Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

Accounting automation automation in Pfyn: rules, deadlines, best practice

Accounting automation automation in Pfyn raises the same questions for most Swiss SME owners: which obligations apply, which deadlines are running, which documents to prepare. This page covers the federal rules in force — without unnecessary jargon.

Digitalising accounting automation: what actually works

A serious accounting document archive links every record to its entry, timestamps versions and logs access — exactly what Swiss bookkeeping regulation expects from probative electronic retention. Chronological filing by financial year becomes an automatic by-product.

For accounting automation, migrating history must not block the start: begin on day one of the current financial year and import the history later if needed.

Outsource accounting automation or keep it in-house?

A good test before choosing: ask the fiduciary HOW it wants to receive the documents. A precise answer (formats, frequency, platform) says more than any brochure — including in Pfyn.

Three signals say it is time to delegate more: missed deadlines (VAT, AHV), entries running months behind, or an owner spending evenings on receipts instead of the business. Conversely, an SME equipped with modern software can safely take day-to-day entry back in-house.

QR-bills and friction-free collections

Technically, two routes coexist: the classic IBAN with an optional reference, or the QR-IBAN which requires a structured 27-position QR reference. Only the second route makes matching truly automatic — every payment carries the exact identifier of its invoice.

For accounting automation, the share of collections matched automatically is a metric worth watching: when it drops, it is almost always a matter of misused references.

Collaborative desk with laptops and documents, top view

The Swiss legal frame for accounting automation

AHV audits and VAT audits follow the same logic: start from the documents, trace to the entries, check consistency. A business in Pfyn with a clean audit trail sails through these exercises.

One simple principle drives accounting automation: every franc in or out must be explainable by a document, an entry and an account. All of Swiss accounting law fits inside that traceability requirement.

Pfyn: what changes, what does not

Pfyn (postal code 8505, canton Thurgau) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Pfyn are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Federal deadlines do not move in Pfyn: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 8505 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a limited and an ordinary audit?

The ordinary audit applies to companies exceeding, for two consecutive years, two of three thresholds: CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions. Others fall under the limited audit, and those with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with all shareholders' consent. These federal thresholds do not depend on the registered seat — in Pfyn as anywhere.

What are the current Swiss VAT rates?

Since 1 January 2024: 8.1% (standard), 2.6% (reduced — for example food and medicines) and 3.8% (accommodation). Returns must be filed and paid within 60 days after the period ends (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annually under the net tax rate method). These federal rates apply unchanged in Pfyn.

Which documents should be prepared for the year-end closing?

Bank and cash statements at the closing date, the inventory of stock and work in progress, final AHV/LPP/accident settlements, contracts signed or amended during the year, invoices straddling two years and the detail of accruals. With an up-to-date document archive, most of it is already there. The list is identical in Pfyn: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

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 Pfyn.

Also worth reading

In neighbouring municipalities

Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting automation for businesses in Pfyn: 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.