FaeBill

Check an e-invoice – free, no sign-up

Upload a ZUGFeRD PDF or an XRechnung XML file. You see right away whether the format, the XML schema, the Schematron rules and the key mandatory fields are in order.

What is checked – and what is not

The validator performs a technical check in two stages (stage 1: structure and selected mandatory fields; stage 2: formal Schematron check, where a check configuration exists for the file):

  • detection of file format and profile (ZUGFeRD/Factur-X, XRechnung as CII or UBL)
  • validation of the XML structure against the corresponding XML schema (XSD) – for ZUGFeRD/Factur-X and CII in stage 1, for UBL files in stage 2 where a check scenario exists (XRechnung 3.0)
  • check of selected mandatory fields: invoice number (BT-1), issue date (BT-2), currency (BT-5), seller name (BT-27) and VAT breakdown (BG-23)
  • a simple totals plausibility check
  • formal Schematron check (stage 2) with the rules of XRechnung 3.0 (including the EN 16931 business rules contained in it) or, for ZUGFeRD/Factur-X files, with the Schematron rules of the FeRD package (Factur-X 1.09.2); not available for every file, for example not for older XRechnung versions, other ZUGFeRD versions, PDFs without embedded XML, or during temporary unavailability

Not checked:

  • whether the invoice contains all mandatory particulars under Section 14 of the German VAT Act (UStG) and is correct for tax purposes (e.g. tax rate, tax number, VAT ID)
  • conformity of the PDF/A-3 file (we only determine whether a corresponding marker is present)
  • acceptance by your invoice recipient, your accounting system or an invoicing portal

A positive result only means that the technical checks listed above were passed. It is not a confirmation that the invoice meets all legal or technical requirements, and not a certification or confirmation by KoSIT or any authority.

Your file is transmitted only for technical checking to our check services (Google Cloud Run, Frankfurt, EU), processed in memory there, including during the formal Schematron check, and not stored; file content and file name are not logged. The controller is Halo Handelsgesellschaft mbH; the legal basis is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (your request for the check) and, for third-party data contained in the invoice, Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (interest in the technical check and in secure, abuse-free operation of the service); Google Cloud is our processor. To prevent abuse we process a hash of your IP address and the size, format, status and duration of the check; your IP address also appears in the platform logs, already when you open this page. Please upload only invoices you are entitled to process; further information and your rights: Privacy Policy.

Create invoices correctly from the start

With FaeBill you create ZUGFeRD and XRechnung files straight from your invoice data. Registration is free.

Register for freeGo to the e-invoicing checklist

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between XRechnung and ZUGFeRD?

XRechnung is a pure XML format (CII or UBL syntax) and the German specification of the European standard EN 16931; a readable view requires a viewer. ZUGFeRD – technically identical to the French Factur-X – is a PDF/A-3 file with embedded XML in CII format. ZUGFeRD meets EN 16931 from the BASIC or EN 16931 profile upwards; the MINIMUM and BASIC WL profiles do not.

Why does the validator report a format error?

A format error means the XML is not well-formed, it does not match the XML schema, or a PDF announces an embedded e-invoice whose XML cannot be extracted. A common cause is a ZUGFeRD PDF that the generating software created incorrectly. An ordinary PDF without embedded XML is reported as ‘no e-invoice detected’ instead.

What do BT-1, BT-27 and BG-23 mean?

BT stands for Business Term and BG for Business Group, the names of the data fields in EN 16931. BT-1 is the invoice number, BT-2 the issue date, BT-5 the currency code, BT-27 the seller name and BG-23 the VAT breakdown. If one of them is missing, the validator reports an error in the mandatory fields.

Is a passed check enough?

No, not on its own. The check finds formal and technical errors early: stage 1 checks the structure and selected mandatory fields, stage 2 the Schematron rules of XRechnung or of the ZUGFeRD/Factur-X package, where a check configuration exists for your file. It replaces neither a review under Section 14 UStG nor your recipient's own acceptance check. Whether your recipient can process the invoice also depends on its requirements, for authorities for example on the Leitweg-ID.