Invoice template Switzerland: Word, Excel, PDF

Rather skip the template? In Magic Heidi you enter client details, number and QR code once, and your next invoice is ready in a minute. Start free with 3 invoices and 3 receipts, or try Pro for 7 days.

Preview: what the invoice template looks like

All three files have the same layout on one A4 page: your details and the client's at the top, invoice number and service period, a table of line items, subtotal, optional VAT 8.1% and total, then the payment details (payee, IBAN, bank, payment reference). You replace whatever is in square brackets.

Same template in other languages: German (Word, Excel, PDF) and French (Word, Excel, PDF), handy if your client is in Zurich, Geneva or Lausanne.

Which file suits you? Word if the layout matters to you. Excel if the template should do the maths. PDF if you only want to fill it in and send it.

Invoice template for Word

Download the Word invoice template (.docx) · German · French

The Word template is the most flexible option. You replace the placeholders in square brackets, add your logo, change fonts and colours, and export the finished invoice as a PDF. Every word is editable, so you can adapt the wording to your business.

• Four line items; add more as table rows
• A line "VAT 8.1% (optional)" and a note for invoices without VAT. Delete what you don't need
• Payment details with payee, IBAN, bank and payment reference
• Word doesn't calculate: you enter subtotal, VAT and total yourself
• It opens with a neutral greeting ("Dear Sir or Madam,"); replace it with your client's name if you like

Invoice template for Excel

Download the Excel invoice template (.xlsx) · German · French

The Excel template does the maths. You enter quantity and unit price per line, the formulas do the rest.

• Eight line items: quantity × unit price gives the total per line
• Subtotal, VAT amount and invoice total are calculated automatically
• VAT rate from a dropdown: 0%, 2.6%, 3.8% or 8.1%
• Fields for invoice number, invoice date, due date, service period, IBAN, BIC/SWIFT and reference

The file also opens in Numbers and Google Sheets. If you don't charge VAT, set the rate to 0%. The title "Invoice no. …" picks up the invoice number you enter at the top right.

Invoice template as a PDF

Download the fillable PDF invoice template · German · French

The PDF template has fillable form fields: open it, fill in the fields on screen, save, send. Or print it and fill it in by hand. You can't change the layout or the labels, and the PDF doesn't calculate. For a one-off invoice it's the quickest route.

None of the three files creates a QR code. Your IBAN on the invoice is enough for the payment. If you want a QR payment part anyway, create the whole invoice in the generator above, or add the QR code to your own PDF on create a QR-bill. What goes on an invoice and which rules apply to private individuals is in the guide how to write an invoice in Switzerland.

• 7 details + a number: A Swiss invoice needs 7 details plus a sequential invoice number (strongly recommended).
• QR-bill since 2022: The QR-bill replaced the orange payment slip on 1 October 2022. Your IBAN alone also works.
• VAT from CHF 100'000: VAT on the invoice only once you're registered, from CHF 100'000 turnover. Rates 8.1/2.6/3.8%.
• Works without VAT: Most freelancers below the threshold use the template without VAT: just drop the VAT line.
• 4+ invoices a month: From about 4 invoices a month, software pays off. Magic Heidi creates QR-bills in 30 seconds.

What must a Swiss invoice contain?

Swiss law doesn't prescribe an official invoice format. A clean invoice has: your name and address, the client's name and address, an invoice number, the invoice date, the service date or period, a description of the service with quantity and price, the amount with currency, and payment details (IBAN or QR-bill). Each one explained with examples: how to write an invoice in Switzerland.

Extra details if you're VAT-registered

If you're VAT-registered (over CHF 100'000 annual turnover, or registered voluntarily), add:

• UID number with the suffix "MWST", for example CHE-123.456.789 MWST
• The VAT rate applied: 8.1% standard rate, 2.6% reduced rate (food, books, medicines) or 3.8% accommodation rate
• The VAT amount as a separate line

Below CHF 100'000 and not registered, you simply leave these lines out. More in the VAT guide for freelancers.

That's it. No stamp, no signature, no special formatting needed.

Can a Word or Excel template make a real QR-bill?

No. The Swiss QR Code has to be calculated for each invoice under the SIX standard, which Word and Excel can't do. For a QR-bill you have two routes:

1. The free generator on this page (or the QR tool for your own PDF on create a QR-bill)
2. Invoicing software like Magic Heidi, which creates the QR code with every invoice

For occasional invoices, your IBAN on the invoice is perfectly enough. Most freelancers use their normal IBAN; a QR-IBAN is only needed for the 27-digit QR reference (QR-IBAN example).

A filled-in invoice you can copy

Here's the template filled in, in English, by a freelancer who isn't VAT-registered:

Mia Bernasconi
Seestrasse 22
8002 Zürich
mia@bernasconi.ch  |  +41 79 123 45 67

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Invoice no. 2026-007
Issue date:        7 May 2026
Service period:    1–30 April 2026

Bill to:
Müller Consulting GmbH
Hauptstrasse 10
3000 Bern

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Description                   Qty     Price        Amount
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
UX consulting and concept    12 h    CHF 140.00   CHF 1'680.00
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                                       Total     CHF 1'680.00

Not subject to VAT.

Payment terms:     30 days (due by 6 June 2026)
Payable to:        Mia Bernasconi
IBAN:              CH56 0483 5012 3456 7800 9

Thank you for your business.

Common mistakes when filling it in:

• Forgetting the invoice number: without sequential numbering your bookkeeping gets messy fast. More in invoice numbers in Switzerland.
• No service date: the issue date alone isn't enough. When was the work actually done? That matters for tax.
• Vague description: "April consulting" is too thin. Better: "UX consulting project XY, 12 hours at CHF 140".
• Wrong IBAN: check it twice. One wrong character and your client's payment bounces.
• VAT shown wrongly or forgotten: if you're VAT-registered, the rate must be on the invoice. If you're not, show no VAT at all.

Swiss invoice template without VAT (below CHF 100'000)

Most Swiss freelancers don't need VAT on their invoices. The obligation only starts once your worldwide annual turnover from taxable services exceeds CHF 100'000. Below that, an invoice without VAT is completely legal.

How to use the template without VAT:

1. In Word: delete the "VAT 8.1% (optional)" line and the UID / VAT number from the header. The invoice total is then just the subtotal.
2. In Excel: choose 0% in the VAT rate dropdown. The VAT line stays visible at CHF 0.00, which is actually cleaner for your own records.
3. Optional: add a short line below the total: "No VAT under Art. 10 VAT Act (turnover below CHF 100'000)." Not required, but it answers your client's most common question before they ask.

If you're close to the threshold and thinking about registering voluntarily, read the VAT guide for freelancers first. Voluntary registration can pay off if you have a lot of purchases with VAT.

Which solution fits you?

A rule of thumb by number of invoices and how complex your bookkeeping is.

If you invoice regularly, invoicing software takes over the manual work: client management, automatic numbering, QR code and payment overview, with invoices in English, German, French or Italian. Magic Heidi runs on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and in the browser. It's free for 3 invoices, then CHF 24.90/month on the annual plan (incl. VAT). More on the pricing page and the bexio alternative page.

Adapting the template to your work

The basic structure always stays the same. What changes is the service description and sometimes the currency.

• Freelancers and consultants: List hours with project phase and hourly rate. For foreign currencies, note the exchange rate.
• Fee invoices: Consultants, therapists, coaches: same structure, the service is a fee, by the hour or flat.
• Trades and crafts: Show materials and labour as separate lines. Some materials can carry a different VAT rate.
• Sole proprietorships: You invoice under your own name. A brand name is allowed, but your own name must stay visible. See setting up a sole proprietorship.
• Private individuals: You can invoice without being self-employed: one-off jobs, used items. Leave UID and VAT empty.

Using the template as a private individual

You don't have to be self-employed to use the template. Private individuals can issue invoices too, for one-off services, selling used items or short side jobs. Legal details, thresholds and examples are in the guide how to write an invoice in Switzerland. Three typical cases:

• Selling a used bike to another private person
• A one-off babysitting job or tutoring
• Subletting your flat for two months

The template works the same way. You just leave these fields empty or delete them:

• UID number (you don't have one as a private individual)
• VAT line (only for VAT-registered businesses)
• Company name (your own name is enough)

One thing to watch: if you regularly issue invoices "as a private individual", the authorities will at some point look at whether you're actually self-employed. Rule of thumb: more than two or three jobs a year for different clients, and you should look into registering as self-employed.

What to do when a client doesn't pay

The invoice is out, the deadline has passed and nothing arrives. It happens to most self-employed people sooner or later. Here's the order of steps.

You never have to write a payment reminder by hand. In Magic Heidi you send it with one click from the open invoice, and the home screen shows every overdue invoice, sorted by due date. More in late payment reminders for Swiss freelancers.

Download the Swiss invoice template and get started

A correct Swiss invoice is no mystery: the required details, a clear description of the service, an IBAN or QR code, and you're done. The template above covers it in Word, Excel and PDF, with or without VAT, in English, German or French. For an invoice with QR-bill, the generator on this page gives you a finished PDF.

If you invoice regularly, Magic Heidi is the fastest route. Free for up to 3 invoices, no credit card. Download the template now, or try Magic Heidi on iPhone, Mac or in the browser. More free files: Swiss templates.

Everything on this page is based on the Swiss Code of Obligations, the VAT Act and current ESTV guidance (as of November 2026). Current VAT rates and thresholds are on estv.admin.ch. An official QR-bill sample is published on kmu.admin.ch. The technical QR-bill specification is maintained by SIX. For questions about your own tax situation, ask a fiduciary or your cantonal tax office.

Written by Nathan Ganser, co-founder of Magic Heidi. Last updated 12 November 2026.