Validate an existing invoice before it goes out

You already generate invoices yourself and want to know whether they are compliant.

Steps

  1. 1

    Send the invoice data to the validate endpoint; nothing is generated and nothing is sent.

  2. 2

    The response carries valid plus errors[] and warnings[] with the rule code and the field involved.

  3. 3

    On failure, stop the dispatch and look the rule code up in the error reference.

The call

POST /api/v1/invoice/DE/validate

bash
1curl -X POST https://api.invoice-api.xhub.io/api/v1/invoice/DE/validate \
2  -H "X-API-Key: $INVOICE_API_KEY" \
3  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
4  -d '{
5  "invoice": {
6    "invoiceNumber": "RE-2025-003",
7    "type": "invoice",
8    "issueDate": "2025-01-15",
9    "dueDate": "2025-02-15",
10    "currency": "EUR",
11    "seller": {
12      "name": "Muster GmbH",
13      "vatId": "DE811128135",
14      "street": "Musterstraße 1",
15      "postalCode": "10115",
16      "city": "Berlin",
17      "countryCode": "DE",
18      "email": "info@muster.de",
19      "phone": "+49 30 12345678"
20    },
21    "buyer": {
22      "name": "Beispiel AG",
23      "vatId": "DE136695976",
24      "street": "Beispielweg 42",
25      "postalCode": "80331",
26      "city": "München",
27      "countryCode": "DE"
28    },
29    "items": [
30      {
31        "position": 1,
32        "description": "Beratungsleistung",
33        "quantity": 10,
34        "unit": "HUR",
35        "unitPrice": 150,
36        "taxRate": 19,
37        "netAmount": 1500,
38        "taxAmount": 285,
39        "grossAmount": 1785
40      }
41    ],
42    "taxSummary": [
43      {
44        "taxRate": 19,
45        "netAmount": 1500,
46        "taxAmount": 285
47      }
48    ],
49    "subtotal": 1500,
50    "total": 1785,
51    "countrySpecific": {
52      "countryCode": "DE",
53      "leitwegId": "991-12345-67"
54    }
55  }
56}'

Where this goes wrong

An invoice can be formally valid and still wrong in substance. Validation checks the rules of the standard, not whether your amounts are correct.

Error reference

Other recipes