Smiling advisor with a headset at their workstation

Everything that matters about accounting automation checklist in Furna

Accounting automation checklist in Furna 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

Digitising does not mean hoarding PDFs: without the document-entry link, a digital file is as opaque as a box of archives — true in Furna as everywhere.

Electronic archiving is fully recognised: Swiss bookkeeping regulation admits electronic retention of records provided integrity and readability are guaranteed for the 10 years of art. 958f CO. A paper binder is no longer an obligation — provided the archiving system is serious.

QR-bills and friction-free collections

Electronic invoicing keeps advancing: the Swiss Confederation requires it from its suppliers for contracts from CHF 5,000, and more and more large Swiss companies ask for structured e-invoices rather than PDFs. Getting equipped early beats improvising under a client's deadline.

For the debtors of a business in Furna, nothing changes on the payer's side: scan the code, confirm, pay. On the accounting automation side, everything changes: the collection entry proposes itself, the receivables ledger updates continuously and reminders go out on exact balances.

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 Furna 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.

Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

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 automation, valid in Furna as anywhere.

For a business in Furna, 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.

Furna: what changes, what does not

Furna (postal code 7232, canton Grisons) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Furna are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Federal deadlines do not move in Furna: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 7232 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

What are the legal obligations for accounting automation in Switzerland?

The foundation is the Code of Obligations: proper bookkeeping (art. 957a CO), annual accounts (balance sheet, income statement, notes) and 10-year retention of books and records (art. 958f CO). VAT applies from CHF 100,000 of turnover, and social insurance settlements from the first employee. Nothing is different in Furna: federal law applies.

When must a business register for VAT?

As soon as its worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (CHF 250,000 for non-profit sports or cultural associations). Below that, voluntary registration remains possible and often makes sense to reclaim input VAT on investments. The threshold is federal: it applies in Furna as everywhere in Switzerland.

Effective VAT method or net tax rate: how to choose?

The effective method deducts actual input VAT and files quarterly; the net tax rate method applies a flat industry rate to turnover, semi-annually, with no separate input VAT deduction. The flat rate suits low-cost structures; as investments grow, the effective method usually wins again. The choice rests on the company's own figures, in Furna 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 Furna.

Also worth reading

In neighbouring municipalities

Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

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