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Compliance Network Implementation Guide

About Sovos application responses

Application responses communicate document processing status through multiple status codes that describe your document's journey through the Sovos platform and tax authority systems.

Application responses are formatted in UBL 2.1 and carry status updates and attachments, such as cleared invoices, generated PDFs, or tax authority messages.

Where application responses appear

The Indirect Tax API returns application responses as Base64-encoded strings in the content field of the response in the following cases:

Method Endpoint Description
POST /documents Document creation. Returns an application response only when you specify one business scope (for example, mapping) in the new document (synchronous).
GET /documents/{countryCode}/{documentId}/notifications Returns all notifications for a given document.
GET /notifications/{countryCode} Lists notifications pending acknowledgment for a given country.
GET /notifications/{countryCode}/{notificationId} Retrieves a specific notification.

Response codes and status reason codes

Each application response contains one Sovos response code and several status reason codes that provide document status and help determine when further action is required.

The following response code and status reason codes can appear in the application response:

Code Code type Display frequency Description
SCIResponseCode Response code Always Shows the overall compliance status of the document.
SCICloudStatusCode Status reason code At least once Provides more specific information about the status of the document and helps you understand why the document received a particular SCIResponseCode.
SCIGovtStatusCode Status reason code In some cases Comes from the tax authority of the relevant market.
SCIStatusAction Status reason code In some cases Informs you when additional action is required.
SCIInternalValidation Status reason code In some cases Informs you when Sovos detects validation errors for market-specific validation. Shows the fields in the document that need to be fixed.
Note:

The system performs schema validation sequentially, from top to bottom, according to the structure of the schema (XSD) for the applicable market. Validation stops and returns an error as soon as it finds a mandatory field, so no further validation is performed on the remaining fields.

SCIResponseCode (primary)

SCIResponseCode is a two-letter response code that is always included in the application response. It provides the overall compliance status of a document, the primary processing logic for implementers, and indicates whether a document has been processed successfully.

This is the most important status element within the application response. Base your primary decision logic on this code.

SCICloudStatusCode (detailed)

SCICloudStatusCode is a unique three-digit status code that provides additional status information for the SCIResponseCode. This code appears one or more times in the application response.

SCICloudStatusCode provides specific information about which processing stage completed or failed, giving you context for the SCIResponseCode.

Elements:

  • StatusReason — Explains what the status code means.
  • Text — May be included to offer more in-depth details.

SCIGovtStatusCode (tax authority)

SCIGovtStatusCode comes directly from the tax authority of certain countries. Sovos collects the tax authority response and passes along the raw error message to the calling application or customer.

This code offers similar information to the Sovos-generated SCIResponseCode and SCICloudStatusCode. However, it is usually accompanied by a local language rationale for the error, such as:

  • Address field format is invalid
  • Tax ID length is incorrect
  • Duplicate invoice number
  • Invalid tax calculation

Elements:

  • StatusReason - Explains what the status code means (often in local language).
  • SequenceID - May be included to represent the legal tracking ID provided by the tax authority.
Tip:

For a comprehensive list of government status codes, go to the corresponding tax authority's website. Your country-specific implementation guide covers links to official tax authority error code documentation.

SCIStatusAction (action required)

SCIStatusAction is a three-letter status code based on SCIResponseCode. It identifies any additional required action and is included at least once in every application response.

SCIInternalValidation (validation errors)

SCIInternalValidation is a code that identifies country-specific schema validation errors. This code highlights the specific field or node that is causing validation errors so you can review and correct them.

When the Sovos validation service detects market-specific validation errors in the document, SCIInternalValidation appears in the application response showing exactly which fields need to be fixed.

Sample application response

A sample application response shows how status codes appear together in a single XML response.

CODE 
<ApplicationResponse>
  <cac:DocumentResponse>
    <cac:Response>
      <!-- PRIMARY: Overall status -->
      <cbc:ResponseCode listID="SCIResponseCode">AP</cbc:ResponseCode>
      
      <!-- DETAILED: Sovos processing status -->
      <cac:Status>
        <cbc:StatusReasonCode listID="SCICloudStatusCode">200</cbc:StatusReasonCode>
        <cbc:StatusReason>Authorized by the tax authority</cbc:StatusReason>
      </cac:Status>
      
      <!-- TAX AUTHORITY: Government response -->
      <cac:Status>
        <cbc:StatusReasonCode listID="SCIGovtStatusCode">S100</cbc:StatusReasonCode>
        <cbc:StatusReason>Invoice authorized. Number: 278754</cbc:StatusReason>
        <cbc:SequenceID>278754</cbc:SequenceID>
      </cac:Status>
      
      <!-- ACTION: What to do -->
      <cac:Status>
        <cbc:StatusReasonCode listID="SCIStatusAction">NOA</cbc:StatusReasonCode>
        <cbc:StatusReason>No action required</cbc:StatusReason>
      </cac:Status>
    </cac:Response>
  </cac:DocumentResponse>
</ApplicationResponse>

You receive all of these status codes in a single response. Check them in order to understand the complete status.

How status codes work together

Status codes work together to tell the complete story of your document's processing status.

Reading the complete story

Step 1: Check SCIResponseCode first
This tells you the overall outcome:
Code Name Meaning Next action
AP Accepted Document approved Check SCICloudStatusCode for details, proceed with delivery.
RE Rejected Document rejected or error Check SCICloudStatusCode and SCIGovtStatusCode for reason, fix, and resubmit.
IP In Process Still processing Continue polling.
CA Conditionally Accepted Accepted with conditions Check SCIGovtStatusCode for conditions.
AB Acknowledgement Receipt acknowledged Continue polling.
Step 2: Check SCICloudStatusCode for specifics
This tells you which processing stage completed and provides the detailed explanation:
Important:

209 means "Workflow complete," not "Success." Check SCICloudStatusCode, StatusReason or SCIStatusAction for more information.

Step 3: Check SCIStatusAction
This tells you what action to take:
Tip:

The tax authority's raw response code and message, often in local language, are available in SCIGovtStatusCode . Use SCICloudStatusCode and StatusReason to drive your primary decision logic. Sovos has already interpreted the tax authority response so you get clear, actionable status information.

Interpreting combined status codes

Scenario 1: Document successfully authorized
CODE 
SCIResponseCode: AP
SCICloudStatusCode: 200
StatusReason: "Invoice authorized by tax authority"
SCIStatusAction: NOA

Document authorized by tax authority. No further action needed.

Scenario 2: Document rejected
CODE 
SCIResponseCode: RE
SCICloudStatusCode: 400
StatusReason: "Tax authority rejected: Invalid tax ID format"
SCIStatusAction: NIN

Tax authority rejected the document due to invalid tax ID. Fix the tax ID and submit a new invoice. Sovos has translated the tax authority's rejection reason into clear English.

Scenario 3: Still processing
CODE 
SCIResponseCode: IP
SCICloudStatusCode: 105
StatusReason: "Tax authority is processing the document"
SCIStatusAction: NOA

Document transmitted, tax authority is processing. Continue polling for final status.

About document attachments

Application responses for authorized and completed documents typically include attachments such as cleared invoices and PDF renderings.

Application responses for status 200 (document.authorized) and 209 (workflow complete) typically include the following document attachments:

  • LegalCleared - Country-specific format with tax authority clearance metadata.
  • PDF - PDF rendering (if configured).

These attachments provide the cleared invoice and proof of authorization.

Processing multiple notifications

You may receive multiple notifications for a single document as it progresses through processing stages. Each notification represents an event or milestone.

Use documentId to correlate notifications.

Processing order

Use timestamps to process in chronological order. Notifications may arrive out of sequence. Use the createdAt timestamp to order notifications chronologically and track progression.

Track progression using SCICloudStatusCode:
  • 100 > 101 > 104 > 105 > 200 (successful authorization)
  • 100 > 101 > 400 (rejected)

Implement idempotent processing. Each notification has a unique notificationId. Track which notifications you have processed to avoid duplicate handling.

Determining final document status

The most important status element is the SCIResponseCode. A document is complete when you receive one of the final SCI response codes (AP, RE, or CA).

When you have multiple notifications, apply the following status code priority for final determination:
  1. Highest priority: document.cancelled (201) — If a document was authorized then cancelled, the cancellation takes precedence.
  2. Next: document.authorized (200) — Authorization status indicates tax authority approval.
  3. Then: Rejection codes (400-404) — If no authorization or cancellation, check for rejection status.
  4. Finally: In Process (IP) — If none of the previous conditions apply, the document is still processing.

Valid status code combinations

Not all status code combinations are valid. Understanding which combinations can occur helps you implement correct response handling logic.

Valid combinations
SCICloudStatusCode SCIResponseCode Scenario
100-105 IP Processing stages
200 AP or CA Authorization (standard or conditional)
201 AP Cancellation successful
202 RE Use denied
207 AP PDF created
208 AB Archived
209 AP Workflow completed (check other status codes for outcome)
400 RE Rejected
401 RE Processing error
500-504 RE System or network errors
Invalid combinations
If you observe any of the following combinations, it indicates a problem that you should report to Sovos:
SCICloudStatusCode SCIResponseCode Why invalid
200 RE Authorization cannot be rejected.
400 AP Rejection cannot be accepted.
201 RE Cancellation cannot be rejected.

If you see invalid combinations in your application responses, flag them as problems. This helps Sovos identify and fix system problems.

Reference: SCIResponseCode values

SCIResponseCode is a two-letter response code that provides the overall compliance status of a document.

Code Name Description Terminal?
AP Accepted Document accepted or workflow successful Yes
RE Rejected Document rejected or processing failed Yes
CA Conditionally Accepted Accepted with conditions Yes
IP In Process Processing ongoing No
AB Message Acknowledgement Receipt acknowledged No
UQ Under Query Processing halted pending response No
PD Paid Payment completed Yes

Terminal codes (AP, RE, CA) indicate final status. Non-terminal codes (IP, AB, UQ) mean continue polling.

Reference: SCICloudStatusCode values

The following table provides the complete reference for all status codes across all markets. Only a subset of these status codes are used in each country or region. Your country-specific implementation guide covers which status codes apply to your market.

Code Event SCIResponseCode Description
100 series — Processing stages
100 document.received IP Document received by SovosSovos
101 document.mapped IP Transformed to Sovos Canonical InvoiceSCI
102 document.validated IP Schema validation passed
103 document.signed IP Digital signature applied
104 document.transmitted IP Sent to tax authority
105 document.processing IP Tax authority processing (may repeat)
106 document.processingInternally IP Sovos internal processing
107 action.received AB Action request received
108 document.processingByRecipient IP Buyer processing document
200 series — Success or completion
200 document.authorized AP or CA Tax authority authorized document
201 document.cancelled AP Document canceled successfully
202 document.denied RE Use denied by tax authority
203 document.acceptedByRecipient AP Buyer accepted document
204 document.distributed AB Delivered to recipient
205 document.printed AB Document printed
206 document.finalized AP Document finalized
207 document.pdf.created AP PDF generated
208 document.archived AB Stored for compliance
209 workflow.completed AP Workflow finished — check other status codes for outcome
210 document.approved AP Approved by counterparty
212 document.commerciallyRejected AP Rejection acknowledged
213 document.paymentSentByRecipient AB Payment sent by the buyer
214 document.validatedByRecipientPlatform AB Validated by the buyer platform
215 document.madeAvailableToRecipient AB Made available to the buyer
216 document.acknowledgedByRecipient AP Buyer acknowledged receipt
217 document.partiallyAcceptedByRecipient CA Partially accepted by the buyer
218 document.disputedByRecipient IP Disputed by the buyer
219 document.suspendedByRecipient IP Suspended by the buyer
220 document.paymentReceived AP Payment received
221 document.endorsed IP Document endorsed
222 document.continued IP Continue request accepted/acknowledged by the tax authority
223 document.hearingRequested IP Hearing request accepted/acknowledged by the tax authority
225 document.conditionallyAcceptedByRecipient CA Conditionally accepted by the recipient
226 document.query AP Query response received
227 document.qrcode.created IP QR code created
228 document.reportAcceptedByTaxAuthority AB Report accepted by the tax authority
229 document.receivedSuccessfullyByTaxAuthority AB Received successfully by the tax authority
231 document.reportSubmittedToTaxAuthority AB Report submitted to the tax authority
232 document.submittedToTaxAuthority AB Document submitted to the tax authority
233 document.madeAvailableToTaxAuthority AB Document made available to the tax authority
234 document.reportNotReceivedByTaxAuthority AB Tax authority did not receive report notification
235 document.reportReceivedByTaxAuthority AB Report received by the tax authority
400 series — Document errors
400 document.rejected RE Tax authority rejected document
401 document.error RE Error processing document
402 document.notFound RE Document not found
403 document.cancellationRejected RE Cancellation request denied
404 document.processedPreviously RE Document already processed
405 document.rejectedByRecipient RE Buyer rejected document
406 document.alreadyInProgress RE Duplicate submission detected
407 document.reportRejectedByTaxAuthority RE Tax authority rejected report
408 document.recipientNotFound RE Recipient not registered on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) PEPPOL network
409 document.recipientUnreachable RE Recipient registered on the UAE PEPPOL network but unreachable
410 document.signingFailed RE Digital signature failed
500 series — System errors
500 system.error RE Internal system error
501 taxAuthority.unavailable RE Tax authority service down
502 request.invalidParameters RE Invalid input parameters
503 request.invalidCredentials RE Authentication failed
504 process.Timeout RE Processing timeout
505 system.error RE PDF document generation failed
Tip:

Sovos automatically retries 5xx errors. Continue polling with the document processing status parameter. 505 shares the system.error event with code 500, so subscribing to system.error gives you notifications for both.

5xx notifications guidance

A 5xx notification with sciResponseCode=RE indicates a transient processing problem. It doesn't override or invalidate a previously received positive notification (for example, 200/AP).

Use the following guidance when your integration receives a 5xx notification:

  • If you already got a positive compliance notification such as 200/AP for authorization, the document's tax authority status remains valid. The 5xx indicates a downstream processing step had a problem. Sovos retries automatically.

  • If you subscribe to later lifecycle events such as 207 (PDF Created) or 209 (Workflow Completed), keep polling. You get those notifications when retries succeed.

  • Treat a 5xx notification as a terminal failure only if no later positive notification arrives within the configured retry window.

Important:

Don't treat sciResponseCode=RE on a 5xx event as the final document status. Always use the highest-priority positive notification you've received as the authoritative document state.

Reference: SCIStatusAction values

SCIStatusAction is a three-letter status code that identifies any additional required action.

Code Name Meaning
NOA No Action Processing complete or progressing normally
NIN New Invoice Needed Fix errors and resubmit
OTH Other Your country implementation guide covers specific guidance for this code
Compliance Network Indirect Tax API Internal Partner Implementation Developer

Last updated: October 1, 2026