10xxx · Message header
CESOP error 10020
“The 'Timestamp' element refers to a wrong value”
Caught before you file
What it means
MessageSpec/Timestamp records when the PSP generated the message, and CESOP does not accept the value given — typically a time that has not happened yet.
Why files get it
- Local time written with a UTC 'Z' suffix, which moves it hours into the future.
- A timestamp copied from a template or hard-coded in the exporter.
- A server clock that is wrong.
How to fix it
- Write the actual generation time with its time zone, e.g. 2025-07-14T09:45:30Z.
- If the exporter runs on a server, check the server's clock and time zone.
Check a file for 10020 before you submit
The free validator runs the CESOP business rules against your file and names the error each finding would become — 10020 included — so the Validation Result is not where you first hear about it.
The file is parsed in your browser tab. No upload, no account.
Source: the error catalogue in the Payment Data XSD User Guide — CESOP, v4.40 (DG TAXUD), §2.2.3.18. The explanation is ours; it describes the file format and is not tax advice.