Guide
UBL XML invoice export.
What UBL XML invoices are, why they matter for EU compliance, and how to generate them from your invoicing software.
Last updated: June 4, 2026
What is UBL?
UBL stands for Universal Business Language. It is an OASIS international standard (ISO/IEC 19845:2015) that defines XML schemas for common business documents: invoices, credit notes, orders, and dispatch advice.
A UBL invoice is not a PDF. It is a structured XML file where every data element (seller, buyer, line items, tax, totals) has a defined tag and position. Accounting software, ERP systems, and tax authorities can read and process UBL files automatically.
The EU selected UBL 2.1 as one of two approved syntaxes for electronic invoicing under Directive 2014/55/EU. The other approved syntax is CII (Cross-Industry Invoice, UN/CEFACT).
Why it matters.
EU e-invoicing mandates
B2G e-invoicing is already mandatory in most EU countries. B2B mandates are rolling out country by country. When your market mandates e-invoicing, you will need to generate invoices in UBL XML or CII format. See our EU invoicing basics guide for the timeline.
Automated processing
A PDF invoice requires OCR or manual entry to import into accounting software. A UBL XML file imports directly. Your client's accountant loads the file, and all line items, tax amounts, and totals appear without manual data entry.
Data integrity
XML is validated against a schema. If a required field is missing or a value is malformed, the file fails validation. This catches errors that would pass unnoticed in a PDF: wrong tax rates, missing VAT numbers, calculation mistakes.
EN 16931 explained.
EN 16931 is the European standard that defines what a core electronic invoice must contain. It is not a file format. It is a semantic model: a list of data elements, their definitions, and their relationships.
UBL 2.1 and CII are the two syntaxes (file formats) that implement EN 16931. When someone says "EN 16931 compliant invoice," they mean an invoice file (UBL or CII) that contains all the data elements required by the standard.
Key EN 16931 data groups include:
- Invoice header (number, date, type, currency)
- Seller and buyer identification (name, address, VAT ID)
- Payment instructions (IBAN, payment terms, due date)
- Tax breakdown (per rate, with category codes)
- Line items (description, quantity, unit price, line total)
- Document totals (line extension, tax, payable amount)
UBL XML in InvoiceScript.
InvoiceScript generates UBL 2.1 XML for every finalized invoice and credit note. The export is automatic and available from the invoice detail view. No add-on, no configuration.
The XML output follows EN 16931 data mapping: all required business terms are populated from your invoice data. Seller and buyer details, line items with tax category codes, payment instructions with IBAN, and document totals are all included.
The generated XML files can be imported into accounting software (Exact, AFAS, Twinfield, Xero), submitted to Peppol access points, or provided to your accountant for automated processing.
UBL XML included
E-invoicing ready.
UBL 2.1 XML export on every invoice. EN 16931 compatible. No add-on needed.