Reference
Markdown exportBT-12 Contract reference
Reference to the contract that governs the invoiced delivery or service.
Quick answer
Invoice basics
Core document identifiers, dates, process identifiers, and high-level invoice context.
Quick actions
In plain language
Reference to the contract that governs the invoiced delivery or service.
Reference to the contract that governs the invoiced delivery or service.
The contract reference helps buyers match the invoice to the legal agreement behind the order.
What you usually enter here
Internal or external contract identifier
Typical valid values include: CON-2026-14
Optional according to EN 16931-1.
What goes wrong often
Avoid values like: , AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Examples in context
The contract reference helps buyers match the invoice to the legal agreement behind the order.
Optional according to EN 16931-1.
Valid Examples
- CON-2026-14
Invalid Examples
- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
XML mapping and field facts
Open the technical reference if you need XML paths, validator rule codes, legal wording, or schema-specific mapping details.
Field ID:
BT-12
Data Type:
text
Cardinality:
0..1
Requirement:
Optional
Max Length:
50 characters
Since Version:
Optional
XML Implementation
/Invoice/cac:ContractDocumentReference/cbc:ID/CrossIndustryInvoice/SupplyChainTradeTransaction/ApplicableHeaderTradeAgreement/ram:ContractReferencedDocument/ram:IssuerAssignedIDNext step
Create an XRechnung from your PDF
The converter reads the invoice and shows the fields it found before download, so you can check and correct the values. No PDF? Fill in the XRechnung directly in the form.
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Why the standard cares about this field
Business Context
The contract reference helps buyers match the invoice to the legal agreement behind the order.
Legal Requirement
Optional according to EN 16931-1.