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QR-bills are a modern, simple and efficient solution for payment transactions in Switzerland.

QR-bills explained

QR-bills are the standard for so-called machine-readable bills in Switzerland. Starting in 2020, they gradually replaced the red and orange payment slips, not all of which were machine-readable. Billers can print the QR-bill on perforated paper and send it by post or digitally.

At first glance, the QR-bill looks like its predecessor payment slip. It also has the receipt and payment part sections, although it now contains a QR code.

The information required for the payment is shown in the payment part in plain text as well as being encoded in the QR code. This information includes:

  • information about the payee
  • information about the payer
  • amount of the bill
  • currency (only Swiss francs or euro are possible)
 

The three types of QR-bill

There are three types of QR-bills that serve different purposes. The difference between them lies in the use of the IBAN and the reference.

  1. For domestic payments with reference
    QR-bills with a QR reference are used within Switzerland and Liechtenstein. This format makes it particularly easy to reconcile invoices and incoming payments. Payees are given a special QR IBAN for this purpose. It contains a different institution identification number to the IBAN but is otherwise identical to it. The QR reference comprises 26 digits followed by a validation code. It meets the Swiss standard.

  2. For domestic payments without reference
    In the case of a QR-bill with a standard IBAN, the reference can also be omitted. The type of QR-bill used – with or without a reference – is up to the biller. The individual information fields can be completed, left blank or combined. For example, the payer field can be left blank in the case of requests for charitable donations from potential donors.

  3. For international payment transactions
    For invoices that are mostly paid from accounts held abroad, a transaction-specific identification number is used on QR-bills in addition to the IBAN. This creditor reference (or “structured creditor reference” – SCOR) conforms to the ISO 11649 international standard. Unlike the QR reference, the creditor reference can be used internationally, not just in the Swiss franc currency area. It allows automatic debtor reconciliation in the same way as the QR reference does for domestic payments. Billers’ accounting software can then easily check whether the account movements correspond to the receipts and invoices issued.

The advantages of QR-bills

Compared to the payment slips commonly used in the past, QR-bills offer several advantages. These include:

Advantages when paying bills

  • Scan information instead of entering it manually: all the necessary payment information is captured simply by scanning the QR code. The error-prone process of filling out payment slips or typing account numbers and amounts is eliminated.
  • Flexibility when paying: you can pay a QR-bill in a variety of ways, such as Mobile Banking or E-Banking, at a Bancomat, via accounting software or, if you prefer, with ۶Ƶ easy or at any post office counter as in the past.
  • Useful standard: businesses can digitally capture, process and automate their own outgoing payments more easily thanks to QR-bills.

Advantages when issuing bills

  • Better information quality: the billing information entered is more accurate because payers scan the QR code to enter it automatically. This reduces the number of errors (through typos), which in turn leads to fewer cases that need investigating and thus lower costs.
  • Simple billing process: although there are detailed specifications on the valid format required for the QR-bill, it’s possible to meet these with the appropriate software. Companies can generate their QR-bills either using their own billing software or for free online and without the need for a login via the ۶Ƶ QR-Portal. This tool makes it easy to generate, print and send the QR-bills.
  • Choice of billing options: billers can flexibly choose how to send the QR-bills to their customers – in paper form by post or electronically via Digital Invoicing.
  • No stockpiling: unlike when sending and receiving colored payment slips, there is no need to order preprinted forms as you can generate QR-bills easily whenever you need them. In other words, you don’t have to physically store, archive or stockpile preprinted forms.

Good to know

The QR-bill gets its name from the QR code. Scanning this two-dimensional graphic (e.g. using a mobile phone or tablet) takes you to a predefined destination. The special “Swiss QR code” was developed for the QR-bill and can be identified by the Swiss cross in the center. It contains the payment information in machine-readable form.

Because the practical graphic codes can also be manipulated, for example by covering them with a fake code, you should still be careful. You will find recommendations from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) relating to the use of QR codes .

The purely digital alternative: eBills

Another simple option for paying bills is the eBill. This type of bill is purely digital. Unlike QR-bills, there is no need for scanning, and paper and letters are not used. The bills or standing orders are sent directly to your E-Banking, where you can approve them. You can see at a glance who the bill is from and how much it is for. Thanks to the digital signature, you can rest assured that the payment request and the sender are correct and not forged. Many companies are able to issue and send eBills, e.g. using ۶Ƶ Digital Invoicing.

Conclusion

QR-bills are a flexible means of payment. In combination with banking apps, they make paying and processing bills significantly easier compared to the previous payment slips. QR-bills are not only more convenient for you as a consumer but also mean more efficient financial and billing processing for businesses.

Good to know

Disclaimer

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Disclaimer

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