Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

Accounting automation for pharmacies in Sevelen: rules, deadlines, best practice

Accounting automation for pharmacies in Sevelen rests on three pillars: federal law that applies across Switzerland, cantonal deadlines worth knowing, and tools that eliminate re-keying. This guide puts it all in order, fact by fact.

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.

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.

The Swiss legal frame for accounting automation

Responsibility for the books is personal: in an SA, organising the accounting is one of the board's non-transferable duties (art. 716a CO); in a Sàrl, the managing directors carry the same duty. Outsourcing the execution never transfers that underlying responsibility, including for a company based in Sevelen.

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

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

A good chart of accounts tells the story of the business: classes 1 and 2 describe what it owns and owes, class 3 what it sells, classes 4 to 6 what it consumes. Private accounts (sole proprietorships) and shareholder current accounts (Sàrl/SA) must stay spotless: they are the first thing examined in a tax audit.

For a business in Sevelen, the Sterchi/Käfer structure also eases benchmarking: banks and fiduciaries reason on those standard classes to situate an SME's accounting automation.

Smiling team looking at a laptop

Outsource accounting automation or keep it in-house?

Splitting roles clearly avoids duplication: the company captures documents and approves payments; the fiduciary checks postings, closes the year and defends the file before the authorities. Each side does what it does best — and nobody keys the same invoice twice.

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

Sevelen: what changes, what does not

Sevelen (postal code 9475, canton St. Gallen) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Sevelen are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Federal deadlines do not move in Sevelen: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 9475 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 Sevelen 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 Sevelen.

How long must records related to accounting automation be kept?

Ten years from the end of the financial year concerned (art. 958f CO). Electronic retention is permitted if the integrity and readability of the records are guaranteed — a serious digital archive validly replaces paper binders. A business in Sevelen can therefore archive fully digitally.

How much does accounting automation cost in Sevelen?

It depends on document volume, the number of salaries and VAT complexity — no serious figure can be quoted without examining the file. Two levers cut the bill everywhere: digitised, well-filed receipts and software that prepares entries instead of having them re-keyed.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting automation for businesses in Sevelen: 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 automation for pharmacies in Sevelen