EPC QR Codes on Invoices

FlowForth can add an EPC QR code (also known as a GiroCode) to your invoice PDFs. When your client scans the QR code with their banking app, it automatically pre-fills a SEPA bank transfer with the correct IBAN, BIC, amount, and payment reference — reducing manual data entry and payment errors.

What Is an EPC QR Code?

An EPC QR code is a standardized QR code format defined by the European Payments Council for initiating SEPA credit transfers. It encodes:

• IBAN — Your bank account number
• BIC — Your bank's identification code
• Beneficiary name — Your organization name
• Amount — The invoice total in EUR
• Reference — The payment reference (see Payment Reference Formats below)

Most European banking apps recognize EPC QR codes and can initiate a payment directly from the camera or QR scanner.

note

EPC QR codes only support EUR (Euro) payments via the SEPA network. They are widely supported by banking apps in the Eurozone.

Where the QR Code Appears

The QR code is displayed in the payment information section at the bottom of the invoice PDF, next to the existing IBAN, BIC, and reference details:

• Invoice PDFs (both business and individual clients) — QR code appears in the payment footer
• Credit note PDFs — No QR code (not applicable for payments)

The QR code is sized at approximately 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm and is right-aligned in the payment section.

Enabling or Disabling QR Codes

The EPC QR code feature is enabled by default on every new payment method. Because the QR toggle lives on each payment method — not on the organization — you can enable QR codes on one account (for example, a Belgian account that uses OGM/VCS) and disable them on another.

1. Navigate to Settings from the main menu.
2. Open the Organization settings page.
3. Scroll to the Payment Methods section.
4. Click Edit on the payment method you want to change (or Add payment method for a new one).
5. Toggle Enable EPC QR code on invoices on or off.
6. Click Save.

When disabled on a given payment method, invoices that use that method are generated without a QR code and the payment section displays as it did before — full-width text only. Invoices that use a different payment method with QR enabled still render the code normally.

tip

If you need a single organisation-wide toggle, set the same Enable EPC QR code on invoices value on every payment method. New payment methods default to on.

Payment Reference Formats

When the QR code is enabled on a payment method, you can choose which payment reference format is embedded in it. Like the QR toggle itself, the reference format is configured per payment method — so a Belgian account and a cross-border account can each use the format best suited to their clients. Structured references enable your bank or accounting software (such as ClearFacts) to automatically reconcile incoming payments to the matching invoice — no fuzzy text matching required.

Three formats are available:

Format	Example	Best For
Unstructured (invoice number)	INV-00042	Default; manual reconciliation
Belgian structured communication (OGM/VCS)	+++000/0000/00425+++	Belgian domestic payments; ClearFacts auto-reconciliation
European creditor reference (ISO 11649 / RF)	RF45000000000042	Cross-border SEPA payments

Unstructured (Invoice Number)

The invoice number is sent as free text in the QR code. Banks generally preserve it on the bank statement, but matching incoming payments to invoices is fuzzy and typically done manually.

This is the default and matches FlowForth's historical behavior.

Belgian Structured Communication (OGM/VCS)

OGM (Overschrijvingsformulier met Gestructureerde Mededeling) is the standard structured reference used for Belgian domestic payments. It is a 12-digit number formatted as +++XXX/XXXX/XXXXX+++ with mod-97 check digits that the receiving bank validates.

FlowForth derives the OGM automatically from your invoice number — no manual entry is needed. For invoice INV-00042, the generated OGM is +++000/0000/00425+++.

Recommended when:

• Your clients pay via Belgian banks
• You reconcile invoices in ClearFacts or another accounting tool that supports OGM matching
• You want your clients' bank apps to validate the reference before sending

European Creditor Reference (ISO 11649 / RF)

The ISO 11649 RF creditor reference is an international standard starting with RF followed by check digits and up to 21 alphanumeric characters. Like OGM, it includes built-in validation and is designed for automated reconciliation.

FlowForth derives the RF reference automatically from your invoice number. For invoice INV-00042, the generated RF reference is RF45000000000042.

Recommended when:

• You invoice clients outside Belgium
• You want a SEPA-wide standard that works with European banks and accounting platforms

Choosing a Format

To change the payment reference format on a payment method:

1. Navigate to Settings → Organization.
2. Scroll to the Payment Methods section and click Edit on the method you want to change.
3. Make sure Enable EPC QR code on invoices is turned on.
4. Under Payment reference format, pick one of the three options.
5. Click Save.

tip

For draft invoices, the reference is derived from the invoice number every time the PDF is generated, so you can switch formats freely and regenerate. For sent invoices, the reference format (along with the IBAN, BIC, and bank name) was frozen at the moment the invoice was sent, so regenerating the PDF uses the format that was in effect at send time — not the current setting.

Where the Reference Appears on the PDF

The payment section shows both the invoice number and, when a structured format is selected, the structured reference on a separate Communication line:

Payment Information

  IBAN:            BE68 5390 0754 7034
  BIC:             KREDBEBB
  Reference:       INV-00042
  Communication:   +++000/0000/00425+++     [ QR code ]

• The Reference line always shows your invoice number.
• The Communication line only appears when you select OGM/VCS or ISO 11649 / RF.
• The QR code itself contains the structured reference when selected, so scanning it pre-fills the bank app with the auto-reconcilable reference.

Requirements

For the QR code to appear on an invoice, all of the following must be true for the payment method selected on that invoice:

Requirement	Description
Setting enabled	The Enable EPC QR code on invoices toggle is on for the chosen payment method
IBAN configured	The chosen payment method has an IBAN set
BIC configured	The chosen payment method has a BIC set
Organization name	Your organization has a business name configured
Positive amount	The invoice total is greater than zero

If any of these requirements are not met, the QR code is silently skipped — no error is shown and no blank space appears on the invoice. The payment section simply renders without the QR code.

tip

Make sure the IBAN, BIC, and QR toggle are configured on each payment method in Settings → Organization → Payment Methods, and that your organization business name is set, to take full advantage of the QR code feature. See Payment Methods for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use QR codes with non-EUR invoices?

No. EPC QR codes are part of the SEPA standard and only support Euro payments. FlowForth invoices are EUR-only, so this applies to all invoices.

Does the QR code work with all banking apps?

Most major European banking apps support EPC QR codes, including apps from ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank, KBC, BNP Paribas, and many others. The client simply scans the code with their banking app's QR scanner or camera.

What if my client's banking app doesn't support it?

The QR code is purely optional for the recipient. All payment information (IBAN, BIC, reference) is still printed as text in the payment section, so clients can always make a manual transfer.

Does the QR code appear on emailed invoices?

Yes. The QR code is embedded in the invoice PDF itself, so it appears regardless of how the invoice is delivered — whether via Peppol, email, or downloaded manually.

Can I switch reference formats later?

Yes, on any draft invoice. The structured reference is derived from the invoice number whenever a draft PDF is generated, so switching the format on the payment method takes effect immediately for drafts and for any new invoices created afterward. Sent invoices keep the format that was frozen at send time — they are not affected by later edits to the payment method.

Can different payment methods use different QR settings?

Yes. The QR toggle and reference format are stored on each payment method independently. A Belgian account can use OGM/VCS while a cross-border EUR account uses ISO 11649 / RF, and you can even turn the QR code off entirely on methods you don't want it on.

Which format should I choose for ClearFacts?

ClearFacts and most Belgian accounting tools match payments by OGM/VCS. If your clients pay through Belgian banks, choose Belgian structured communication (OGM/VCS) for the most reliable auto-reconciliation.

What's Next?

• Payment Methods — Configure the bank accounts and QR settings each invoice can use.
• Creating an Invoice — Step-by-step guide to generating an invoice.
• Invoice Details — Viewing, editing, and sending invoices.
• Invoice Numbering — Configuring sequential numbering.