Checking ZUGFeRD: errors before the DATEV import

Nicely rendered does not mean importable

The visible PDF page reveals nothing about whether the import works. Decisive is the embedded XML — and that is where the stumbling blocks lurk.

Whoever only notices at posting that something is wrong has hit the most expensive moment. The check belongs before that.

Five check points a ZUGFeRD invoice should pass before the DATEV import.

Error 1: no XML embedded at all

It happens more often than you think: a supposed ZUGFeRD invoice is in truth a normal PDF without an embedded file. The import then finds no data to take over.

The quick test is the attachment bar in the PDF reader. If there is no factur-x.xml or zugferd-invoice.xml, it is not a real ZUGFeRD invoice.

Error 2: wrong or too-lean profile

If an XML is inside, the next question is the profile. MINIMUM or BASIC WL carry too little for a full posting. The import then pulls incomplete data — or aborts.

It should be at least profile EN 16931. Trusting the mere existence of an XML is not enough.

Error 3: damaged or inconsistent file

Sometimes the XML is there but structurally defective, truncated, or the totals do not match the visible page. Such files should be detected before they are posted — otherwise the posting is wrong although the import “worked”.

Precisely the silent variant — import succeeds, data is wrong — is dangerous because it only surfaces in the close.

Check before DATEV does

A short check order that catches most problems:

Is an XML embedded at all?
Does it carry at least profile EN 16931?
Is the file structurally undamaged?
Are the mandatory details complete?
Do the totals in the XML match the visible page?

Frequently asked questions

Why does my ZUGFeRD import fail in DATEV?

Common reasons: no embedded XML, a too-lean profile (MINIMUM/BASIC WL), a damaged file or missing mandatory details. A prior check catches that.

How do I tell whether an XML is embedded?

Via the attachment or paperclip bar in the PDF reader. If no XML file is there, it is not a real ZUGFeRD invoice.

Which profile does ZUGFeRD need for DATEV?

At least EN 16931 (formerly Comfort). MINIMUM and BASIC WL contain too little data for a full posting.

What is more dangerous than a failed import?

A successful import with wrong data. Damaged or inconsistent files can be silently taken over wrong and only surface in the close.

When should I check ZUGFeRD?

Before the import, not after. Validation at intake prevents faulty data from entering accounting at all.

Checking ZUGFeRD: typical errors before the DATEV import