What’s in a UPI payment link
A UPI payment link starts with upi://pay and lists who to pay and how much. Any UPI app (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM or a bank’s own app) reads the same link, from a QR code or a tap.
| Part | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pa | The UPI ID that receives the money | bakery@okaxis |
| pn | The name the payer sees | Butter Lane Bakery |
| am | The amount, in rupees with two decimals | 680.00 |
| cu | The currency, always INR | INR |
| tn | A short note the payer and you see | Order BUTLK7Q9M |
Sending it on WhatsApp
WhatsApp doesn’t reliably make upi:// links tappable in a chat, so send the QR code instead. A customer on the same phone can save the picture and choose it from the gallery in their UPI app (Scan, then the gallery icon); anyone else scans it from the screen. Send the message above with it, so they know the amount and what to send back.
Some UPI apps refuse a payment to a personal UPI ID when it’s opened straight from a link on a phone, rather than scanned. If a customer says the link doesn’t work, ask them to scan the QR code, or use a business UPI ID from your bank.
Then check the money arrived
A screenshot of a payment isn’t proof: open your own bank or UPI app, find the credit, and match the 12-digit UPI reference the customer sends. Receiving money never needs your UPI PIN or a scan on your side. More in how to accept UPI payments on WhatsApp.
Questions
Is it safe to share my UPI ID?
A UPI ID only lets people pay you. Nobody can take money from your account with it. Never share your UPI PIN, and never approve a “collect request” you didn’t expect: approving it pays the other person.
Does the QR code expire?
No. It holds the link, with the amount if you set one, and works until you change your UPI ID.
Can I make one QR code for any amount?
Yes. Leave the amount empty, and the customer types it in their UPI app.
Is anything I type saved?
No. The link and the QR code are made when you ask and sent back to your browser; nothing is stored.
For every order, automatically
Sellly does this for every order and booking: the payment page holds a QR code with the exact amount and the order number, the order waits as To verify until you’ve seen the money, and a reference used twice is caught. See WhatsApp ordering in Sellly.
Sources
- UPI payment links: the upi://pay parameters (pa, pn, am, cu, tn) (Google Pay for Business developer documentation)
- Safe digital banking practices (Reserve Bank of India)
- UPI Safety Shield (NPCI)