necessary corrections.

Option 1:

Your invoices contain errors due to an incorrectly specified price basis. As a result, mathematical validation of your invoices is unfortunately not possible.
You are confusing the price unit (BasisQuantity) with the quantity (BilledQuantity). The quantity is specified correctly, but the price basis is not.

Here is an example for you (not from your invoice, but equally applicable):

ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

<ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>100.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">5.00</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>100.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">5.00</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

</ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

<ram:SpecifiedLineTradeDelivery>

<ram:BilledQuantity unitCode="C62">5.00</ram:BilledQuantity>

</ram:SpecifiedLineTradeDelivery>

<ram:SpecifiedLineTradeSettlement>

What does this mean?
Price unit: <ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">5.00</ram:BasisQuantity> means that the price of 100 applies to 5 units. In other words, €100 is charged for every 5 units.
Quantity: <ram:BilledQuantity unitCode="C62">5.00</ram:BilledQuantity> means that 5 units are billed.

Calculation: The price is calculated as follows: 100 (price) × 5 (quantity) / 5 (price unit) = 100

Problem: The system does not correctly recognize the price unit of 5 units and calculates the price incorrectly.

Solution: The price unit should be set to 1, while the quantity remains the same. Here is the corrected XML:

<ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

<ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>100.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">1.00</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>100.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">1.00</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

</ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

<ram:SpecifiedLineTradeDelivery>

<ram:BilledQuantity unitCode="C62">5.00</ram:BilledQuantity>

</ram:SpecifiedLineTradeDelivery>

<ram:SpecifiedLineTradeSettlement>

Explanation:

Price unit: <ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">1.00</ram:BasisQuantity> means that the price of 100 applies to 1 unit.
Quantity: <ram:BilledQuantity unitCode="C62">5.00</ram:BilledQuantity> means that 5 units are billed.
This ensures that the price is calculated correctly and the system recognizes the price unit correctly.

Option 2:

Your invoices contain errors because you are misunderstanding the terms “GrossPriceProductTradePrice” and “NetPriceProductTradePrice.” It is important to note that the entries for ‘GrossPriceProductTradePrice’ and “NetPriceProductTradePrice” do not refer to taxes, but rather to markups and markdowns. If no markups or markdowns apply to the item, the gross and net prices are identical.
Here is a negative example for you (it is not from your invoice, but applies in exactly the same way):

<ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

<ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>119.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">1.0000</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>100.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">1.0000</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

</ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

Solution: To resolve the error, check whether markups or markdowns apply to the item. If no markups or markdowns apply, GrossPriceProductTradePrice and NetPriceProductTradePrice will be the same amount.

<ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

<ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>100.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">1.0000</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:GrossPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

<ram:ChargeAmount>100.00</ram:ChargeAmount>

<ram:BasisQuantity unitCode="C62">1.0000</ram:BasisQuantity>

</ram:NetPriceProductTradePrice>

</ram:SpecifiedLineTradeAgreement>

Option 3: Discounts were reported incorrectly

The reason for the rejection is that you reported the discounts as negative entries rather than as discounts.

Here you will find two guides on how to correctly report discounts, available for download. Please update your invoices and resend them to the Siemens billing address.

Dokument: Abbildung von Abschlägen und Zuschlägen nach DIN16391
Dokument: Abbildung von Zuschlägen nach DIN16391

This error message indicates that the PDF document you are sending does not meet the requirements of the ZUGFeRD format. ZUGFeRD (Central User Guide of the German Electronic Invoice Forum) is a format for electronic invoices that includes both a visual PDF representation and an embedded XML file.

Here are the main points of the error message:

1. PDF/A-3 Format:
   Your PDF document must be in PDF/A-3 format. PDF/A-3 is a special variant of the PDF format that is suitable for long-term archiving and the embedding of XML files.
2. Embedded XML Invoice:
   The PDF must contain an embedded XML file that includes the structured invoice data. This XML file enables the automatic processing of the invoice data. It is essential to ensure that the contents of the XML file match those of the PDF document. Only the XML file is used for posting, as it is considered the master document.
3. Invoice Attachments:
   All attachments belonging to the invoice must be embedded as part of the XML file and cannot be processed separately.

If your PDF document does not meet these requirements, it cannot be processed as a ZUGFeRD invoice. You must ensure that the PDF is in the correct format and that the XML data is correctly embedded.

This error message means that the version of ZUGFeRD you are using for your invoice does not meet the current legal requirements. As of January 1, 2025, invoices using the ZUGFeRD format must be version 2.0.1 or higher to comply with VAT requirements in accordance with the EN 16931 standard.

To resolve this issue, you should ensure that your invoicing software is updated to a version that supports ZUGFeRD 2.0.1 or higher. For more information, please visit the website of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

This error message means that your invoice in X-Rechnung or PEPPOL format does not meet the current compliance requirements. To ensure that your invoice complies with legal requirements, you should review the structure and data fields of your invoice and make any necessary adjustments.

It may be helpful to update your invoicing software or contact your software provider’s support team to ensure that your invoices are formatted correctly.

This error message means that your invoice's XML file contains syntax errors that prevent it from being processed. Here are some possible causes and steps to resolve the issue:

1. Syntax errors in the XML structure:
   This can be caused by missing or incorrect elements, incorrect namespaces, or incorrect encoding. Make sure that all required elements are present and formatted correctly.
2. Missing required fields:
   Check that all required fields, such as invoice number, invoice date, and currency, are correct and complete.

Please feel free to contact us at E-invoiceClarificationInternal.de@siemens.com Please attach the original invoice.

This error message indicates two specific issues:

1. “Markup/Markdown at the Price Level”:
   According to DIN EN 16931, it is not permitted to specify markups or markdowns at the price level. You should ensure that such specifications are correctly entered at the item level. Here are three documents that explain how to correctly specify markdowns and markups:

   Dokument: Abbildung von Abschlägen und Zuschlägen nach DIN16391
   Dokument Abbildung von Zuschlägen nach DIN16391

2. No invoice number provided:
   Every invoice must include a unique invoice number. Please ensure that your invoice includes such a number to comply with legal requirements.

Um diese Fehler zu beheben, sollten Sie Ihre Rechnungssoftware entsprechend anpassen oder die notwendigen Informationen manuell hinzufügen.