BVR, BVRB, SBVR: what are the differences?

Did you know that payment slips have been used in Switzerland since 1906? Back then, they were green, split into three sections, and were used by the postal service.

More than a century later, the first Swiss QR-bills have arrived on the scene and are gradually replacing the old orange and red payment slips. But how well do you really know these payment slips and what sets them apart?

What is a payment slip?

A payment slip is a document used in Switzerland to make a payment (in cash, or by bank or postal transfer) into a bank account.

This payment method, offered by PostFinance (the financial arm of Swiss Post), has been used across Switzerland since 1906, in various forms that have evolved over time.

In recent years, seven different types of payment slips have accompanied the majority of invoices issued in Switzerland, used by both individuals and businesses.

Payment slips do offer certain advantages. Recipients receive all the information they need to make a payment on a single document. What’s more, when a printed payment slip is attached to an invoice, the recipient doesn’t need to fill in all this information by hand.

Please note: as QR-bills increasingly replace payment slips, b-sharpe no longer supports these older payment methods, offering instead the most modern, efficient and cost-effective payment solutions.

What are the differences between red and orange payment slips?

Among the seven types of payment slips commonly used in Switzerland, two main categories stand out: red payment slips and orange payment slips.

Also known as a “payment slip without a reference number”, the red payment slip (BV) allows a direct payment to be made into a recipient’s bank account. It is generally filled in by hand.

Also known as a “payment slip with a reference number”, the orange payment slip (BVR) allows payments to be made automatically into a recipient’s account, since it is pre-filled by the invoice issuer.

Beyond this fundamental distinction, red and orange payment slips differ in a number of other ways.

Unlike red payment slips, orange payment slips:

• have a reference number and are assigned to debtors individually;
• allow payment reconciliation to be automated;
• allow reminders to be sent simply and automatically.

Unlike orange payment slips, red payment slips:

• can be processed entirely by hand;
• include an additional information field where needed;
• cost more, since they involve cash payment fees.

What is a BVR?

Definition

An orange payment slip with a reference number (BVR) is a document used to invoice and collect payments automatically.

As its name suggests, this slip features a printed reference number that makes the invoicing process easier and more secure.

The reference number on each slip can be decoded by dedicated software, which automatically records the corresponding payment entry, in Swiss francs or in euros.

This is why this processing system is used by many companies, particularly when handling large financial transactions.

How the reference number works

The length of a BVR reference number varies depending on the bank accounts involved in the transaction. The number can therefore be made up of 15 to 26 digits and can be changed freely, with the exception of the very last digit, which acts as a “check digit”.

The other digits are easily generated using free software and form the code corresponding to the final reference number. In particular, they refer to:

• the invoice amount;
• the invoice number;
• the bank identification number;
• the BVR participant number.

Good to know: there are two distinct variants of orange payment slips: BVR and BVR+ (which allows you to enter the amount to be paid yourself).

What is a BVRB?

A payment slip with bank reference (BVRB) is a variant of the BVR designed for start-ups and small businesses that lack the infrastructure needed to set up automated processing of financial transactions. BVRB slips can be ordered pre-printed from banks.

With this slip, identification is carried out via either:

• the bank number;
• the customer number contained in the reference number;
• the bank ID.

Please note: BVRB payment slips do not allow incoming payments to be automatically reconciled with the company’s accounts.

What is an SBVR?

A bank-reference payment slip system (SBVR) is a variant of the BVR designed for companies equipped with software able to process BVRs. Usually supplied directly by the relevant banking institutions, this specialised software allows them to continuously automate their accounting.

What are the differences between BVR, BVRB and SBVR?

These three terms therefore refer to three different types of orange payment slip. So, unlike red payment slips, these three slips carry reference numbers that allow the invoicing process to be automated.

Here are the differences between these three terms:

• BVR refers to a payment slip with a reference number that simplifies and automates invoicing;
• BVRB refers to a payment slip with a bank reference designed for small businesses, which can be printed with an invoice number from the bank or the post office;
• SBVR refers to a payment slip system with a bank reference designed for companies with BVR-processing software.

Red and orange payment slips have been used for years by Swiss businesses and individuals in their invoicing, payment and collection processes. In particular, they allow these procedures, which can be very time-consuming when done by hand, to be simplified and automated.

Orange payment slips come in three distinct forms (BVR, BVRB and SBVR), corresponding to different structures, activities and procedures, offering options tailored specifically to the profiles of issuers and recipients.