Everything that matters about QR-bill invoicing paperless
Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship, QR-bill invoicing eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.
Digitalising QR-bill invoicing: what actually works
Access for the fiduciary, the auditor and employees is set by roles: view, enter, approve, close. Well-set rights protect the data and speed up collaboration.
The winning pair for QR-bill invoicing: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.
Outsource QR-bill invoicing or keep it in-house?
The scope goes down in writing: who enters data, who approves payments, who answers the tax office, who keeps the originals. Every “we'll see” at the start becomes a December misunderstanding.
With a shared online platform, collaboration works remotely, documents and entries visible to both sides in real time. The choice widens to all of Switzerland — competence becomes the criterion again, not the postcode.
QR-bills and friction-free collections
Since 30 September 2022, the QR-bill has fully replaced the old Swiss payment slips. The Swiss QR Code carries the IBAN (or QR-IBAN), the amount, the debtor and a structured reference: enough to match every incoming payment to its invoice automatically.
Reference discipline remains: an invoice issued without a structured reference — or paid by a client who truncates it — becomes a manual case again. Coaching recurring clients and keeping your own outgoing payments clean keeps the automation rate at the top.
The Swiss legal frame for QR-bill invoicing
The question is never “do we need accounts?” but “at what level of detail?”. The CO sets the floor; the bank, the tax office and the shareholders set the rest.
One simple principle drives QR-bill invoicing: every franc in or out must be explainable by a document, an entry and an account. All of Swiss accounting law fits inside that traceability requirement.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
Account labels deserve as much care as numbers: “Third-party fees” says nothing, “Fiduciary fees” and “IT fees” say everything. Meaningful labels cut posting errors and make dashboards readable without a glossary.
Comparability over time beats sophistication: a chart stable for five years beats a “perfect” one rebuilt every year. Banks and the tax administration read year-on-year movements first.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a fiduciary for QR-bill invoicing, or can you do it yourself?
Both are defensible. Below CHF 500,000 of revenue, a sole proprietorship may keep simplified accounts itself. As soon as payroll, VAT and a closing with tax stakes are involved, professional support prevents mistakes that cost more than the fees.
Which documents should be prepared for the year-end closing?
Bank and cash statements at the closing date, the inventory of stock and work in progress, final AHV/LPP/accident settlements, contracts signed or amended during the year, invoices straddling two years and the detail of accruals. With an up-to-date document archive, most of it is already there.
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.
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.
Also worth reading
This guide by municipality
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates QR-bill invoicing for Swiss SMEs: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.
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