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Issuing QR bills

QR bills have replaced red (BV) and orange (BVR) payment slips, which are no longer in use as of 1 October 2022. QR bills are more secure and easier to issue, so you can generate them yourself.
 

QR bills can be issued three different ways:  

 

1) Your QR slips contain your QR-IBAN  and QR reference information.

This format requires billing software and a QR-IBAN. If you don’t have a QR-IBAN, ask your BCV advisor.

 

2) your QR slips contain only your IBAN.

Our QR-generator tool on BCV-net is a quick and easy way of generating bills using only an IBAN. There are other online QR-generators on the market, like Crésus and QR Module.

 

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

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

 

 

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).  

 

How to issue a QR bills ? 

 

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.

CAMT files let you process data from both BVR payment slips and QR slips, which gives you some flexibility in how you adapt your billing processes. For example, you could first change the payment file format and then send your first QR bills.

2) If you had 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.

You now have one QR-IBAN per payment account. If you previously used several participant numbers for a single payment account, please note that you will no longer be able to receive your payment data in separate files. All your payment data will be incorporated into a single CAMT file.

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

Your payment data will be transferred solely in CAMT format. You should make sure that CAMT format is activated in BCV-net (Preferences menu, CAMT tab) or in BCV-connect.
CAMT files, which you will receive from now on, contain all payment data related to a payment account. You will have one file per bank account.
 

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

You can print your bills on perforated white A4 paper, which can be ordered from specialist suppliers.

Please note that if you previously ordered pre-printed payment slips, this option is no longer offered since you can easily print QR bills yourself. QR bills. You can use our QR-generator in BCV-net to print up to 50 QR-bills at once using your account number.
 

5) 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.

FAQ

Red (BV) and orange (BVR) payment slips can no longer be processed as of 1 October 2022.
 

No, you are responsible for managing your own billing. You can use a QR-generator software program available in the market and print your bills on perforated white paper. If you issue bills for electronic payment (e-banking or mobile banking), you can send them to your customers by email in PDF format.

No, you must generate and print your own bills. You can use our QR-generator tool in BCV-net or another online QR-generator like Crésus or QR Module and print your bills on white perforated paper. If your bills are to be paid electronically (through e-banking or mobile banking), you can email them to your clients in PDF format.

If you are not able to generate QR bills, you can invoice using only your IBAN.
 

The Swiss financial industry has published the following guidelines:

Please also note the following:

  • The name of the company that appears on the QR bill must match the name on the account to be credited; the same is true for the QR-IBAN numbers. If this information does not match, your payments could be rejected.
  • It is recommended that you enter all the payment data on the QR bill, so that your payments will be processed completely automatically. The payer can only write in the following fields: name and address of the bill recipient (under “Payable by”) and the payment amount. However, writing in this information will add a processing fee (for example, when paying bills at the Swiss post office).
  • The payer will no longer be able to write in a message to the payee.

You are responsible for managing your QR bills. Unlike with BVR payment slips, you do not need to test your QR bills with us first.

If you wish to test out your QR bills, you can:

  • check your QR code on the Swiss financial industry’s validation portal
  • check the layout of your QR bill using the grid sheet provided on Payment Standards.ch
  • generate a test QR bill and check that it can be scanned in BCV Mobile or paid in person at the post office.

No. Depending on your situation, there are two main options:

  • If you previously sent BVR slips, your new QR slips will contain a QR-IBAN and a QR reference number. If you don’t yet have this number, please contact your BCV advisor.
  • If you previously sent BV slips and you did not already use billing software, you may generate your bills using an IBAN number only, without a reference number. In this case, you don’t need to include a QR-IBAN. 

A third option is to use an IBAN number with a SCOR (Creditor Reference) number. This could be a good option if your bill recipients abroad are already familiar with this standard.

The QR reference number is different from previous reference numbers in that you can organize the 27 available positions (26 numerical characters + 1 check digit) however you wish. Please note the following:

  • You may choose to keep your BVR reference numbers (including the participant number in the first 6 positions) and use them as your QR reference numbers. This will ensure that your payment data is processed in the same way as before.
  • You can, of course, structure your QR reference number in whatever way will best help you to identify certain types of payments. If you choose this option, make sure that your billing software can process payments using the QR-IBAN and QR reference number combination you have decided on.

The payment data, including the value date, creditor account, and the QR-IBAN (or the BVR participant number during the transition phase), are available in the following formats:

  • camt.053: account statement (daily, weekly, monthly)
  • camt.054: QR-IBAN/BVR payment advice (available during the transition phase)
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