Required PDF for XML or UBL files in Basecone
When you (or your supplier) submit an invoice via XML or UBL, Basecone always expects a PDF to be sent with the same file name, or for a PDF to be embedded in the UBL file. This PDF is necessary to be able to visualise the invoice correctly in Basecone. This allows you to check whether the content you see matches what Basecone actually processes.
According to the official European PEPPOL standard, sending a PDF is not mandatory. However, Basecone does require this.
Without a PDF, we cannot display a visual representation of the invoice. XML or UBL files without an accompanying (embedded) PDF are therefore rejected by Basecone. However, we are investigating options for processing XML or UBL files without PDFs in the future.
Advice for you as a customer
We recommend that you ask your supplier to always send a PDF or embed a PDF in the UBL file. Without a PDF, Basecone has no basis for displaying a preview. If such files are allowed through, you will see a black screen instead of an invoice preview. In that case, you can only check whether the invoice is correct via the technical coding of the file.
For this reason, we have made a conscious decision not to allow invoices without a PDF to enter Basecone. We are investigating whether XML or UBL files without a PDF can also be processed in the future with the correct validation.
New from May 2026: XML submission without a PDF is now possible
Customers can now also submit an XML file without a PDF. These files can be processed in the usual way. Please note, however, that in this case no preview of the invoice will be visible on the booking screen. This means it is not possible to visually check the invoice details whilst booking.
It is also important to be alert to the possibility of duplicate invoices if both an XML file and a PDF file of an invoice are submitted, but they do not have the same name.