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

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

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

The QR-Rechnung 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 standardized payment part with a Swiss QR Code that contains all payment information: recipient IBAN, amount, reference number, and structured payment information.

In an e-commerce context, this means: The QR invoice is not sent on paper, but is provided as a digital payment part during checkout or by email after the order is placed. Buyers scan the QR code with their mobile banking app and initiate the payment. The QR invoice is not a BNPL solution — there is no credit check, and the risk of default lies entirely with you as the merchant (comerciante).

Important: The QR invoice as a payment method in 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 invoice as a checkout payment method, the process is integrated into the ordering workflow, and payment reconciliation can be automated.

2. How the QR invoice works in online checkout: Workflow for buyers and merchants (comerciantes)

The workflow is divided into five steps:

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

Step 2: The order is confirmed. The buyer receives the QR invoice as a PDF by email or directly on the order confirmation screen — containing 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 filled in automatically. The payment is initiated with a single 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: You as the merchant (comerciante) receive a CAMT.054 credit notification from your bank. This contains the QR reference, which allows the payment to be automatically matched to the order.

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

Automatic payment reconciliation is the biggest efficiency gain of the QR invoice compared to classic invoicing by mail. 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) according to ISO 11649 can be used, which also works outside Switzerland (outside Switzerland).

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

In practice, this means: If a customer transfers EUR 89.00 to your account (una cuenta) and the QR reference contains 21 00000 00003 13947 14300 09017, your system automatically assigns the payment to order #13947. Without manual reconciliation, without searching through bank statements.

Prerequisite: You need a QR-IBAN (not just a standard IBAN), which you apply for at your bank. In addition, your software must be able to process CAMT.054 notifications. 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, with the QR invoice you determine the payment term yourself. Usual terms are 10, 14, or 30 days from the invoice date.

If the payment term has expired and no payment has been received, your dunning process begins. In Switzerland, there is no legally prescribed dunning obligation — in principle, you can initiate debt collection immediately after the deadline has expired. In practice, however, a stepped process is recommended:

Payment reminder after 5–7 days overdue, friendly worded. First dunning letter after 14 days overdue, with a new payment term of 10 days. Second dunning letter after another 10 days, with notification of debt collection. Debt collection petition at the relevant debt collection office (Art. 67 SchKG), if payment is still outstanding.

Depending on the amount of the claim, the costs for a debt collection petition are between EUR 7 and EUR 400 in accordance with the Gebührenverordnung zum SchKG (GebV SchKG). You must advance these costs as the creditor.

5. QR invoice vs. classic invoice by mail: What changes for online shops

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

6. For which shops and industries the QR invoice is particularly suitable

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

B2B shops and ordering platforms where corporate clients are accustomed to paying by bank transfer. The QR invoice makes this process digital and automatable.

Shops with a high rate of loyal customers where the risk of default 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 carts (above EUR 200), where the percentage fee of the QR invoice (0.50 %) is significantly cheaper than the BNPL fee (2–3 %).

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Define the payment term (10, 14, or 30 days) and communicate it clearly on the QR invoice.

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

• Decide whether you want to offer the QR invoice alongside BNPL methods — both simultaneously are possible.

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