# UPI transaction references: tr and tn

> tr is your machine reference (1 to 35 letters, digits, dots or dashes), and it comes back in settlement, so make it unique per transaction. tn is a short human note the payer sees on the confirmation screen. Use tr for reconciliation and tn for context, never the reverse.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/payments/upi-transaction-reference-tr-and-tn · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, no signup.

---

## Two fields, two audiences

The [UPI deep link](/docs/payments/upi-qr-code-format) has two free-text-ish parameters that
get confused constantly because both look like "a note". They serve different readers:

```
upi://pay?pa=shop@upi&pn=Chai%20Point&am=250.00&tn=Order%2042&tr=ORD-2026-00042&cu=INR
```

| | `tr`, transaction reference | `tn`, transaction note |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Your accounting system | The payer, on their screen |
| Comes back in settlement | **Yes**: this is the point | Often, but as a label |
| Charset | `A–Z a–z 0–9 . -` only | Free text, percent-encoded |
| Length | **1–35 characters** | Keep under **~25 characters** |
| Should be unique | Yes, per transaction | No: repetition is fine |
| Example | `INV-2026-014` | `Table 7` |

`tr` is the machine's field: an opaque ID that survives the round trip and reappears against
the credit, so software (or a spreadsheet) can match payment to record. `tn` is the human's
field: it renders on the confirmation screen, where its job is to reassure the payer that
this is the right payment.

## The charset trap

`tr` is deliberately restrictive: **letters, digits, dots and dashes, up to 35 characters**.
No spaces, no underscores, no slashes, no `#`. `INV-2026-014` is valid;
`INV_2026/014` is not, and a reference that violates the pattern is a code some apps refuse
to parse, one of the causes behind
[a UPI QR not being detected](/docs/troubleshooting/upi-qr-code-not-detected-by-app).
UseQR's [generator](/upi) validates the pattern before encoding, and the
[decoder](/validate) shows you exactly what a code carries.

`tn` is looser because it is percent-encoded free text (`Order%2042` decodes to
"Order 42"), but every encoded character enlarges the QR matrix, so a long note buys you a
denser code and a smaller effective module size at print. Short wins.

## Uniqueness discipline

The rules that make references worth having:

1. **One `tr` per expected payment.** Invoice number, order ID, month-and-unit. Anything
   already unique in your records. Reusing a `tr` across transactions collapses the very
   distinction it exists to make.
2. **Never encode meaning you will need to parse into `tn`.** It is display text; treat
   anything that comes back through it as a label, not a key.
3. **Static codes get a constant `tn`, no `tr`.** A permanent standee cannot know the
   transaction in advance, which is precisely the line between
   [static and dynamic codes](/docs/payments/static-vs-dynamic-upi-qr). Per-location notes
   (`tn=Counter%202`) still tell you *where*, if not *which*.
4. **Derive, do not invent.** `FLAT4B-2026-08` can be reconstructed from your ledger;
   a random string cannot. The [rent-collection pattern](/docs/payments/upi-qr-for-rent-collection)
   is this rule applied twelve times a year.

## Bulk generation with row IDs

Reference discipline scales through spreadsheets. One row per expected payment (VPA, name,
amount, and a `tr` column carrying your row ID) fed to the [bulk tool](/bulk) yields one
code per invoice, seat, month or parcel, each carrying its own reference. The
[freelancer invoice workflow](/docs/payments/upi-qr-for-a-freelancer) is the canonical case:
`tr` equals invoice number, and reconciliation becomes a VLOOKUP.

The accounting loop then closes itself: export the settlement or statement, match its
reference column against your ledger's ID column, and whatever fails to match is your
exception list, the payments to actually investigate, instead of all of them.

## FAQ

### What is the difference between tr and tn in a UPI QR code?
tr is a machine reference of 1–35 letters, digits, dots or dashes that comes back in settlement for reconciliation. tn is a short human-readable note shown to the payer on the confirmation screen.

### Does the tr reference appear in my bank statement?
Yes, carrying your reference back against the credit is the parameter's purpose. Give every expected payment a unique tr and matching statements to records becomes a lookup rather than detective work.

### Can I use spaces or underscores in a UPI transaction reference?
No. tr allows only letters, digits, dots and dashes, up to 35 characters. Spaces and underscores belong in tn, the display note, which is percent-encoded free text.

### Should a printed standee include a tr?
No. A permanent code cannot know future transactions, so a fixed tr would repeat forever and mean nothing. Use a constant tn to identify the location, and reserve tr for per-transaction codes.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/upi
- https://useqr.app/bulk
- https://useqr.app/validate