QR Invoice Switzerland: The Complete Guide for Companies 2025

The red and orange payment slips are a thing of the past. Since September 30, 2022, Swiss banks only accept the QR invoice. For companies working in Switzerland or with Swiss customers, this topic is now mandatory. In this guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about the QR invoice - from technical requirements to practical implementation.

What is the QR Invoice?

The QR invoice is the modern Swiss standard for payments. It replaces the previous payment slips (ESR, ES) with a unified payment section with integrated Swiss QR code.

The QR code contains all payment-relevant information in machine-readable form:

• IBAN of the recipient
• Amount and currency (CHF or EUR)
• Name and address of the payment recipient
• Reference number (optional)
• Additional information

What's special: Customers can simply scan the QR code with their banking app. All data is automatically transferred - typos and manual entries are a thing of the past.

Why Was the QR Invoice Introduced?

The switch to the QR invoice was part of the harmonization of Swiss payment transactions (ISO 20022). The main reasons:

Efficiency: The QR code enables fully automatic payment processing. No manual entries, no reading errors.

Flexibility: Unlike the old payment slips, the QR invoice supports both CHF and EUR. International business becomes easier.

Future-proofing: The standard is based on international norms and is open to further developments.

Cost Reduction: Less manual processing means lower costs - both for banks and for companies.

Structure of the QR Invoice

A QR invoice consists of two parts placed at the bottom of the invoice:

Receipt Section (left)

The receipt section is 62 mm wide and serves as a receipt for payments at the post office counter. It contains:

• Account (IBAN)
• Payable to (recipient)
• Reference (if available)
• Payable by (debtor, if known)
• Amount
• Acceptance point

Payment Section (right)

The payment section is 148 mm wide and contains all information for electronic payment:

• Swiss QR code (46 × 46 mm)
• Amount
• Account (IBAN)
• Reference
• Additional information
• Payable by

Important: The dimensions and positions are precisely defined. The QR code must always be 46 × 46 mm and at the prescribed position. Deviations can lead to the invoice not being processed.

The Three Variants of the QR Invoice

Depending on the use case, there are three variants:

1. QR Invoice with QR Reference

This variant corresponds to the former orange payment slip (ESR). It uses a 27-digit reference number that the recipient assigns themselves.

Advantages:

• Easy allocation of incoming payments
• Proven system that many companies already know
• Optimal for recurring invoices

Requirement: QR-IBAN (special IBAN that starts with QR)

2. QR Invoice with Creditor Reference (SCOR)

This international variant uses the ISO-11649 reference. It's particularly suitable for companies with international customers.

Advantages:

• Internationally standardized
• Also works for SEPA payments
• Check digit for error correction

Requirement: Regular IBAN

3. QR Invoice Without Reference

The simplest variant - without reference number. The debtor is identified in the "Additional Information" field.

Suitable for:

• One-time payments
• Donations
• Situations where no automatic allocation is needed

Requirement: Regular IBAN

Technical Requirements

The Swiss QR Code

The QR code must exactly meet the specifications:

• Size: 46 × 46 mm (without quiet zone)
• Quiet zone: At least 5 mm white border around the code
• Error correction: Level M (15% redundancy)
• Swiss cross: Centrally placed in the QR code

The QR code contains structured data in UTF-8 format:

SPC (Header)
0200 (Version)
1 (Coding Type)
CH4431999123000889012 (IBAN)
S (Address type)
Muster AG (Name)
Musterstrasse 1 (Street)
8000 (ZIP)
Zürich (City)
CH (Country)
...

Paper and Printing

• Paper format: A4 or A5
• Perforation: The payment section must be detachable (perforation or cut marks)
• Print quality: At least 300 dpi for the QR code
• Color: Black on white (no colored QR codes)

Fonts

Only certain fonts are allowed for text information:

• Arial
• Frutiger
• Helvetica
• Liberation Sans

How to Create QR Invoices

Manual Creation

For individual invoices, PostFinance offers a free QR generator. But for regular invoices, this is too cumbersome.

With Accounting Software

Most Swiss accounting programs support QR invoices:

• Bexio
• Abacus
• Run my Accounts
• Klara

With Clever Invoice

With Clever Invoice you create QR invoices automatically. You simply enter your invoice data - or dictate them by voice - and the system generates the correct Swiss QR code.

How it works:

1. Create your account and store your Swiss IBAN
2. Create an invoice (manually, via chat or voice input)
3. The QR payment section is generated automatically
4. Download the PDF or send it directly

What's special: Clever Invoice automatically creates the correct QR invoice according to Swiss standards - including receipt section, Swiss QR code and all mandatory information.

Tip: With Clever Invoice for Switzerland you create QR invoices in seconds. Simply write invoice - the rest happens automatically.

Avoid Common Mistakes

1. Using Wrong IBAN

For QR invoices with QR reference, you need a special QR-IBAN. You get this from your bank. A regular IBAN only works for invoices with SCOR reference or without reference.

2. QR Code Too Small or Distorted

The QR code must be exactly 46 × 46 mm. Smaller or distorted codes cannot be read by banking apps.

3. Missing Perforation

If you print invoices yourself, pay attention to perforation or cut marks. Without these, the invoice is technically invalid.

4. Wrong Positioning

The payment section must be at the bottom of the invoice. The dimensions are precisely specified - stick to them.

5. Forgetting Additional Information

The "Additional Information" field can be used for messages to the payment recipient. Don't forget to enter important notes like invoice number or order reference here.

QR Invoice and International Customers

The QR invoice is a Swiss standard and is primarily supported by Swiss banks. For international customers, there are the following options:

EU Customers: Can execute the payment as a SEPA transfer. The IBAN and amount from the QR code also work for international transfers.

Other Countries: Here a classic bank transfer with IBAN and BIC is necessary. The QR invoice contains all necessary information for this.

TWINT Integration: Some providers also enable payment via TWINT directly from the QR code.

Checklist: Correctly Implement QR Invoice

✅ Apply for QR-IBAN at the bank (for QR reference)

✅ Use software with QR invoice support

✅ Create test invoice and check with banking app

✅ Check print quality (QR code must be sharp)

✅ Don't forget perforation or cut marks

✅ Set up reference number system for accounts receivable

✅ Inform employees about new format

Conclusion: QR Invoice is Mandatory - and an Opportunity

The switch to the QR invoice is not an option for Swiss companies, but mandatory. But it's also an opportunity: Faster payments, fewer errors and a professional appearance.

With the right software, implementation is simple. You create your invoices as usual - the QR invoice is generated automatically. Your customers scan the code with their banking app and pay in seconds. No typos, no payment failures due to wrong account numbers.

Start now: With Clever Invoice you create QR invoices in seconds - fully automatic, legally compliant and professional. Register for free and start immediately.