QR-Bill: 7 Mandatory Field Errors That Delay Payment

A QR-bill that is technically faulty lands in the payer's inbox at best as an unreadable code – at worst, it is rejected directly by e-banking. Many errors arise not from ignorance of the basic structure, but from small oversights in the mandatory fields. Those who know these pitfalls avoid unnecessary follow-ups, delays, and in the worst case, late payment receipt.

Why QR-bill mandatory fields are defined so strictly

SIX Payment Services has clearly defined the technical specifications for the QR-bill. The QR code contains structured data sets that are automatically processed by banks and e-banking software. If even a single mandatory field is missing or the format is incorrect, the machine cannot read the data set – and the person behind it must intervene manually. This costs time on both sides.

A complete list of all mandatory fields for a correct Swiss invoice can be found in the Swiss invoice template with all required fields in one place – this article focuses on the seven most common errors that actually occur in practice.

The 7 most common errors – and how to fix them

Error 1: Wrong IBAN instead of QR-IBAN (or vice versa)

This is the most common error by far. For the QR-bill, there are two valid account types:

• QR-IBAN (begins with CH, contains a reference number in QR-reference format)
• Standard IBAN (also begins with CH, but without QR reference – only with additional information possible)

If you use a QR-IBAN, you must provide a QR reference (26 digits, similar to the old payment slip reference). If you use a standard IBAN, you must not use a QR reference, but only a Creditor Reference (SCOR) or no reference at all. Setting this combination incorrectly makes the QR code invalid for bank software.

Solution: Clarify with your own bank whether a QR-IBAN account exists. Those who do not want to use QR references should use the standard IBAN without a reference field.

Error 2: Invoice issuer address incomplete

The address of the invoice issuer must be complete: name, street and house number, postal code, city, country code (CH). If the house number is missing or the country code is omitted, the data set is flagged as faulty.

For sole proprietors: The business name or personal name must be stated exactly as registered with the tax authority or bank – not a nickname or abbreviation.

Error 3: Amount and currency not consistent

The QR-bill supports only CHF and EUR. If you invoice in another currency, you cannot embed a valid QR code. Additionally, if the amount is specified, it must match the printed invoice amount.

By the way, it is permitted to leave the amount in the QR code blank – for example, if the exact amount is only determined after time recording. In this case, the e-banking system must allow the payer to enter the amount manually. For fixed-price invoices, however, this is not recommended practice.

Error 4: Unstructured message exceeds 140 characters

The "Unstructured message" field (additional information) has a maximum of 140 characters. If you pack invoice number, job description, and project name into it, you quickly exceed this limit. The result: the QR code is not generated correctly or important information is truncated.

Recommendation: Enter only the invoice number or a short payment purpose. Detailed descriptions belong in the invoice text, not in this field.

Error 5: Payer address missing or incorrect

Many invoice issuers enter their own address correctly but forget to fill in the payer's address completely. This field is also mandatory if an address is provided – either completely or not at all.

For unknown end customers (e.g., online retail with individuals), the field can remain empty if the address is not known at the time of invoice creation. For B2B invoices, however, the address should always be stated in full.

Error 6: QR code printed in wrong size or with insufficient margin

The QR code itself must be 46 × 46 mm in size, and the entire payment area (including receipt slip on the left) must be exactly 105 mm high. Scaling, shrinking, or cramming the payment area into a tight layout risks scanners and e-banking apps being unable to read the code.

A common print error: print settings are set to "fit to page" instead of "actual size". This distorts the dimensions and makes the code unreadable.

Error 7: Missing or incorrect VAT information

If you are VAT-liable, you must show your VAT number (CHE-xxx.xxx.xxx VAT), the applicable tax rate, and the tax amount on the invoice. While these entries are not in the QR code itself, they are part of the legally required fields of the invoice as a whole.

The current rates – 8.1% standard rate, 2.6% special rate for accommodation, 3.8% reduced rate – must be correctly assigned. If you are unsure about applying these rates, you will find a detailed explanation in the article on Swiss VAT basics 2026 – rates, duties and special rules.

Pre-dispatch checklist

Mandatory field	Correct?
QR-IBAN or IBAN (consistent with reference type)	☐
Name and complete address of invoice issuer	☐
Amount in CHF or EUR (or intentionally blank)	☐
Unstructured message ≤ 140 characters	☐
Payer address complete	☐
QR code 46 × 46 mm, payment area 105 mm high	☐
VAT number and tax rate correctly shown	☐

If you create invoices directly in the browser, you can avoid many of these errors from the start with SnapBill – fields are verified before the QR code is generated.

At a glance

• The most common error is the wrong combination of IBAN type and reference number format.
• Addresses must be complete – name, street, postal code, city, country code CH.
• The unstructured message field is limited to 140 characters.
• The payment area must be output at actual size (105 mm height) when printing.
• VAT information is not a QR code field, but still mandatory on the invoice itself.
• Careful review before dispatch prevents follow-up requests and delayed payment receipts.