DEFINITION
An XML syntax for e-invoices that follows the EN 16931 standard. A UBL file contains only XML, with no layout. To read one, drop it into our free reader or convert it to PDF.
What’s inside a UBL file
A UBL invoice is a plain .xml file. It’s written in UBL 2.1, a syntax published by OASIS, an international standards consortium, and its main element is called Invoice, or CreditNote for a credit note. Every piece of information sits in a named field: the seller, the buyer, the lines, the VAT by rate, the totals and the payment details.
UBL is also the syntax of Peppol BIS Billing, the invoice format of the Peppol network.
UBL, CII and Factur-X
The three formats accepted in France carry the same information in different ways. UBL and CII are two XML syntaxes for the EN 16931 standard, and both arrive as a bare .xml file. Factur-X is a PDF you can read, with an XML file inside written in CII.
So if you receive an .xml file instead of a PDF, it’s most likely UBL or CII, and it’s the original invoice. Keep the .xml itself for 10 years, not just a printout.
How to read one
Opened as is, a UBL file looks like code. Drop it into our free invoice reader to see the seller, the amounts, the VAT, the due date and the IBAN in plain language, or convert it to PDF for a copy you can print. The file is read in your browser and never sent anywhere. The reader opens UBL invoices, but not UBL credit notes yet.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open a UBL file?
A text editor or a browser shows the raw XML, which is hard to read. Drop the file into an invoice reader, such as Clivio’s free tool, which lays out the invoice and its key fields in plain language.
Is a PDF made from a UBL file still an e-invoice?
No. The PDF is a readable copy. The e-invoice is the UBL file, and that’s the one to keep, in its original format, for 10 years.
Further reading
Read a UBL invoiceConvert to PDFOpen an XML invoice