Companies have been able to issue QR bills since 30 June 2020. This billing format is more secure and easier to manage, meaning you can handle more of the billing function on your own.

On 30 September 2022, QR bills will permanently replace the current red (BV) and orange (BVR) payment slips.

What has changed?

QR bills can be issued three different ways:  

1) If you currently use orange (BVR) payment slips, your QR slips will contain your QR-IBAN  and QR reference information.

If you don’t yet have a BVR number or if you haven’t received your new QR-IBAN, please contact your BCV advisor. 

When you enter payments containing a QR-IBAN, you must also enter the QR reference (the equivalent of the BVR number). This allows your billing software to automatically reconcile your payment data.

2) If you currently use red (BV) payment slips, your QR slips will contain only your IBAN.

Account numbers must be in IBAN format.

3) If you usually include a SCOR reference number on your bills, your QR slips will contain both your IBAN and SCOR.

The new QR bills are designed to meet the Swiss payment standards criteria.

With the new QR bills, you can manage billing on your own – no need to order preprinted payment slips. You can print your bills easily in black-and-white on white perforated paper.

What are the advantages?

• You can print QR bills on your own perforated, white paper – no need to order preprinted payment slips
• You can generate QR bills easily with your accounting software (but check that it’s been updated)
• QR bills can be generated in CHF or EUR
• You can add additional information to your QR bills, such as your company’s registration number or a reference number for each bill, making it easier to streamline your accounting process
• Because QR codes contain more detailed information and use only IBAN account numbers, they’re more secure than other payment methods
• There are fewer data processing errors with QR bills, as the payment data contained in the QR code is simply scanned digitally when the customer makes a payment (by mobile phone, with an optical reader, or at the Swiss post office).  

What should you do to get ready?

As of 1 October 2022, your customers will no longer be able to pay any orange (BVR) or red (BV) payment slips you send out. To avoid unpleasant surprises, you should make the transition to QR bills well in advance.

We recommend that you stop sending out BVR/BV payment slips as soon as your billing cycle allows, but at the latest by the end of June 2022.

To help you make this switch, we’ve put together a quick case-by-case guide (below).

1) If you use billing and accounting software

Your software update should enable you to generate QR bills with a QR-IBAN and reference number, as well as process payment files in the CAMT format.

If your software still cannot generate QR bills or process CAMT files, contact your software provider to find out when this update will take place. If needed, you can buy new billing software that lets you generate QR bills.

2) If you have a BVR number for generating orange payment slips

You should have received your QR-IBANs in the post. These must be saved in your billing software so that you can generate your invoices. If you cannot find your QR-IBAN, please contact your BCV advisor.

For a smooth transition from BVR slips to QR bills, you can keep your current BVR reference numbers (27 digits) as your QR reference numbers. That way, your software will identify your old participant numbers from the first six digits of your reference numbers.

3) If you receive customer payment files that you use to automate your accounting processes

When you receive your first payment from a QR slip, you will stop receiving BVR payment files (v11 files). After that, you will receive all your payment data (from both BVR and QR slips) in CAMT format.

This means that before you send your first QR bill (even as a test), you should make sure that CAMT message files are turned on in BCV-net (Preferences > Camt message files) or in BCV-connect.

4 ) If you order preprinted payment slips or print them yourselfe

You can now print your own QR payment slips on perforated white A4 paper. You can order this type of paper from specialized providers.

5) If you are getting ready to send your first QR bills with QR-IBANs

If your bill recipients use the payment data they have saved in their online banking platform to pay their QR bills, the payments may not go through. To avoid this problem, you should let them know that that they can no longer use their saved BVR payment data to pay their QR bills and that they must create new payment orders.

6) If you issue red (BV) payment slips and don’t already use billing software

You can get a software program available on the market to generate your QR slips and use a commercial printer to print them on perforated white paper. Alternatively, you can hire a third-party provider to generate your QR slips.

7) If you don’t yet issue bills

Contact your BCV advisor to receive a QR-IBAN so that you can issue QR bills. If you send bills only occasionally, you may opt to invoice using only your IBAN.Prenez contact avec votre conseillère ou votre conseiller pour obtenir un QR-IBAN pour émettre des QR-factures. Si vos factures sont occasionnelles, vous pouvez opter pour une facturation avec IBAN uniquement.

Frequently asked questions

• Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the new payment system can be found on the Swiss payment standards website.

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