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Accounting records archiving for IT companies in Locarno: rules, deadlines, best practice

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around accounting records archiving in Locarno, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.

Digitalising accounting records archiving: what actually works

Access for the fiduciary, the auditor and employees is set by roles: view, enter, approve, close. Well-set rights protect the data and speed up collaboration.

Migrate in stages: supplier invoices first (high volume, immediate gain), then receivables with the QR-bill, finally payroll and the closing. At each stage, comparing one month before/after is enough to prove the gain — no theoretical promises needed.

Outsource accounting records archiving or keep it in-house?

Outsourcing accounting records archiving to a fiduciary frees up time and secures compliance; keeping it in-house preserves a continuous view and costs less in fees. The best answer is often hybrid: the company captures and digitises as it goes, the fiduciary supervises, closes the books and represents the company before the authorities.

For accounting records archiving, the internal-external duo works when both sides see the same file: same entries, same documents, same deadlines. Misunderstandings are born from parallel copies.

The Swiss legal frame for accounting records archiving

Whether a business sits in Locarno or elsewhere in Switzerland, the same federal law applies — one of the strengths of the Swiss system for accounting records archiving. Cantonal differences concentrate on taxation (rates, filing deadlines); bookkeeping itself follows art. 957 ff. CO everywhere.

The good news: the Swiss frame is stable and predictable. Structure accounting records archiving once — chart of accounts, document flow, calendar — and the same organisation pays off for years.

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A well-structured SME chart of accounts

A chart of accounts gets documented: one description line per account (what, when, VAT) is enough for two people to post the same way. It is the quality manual of accounting records archiving, valid in Locarno as anywhere.

For a business in Locarno, comparability over time beats sophistication: a chart stable for five years beats a “perfect” one rebuilt every year. Banks and the tax administration read year-on-year movements first.

Locarno: what changes, what does not

Locarno (postal code 6600, canton Ticino) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Locarno are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Federal deadlines do not move in Locarno: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 6600 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

Which social contributions does a Swiss employer pay?

AHV/IV/APG: 5.3% employer share (the same is withheld from the employee); unemployment insurance: 1.1% each up to CHF 148,200 a year; occupational pension (LPP) by age and plan (employer at least 50%); occupational accident insurance paid by the employer; family allowances by canton. For an employer in Locarno, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Locarno?

Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. A business in Locarno manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.

Do you need a fiduciary for accounting records archiving, or can you do it yourself?

Both are defensible. Below CHF 500,000 of revenue, a sole proprietorship may keep simplified accounts itself. As soon as payroll, VAT and a closing with tax stakes are involved, professional support prevents mistakes that cost more than the fees. With a shared platform, the fiduciary does not even need to be in Locarno.

What is simplified bookkeeping and who can use it?

Sole proprietorships and partnerships under CHF 500,000 of revenue may limit themselves to recording income, expenses and assets (art. 957 para. 2 CO). Once over the threshold — or upon founding a Sàrl or an SA — full accounts with balance sheet, income statement and notes become mandatory. The CHF 500,000 threshold is assessed the same way in Locarno.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting records archiving for businesses in Locarno: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.

The application is operated in French.

    Accounting records archiving for IT companies in Locarno