E-invoices and eBill: the differences
The rules on electronic invoicing in Switzerland include several solutions that make it easier to manage tax documents and payments. Two of them stand out: the traditional e‑invoice and the eBill system, a secure form of digital invoice built directly into e‑banking. Companies that want to optimise their administrative processes, cut costs and improve their overall efficiency need to understand how these tools differ and how to use them properly. Here we look at how e‑invoices and eBill work, highlighting their main features and benefits for SMEs and professionals.
How do e-invoices work?
E-invoices are used in B2B transactions, that is, between two businesses. Recipients import the data directly into their accounting system and start the invoice workflow from there. Any other information needed can be taken from the machine-readable data.
The data is exchanged electronically through an eInvoicing provider, while payment is made at the end of the invoice workflow by means of a payment instruction to the bank. The advantage is that both the sender and the recipient of e-invoices process them entirely within their accounting software.
Business owners who want to make more use of e-invoicing can consult the eDirectory, a complete list of all business partners domiciled in Switzerland that send and receive e-invoices.
How does eBill work?
eBill is a service offered by Swiss banks, used mainly for B2C transactions, that is, between businesses and private individuals. The key component of this service is the eBill portal, which is connected to the e-banking of more than 100 Swiss banks, and which these banks have entrusted to SIX to run. With eBill, companies can send invoices directly from their accounting software to their customers' e-banking, where the payment is made.
To be able to use eBill:
- Customers must add the companies to their e-banking using the search function for invoice issuers.
- When customers pay an invoice in e-banking, they must be told that they can pay it via eBill, and their consent must be obtained.
- As an invoice issuer, you need to integrate eBill into your sales processes (for example your customer portal or online shop), and customers will have to select it as their payment method.
The difference lies in the recipients
From this comparison, eBill makes sense if you work in a B2C context and regularly issue invoices for the services you provide to your customers. In a B2B context, you need to pay attention to specific requirements, such as the amount of invoicing data. In this case, additional detailed data is usually required, and it has to be transferred from one accounting system to another. At present, this is only possible with e-invoices.
What do e-invoices and eBill have in common?
In general, digital invoices save time, money and paper, which benefits both the people who issue them and those who receive them. In the long term, digital invoices, whether e-invoices or eBill, will become the standard.
Conclusion
Adopting tools such as e‑invoices and eBill can radically change the way companies and self-employed professionals handle invoicing and payments. While digital e‑invoices let you send and receive documents electronically, eBill takes invoicing a step further by placing invoices directly in the customer's e‑banking, allowing payments that are quick, secure and traceable, with no manual errors.
These systems speed up administration and reduce costs, paper and mistakes. For companies that want to optimise their accounting and tax processes with modern, compliant digital solutions, contacting us is the first step: we take care of choosing the tools and setting them up, to make handling electronic invoices simpler.
