QR-bill invoicing for architecture firms in Lumino explained simply
Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around QR-bill invoicing in Lumino, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.
Digitalising QR-bill invoicing: what actually works
Digitising does not mean hoarding PDFs: without the document-entry link, a digital file is as opaque as a box of archives — true in Lumino as everywhere.
An SME in Lumino that digitalises gains owner time first: less filing, fewer “where is that receipt?” questions, more attention to the trade — that is the real return of QR-bill invoicing.
QR-bills and friction-free collections
Clear payment terms, a visible due date, exact details: half of late payments come from ambiguous invoices, not bad payers — the finding holds in Lumino too.
For QR-bill invoicing, invoicing fast changes everything: a service billed the week it is delivered gets paid noticeably earlier than a month-end batch invoice.
The Swiss legal frame for QR-bill invoicing
Responsibility for the books is personal: in an SA, organising the accounting is one of the board's non-transferable duties (art. 716a CO); in a Sàrl, the managing directors carry the same duty. Outsourcing the execution never transfers that underlying responsibility, including for a company based in Lumino.
The annual accounts (art. 958 CO) consist of the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes; they must be drawn up within six months of the year-end so the general meeting can approve them. A delay here cascades into the tax return and the final social insurance settlements.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
The test of a good chart of accounts is a single question: can the owner find the margins in three clicks? If not, the chart serves the tax office but not the business — even in Lumino.
For QR-bill invoicing, the right granularity is decisive: enough accounts to steer the business (margins by activity, expenses by nature), few enough that every entry finds its place without hesitation. The VAT accounts (input VAT, VAT due) deserve special care — they are the basis of the annual reconciliation.
Lumino: what changes, what does not
Working with a fiduciary from Lumino no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Lumino are shared online, while the canton Ticino keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.
For a business in Lumino, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Ticino.
Frequently asked questions
When must a business register for VAT?
As soon as its worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (CHF 250,000 for non-profit sports or cultural associations). Below that, voluntary registration remains possible and often makes sense to reclaim input VAT on investments. The threshold is federal: it applies in Lumino as everywhere in Switzerland.
How long must records related to QR-bill invoicing be kept?
Ten years from the end of the financial year concerned (art. 958f CO). Electronic retention is permitted if the integrity and readability of the records are guaranteed — a serious digital archive validly replaces paper binders. A business in Lumino can therefore archive fully digitally.
What is the difference between a limited and an ordinary audit?
The ordinary audit applies to companies exceeding, for two consecutive years, two of three thresholds: CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions. Others fall under the limited audit, and those with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with all shareholders' consent. These federal thresholds do not depend on the registered seat — in Lumino as anywhere.
What are the current Swiss VAT rates?
Since 1 January 2024: 8.1% (standard), 2.6% (reduced — for example food and medicines) and 3.8% (accommodation). Returns must be filed and paid within 60 days after the period ends (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annually under the net tax rate method). These federal rates apply unchanged in Lumino.
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