Generate EPC QR Code for SEPA in Make

What this module does

PDF4me Generate EPC QR Code for SEPA Payment creates a scannable European Payments Council QR code that lets anyone pay you instantly through their mobile banking app, with no manual IBAN typing and no mistakes. Fill in the beneficiary details, IBAN, amount, and a reference, and the module returns a Base64 QR image ready to drop into an invoice email or PDF. It works with any SEPA-zone bank account across the EU and EEA. If your customers are in Germany, France, Belgium, or anywhere else in the eurozone, this is the right module.

Authenticating Your API Request

Every PDF4me module in Make requires a valid Connection. Create or select one that holds your PDF4me API key so the scenario can authenticate EPC QR code generation securely.

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Important Facts You Should Not Miss

A completely different standard from Swiss QR Bill

EPC QR follows the European Payments Council spec for SEPA Credit Transfer and works with any IBAN across the EU and EEA. Swiss QR Bill is a separate Swiss-only standard that works only with CH or LI IBANs inside Switzerland and Liechtenstein. If your invoice recipients are in Germany, France, the Netherlands, or anywhere else in the eurozone, this is the one you want.

BIC is only required if you pick Version V1

The module hint says it plainly: "BIC is mandatory only for EPC version V1." V2 is the default and the recommended version for new implementations. On V2 the IBAN alone is enough to route the payment. Leave BIC empty and move on.

The output is a Base64 image and not a modified PDF

Like Create Barcode, this module returns a Base64-encoded image string in File Content, not a PDF document. To get the QR into an invoice you need one more step. Embed it in an HTML template before converting to PDF, or use Add Barcode to PDF to stamp the decoded image onto an existing invoice.

Version defaults to V2 where BIC is optional. Only IBAN, amount, beneficiary name, and the three reference fields are needed to generate a scannable EPC QR code.

Parameters

Required: Connection, Version, Character Set, Receiver / Beneficiary Name, Beneficiary's Account (IBAN), Amount (EUR), Business Code, Payment Reference, Remittance Information, and Hint Text. Beneficiary's BIC is optional when using Version V2.

Parameter	Required	What it does	Example
Connection	Yes	PDF4me API connection. Click Add and paste your API key if this is your first time connecting.	Your PDF4me connection
Version	Yes	EPC QR code specification version. Options: V1, V2. V2 is recommended for new scenarios and BIC is optional at this version. Hint: "You can specify the EPC version."	V2
Character Set	Yes	Text encoding for the QR data. Options include UTF8, ISO8859_1, ISO8859_2, and others. UTF8 handles most European characters. Hint: "You can specify the EPC character set."	UTF8
Beneficiary's BIC	No	SWIFT/BIC code of the beneficiary's bank. Only mandatory when using Version V1. Can be left empty on V2. Hint: "BIC is mandatory only for EPC version V1."	GENODEM1GLS
Receiver / Beneficiary Name	Yes	The legal name of the payment recipient and it must match the bank account holder. Hint: "You can specify receiver / beneficiary name."	Example Company Ltd
Beneficiary's Account (IBAN)	Yes	The beneficiary's full IBAN. Any valid SEPA-zone IBAN is accepted and not limited to Swiss accounts. Hint: "You can specify beneficiary's account (IBAN)."	DE89370400440532013000
Amount (EUR)	Yes	Payment amount in euros. Use decimal point for cents. Hint: "You can specify the amount (EUR) of transaction."	125.50
Business Code	Yes	SEPA purpose code that identifies the type of payment. Can be a structured code or reference. Hint: "You can specify the business code / purpose."	FR1420041010050500013M02606
Payment Reference	Yes	Structured remittance reference used for reconciliation, typically an invoice number. Max 35 characters. Hint: "You can specify payment / remittance reference."	INV-2024-001
Remittance Information	Yes	Free-text payment description shown to the payer and recipient. Max 140 characters. Hint: "You can specify remittance information."	Monthly subscription fee
Hint Text	Yes	Instructional text shown to the payer when they scan the QR code. Hint visible in module below the field.	Please scan to pay invoice

Quick Setup

1. Add PDF4me to Generate EPC QR Code for SEPA Payment in your Make scenario.
2. Select Connection (or click Add to create one with your API key).
3. Leave Version as V2 and Character Set as UTF8. These defaults work for most European invoicing scenarios.
4. Fill in Receiver / Beneficiary Name, Beneficiary's Account (IBAN), Amount (EUR), Business Code, Payment Reference, Remittance Information, and Hint Text.
5. Save and run. The File Content output is a Base64-encoded EPC QR image. Embed it in an HTML email body or pass it to Add Barcode to PDF to place it on an invoice document.

Workflow Examples

Workflow ExamplesCommon Make scenario patterns using Generate EPC QR Code for SEPA Payment.

Drop a scannable payment QR into every invoice email

1. A new invoice is created in your accounting system and a webhook fires into Make.
2. Generate EPC QR Code maps the beneficiary IBAN, invoice amount, and invoice number as Payment Reference directly from the webhook payload.
3. The Base64 QR image is embedded inline in an HTML email template using a data URI so the QR renders without any attachment.
4. Gmail sends the invoice email. The customer opens it, scans the QR with their banking app, and pays in seconds without typing an IBAN.

Bill EU subscribers every month without lifting a finger

1. A scheduled trigger runs on the 1st of each month.
2. Airtable returns all active EU subscriber records with their IBAN, amount, and a unique invoice reference per account.
3. An Iterator processes each subscriber. Generate EPC QR Code creates a personalized QR for each one with the correct amount and reference.
4. Each subscriber receives a personalized billing email with their own scannable QR code. No two QR codes are the same.

Add a payment QR to PDF invoices before sending

1. Google Drive triggers when a new invoice PDF lands in the "Ready to Send" folder.
2. Generate EPC QR Code creates the payment QR using payment details stored in a linked Google Sheet row for that invoice.
3. Add Barcode to PDF stamps the decoded QR image onto the bottom-right corner of the invoice's first page.
4. The finished invoice with embedded scannable payment QR is sent via Gmail and a copy is archived in SharePoint.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from Create SwissQR Bill?+

Swiss QR Bill appends a full payment slip section to a PDF and only works with CH or LI IBANs for Swiss and Liechtenstein banking. This module generates a standalone Base64 QR image that works with any SEPA-zone IBAN across the EU and EEA. Different countries, different banking standards, and different outputs. Pick the one that matches where your customers bank.

Do I always need to provide a BIC?+

Only if you use Version V1. The module says it right in the hint: "BIC is mandatory only for EPC version V1." V2 is the default and the recommended choice. On V2 the IBAN is sufficient for payment routing and you can leave BIC empty.

What is the difference between Payment Reference and Remittance Information?+

Payment Reference is a short structured code, like an invoice number, that the recipient bank uses for automated reconciliation. It has a 35-character limit. Remittance Information is free-text description visible to the payer, like "Monthly subscription fee," with a 140-character limit. Both travel inside the QR code when someone scans and pays.

The output is Base64. How do I get it into a PDF invoice?+

Two ways. First, embed it directly in an HTML email or document template as an inline image using a data URI (`src="data:image/png;base64,..."`) and then convert the HTML to PDF. Second, decode the Base64 string to an image file and use the Add Barcode to PDF module to stamp it at the exact position you want on an existing invoice PDF.

Does the amount have to be in euros?+

Yes. SEPA Credit Transfer operates in euros and the field is labeled Amount (EUR). If your invoices are in a different currency, convert the amount to EUR before passing it to this module.

Related Modules

Create SwissQR Bill

The Swiss-specific equivalent. It appends a full payment slip to a PDF for CH and LI IBANs under Swiss Payment Standards.

Create Barcode

Generate any barcode or QR code as Base64 without payment formatting, for tracking codes, product labels, and general-purpose barcodes.

Add Barcode to PDF

Stamp the EPC QR image directly onto an existing invoice PDF at the exact position you need. This is the natural next step after this module.

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