The Swiss QR-bill (Swiss QR Invoice) can be used as a fully-fledged payment method in e-commerce checkout — not just for sending invoices by post. After placing an order, buyers receive a QR code that they scan and pay directly via their e-banking app. For merchants, the QR-bill is the cheapest form of purchase on account with transaction fees starting at 0.50 %, albeit without credit checks and without risk assumption.

This guide shows you step-by-step how the QR-bill works in online checkout, how you can automate payment reconciliation, and for which shops this model is particularly suitable.

1. What the QR-bill is in an e-commerce context — and what it is not

The QR-bill was introduced in 2020 by the Swiss Bankers Association (SwissBanking) and the SIX Group to replace the old payment slips (red and orange) with a uniform, digitally readable format. At its core, it is a standardised payment part with a Swiss QR Code containing all payment information: recipient's IBAN, amount, reference number, and structured payment information.

In an e-commerce context, this means: The QR-bill is not sent on paper, but is provided as a digital payment part in the checkout or by email after the order has been placed. Buyers scan the QR code with their mobile banking app and trigger the payment. The QR-bill is not a BNPL solution — no credit check is carried out, and the default risk lies entirely with you as a merchant.

Important: The QR-bill as a payment method in the checkout is not the same as classic invoicing. With classic invoicing, you create an invoice manually and send it — the process is decoupled from the shop. With the QR-bill as a checkout payment method, the process is integrated into the ordering process, and payment reconciliation can be automated.

2. How the QR-bill works in online checkout: Process for buyers and merchants

The process is divided into five steps:

Step 1: The buyer selects "Purchase on account" or "QR-bill" as the payment method in the checkout. The PSP or the shop system generates a QR-bill with a unique QR reference (QRR) or SCOR reference.

Step 2: The order is confirmed. The buyer receives the QR-bill as a PDF by email or directly on the order confirmation screen — complete with the Swiss QR Code and the payment deadline.

Step 3: The buyer opens their e-banking or mobile banking app and scans the QR code. All payment information is pre-filled automatically. The payment is triggered with one click.

Step 4: The buyer's bank transfers the amount to the recipient's IBAN. Depending on the bank, this takes 1–2 business days within Switzerland.

Step 5: As a merchant, you receive a CAMT.054 credit advice from your bank. This contains the QR reference, which allows the payment to be automatically assigned to the order.

3. Payment reconciliation: CAMT.054, reference number and automatic assignment

Automatic payment reconciliation is the biggest efficiency gain of the QR-bill compared to the classic invoice by post. It works via three components:

The QR reference (QRR) is a 27-digit reference number based on the QR-IBAN. It is uniquely generated for each order. Alternatively, the Structured Creditor Reference (SCOR) in accordance with ISO 11649 can be used, which also works Outside Switzerland.

The CAMT.054 message is an XML file in the ISO 20022 standard, which your bank provides to you automatically. It contains all credits with the respective reference number. Your ERP system, your accounting tool, or your PSP can import this message and automatically assign the payment to the correct order.

In practice, this means: If a customer transfers EUR 89.00 to your account and the QR reference contains 21 00000 00003 13947 14300 09017, your system automatically assigns the payment to order #13947. No manual reconciliation, no searching through bank statements.

Prerequisite: You need a QR-IBAN (not just a standard IBAN), which you apply for at your bank. Furthermore, your software must be able to process CAMT.054 messages. Most modern ERP and accounting solutions (Bexio, Abacus, Run my Accounts, Klara) support this natively.

4. Payment terms and dunning: When is the invoice due, what happens in case of default?

Unlike BNPL providers, who specify a fixed payment term of 14 or 30 days, you determine the payment deadline yourself with the QR-bill. Usual deadlines are 10, 14, or 30 days from the invoice date.

If the payment term has expired and no payment has been received, your collection process begins. In Switzerland, there is no legally prescribed duty to warn — in principle, you can initiate debt enforcement proceedings immediately after the deadline has expired. In practice, however, a multi-stage process is recommended:

Friendly payment reminder 5–7 days after the due date. First warning letter 14 days after the due date, with a new payment deadline of 10 days. Second warning letter after a further 10 days, with notice of debt enforcement proceedings. Debt collection request to the competent debt collection office (Art. 67 DEBA) if payment is still not made.

The costs for a debt collection request lie between EUR 7 and EUR 400 depending on the amount of the claim, in accordance with the Ordinance on Fees under the DEBA (GebV SchKG). You must advance these costs as a creditor.

5. QR-bill vs. classic invoice by post: What changes for online shops

Switching to the QR-bill as a checkout payment method brings several advantages compared to classic invoicing:

6. Which shops and sectors the QR-bill is particularly suitable for

The QR-bill as a checkout payment method is particularly suitable for:

B2B shops and procurement platforms where corporate customers are custom to paying by bank transfer. The QR-bill makes this process digital and automated.

Shops with a loyal customer base where the default risk is known and low. If you know that 95 % of your customers pay reliably, you do not need expensive BNPL risk assumption.

Shops with large shopping baskets (over EUR 200), where the percentage fee of the QR-bill (0.50 %) is significantly cheaper than the BNPL fee (2–3 %).

Associations, federations, and non-profit organisations where membership fees and donations are collected via QR-bill.

The QR-bill is less suitable for shops with a high share of new customers and small shopping baskets in the fashion or lifestyle segment — here the default risk is high, and BNPL with risk assumption is the better choice.

Checklist: Setting up the QR-bill as a payment method in your online shop

• Apply for a QR-IBAN at your Swiss bank if you do not have one yet.

• Check whether your PSP or shop system supports the QR-bill as a checkout payment method.

• Ensure that your accounting software can process CAMT.054 messages.

• Define the payment deadline (10, 14, or 30 days) and communicate it clearly on the QR-bill.

• Set up an automated dunning system: payment reminder, 1st warning, 2nd warning.

• Decide whether to offer the QR-bill alongside BNPL methods — both are possible at the same time.

• Test the flow: order in your own shop, scan the QR code and check whether the assignment works.