Everything that matters about accounting comparison in Grabs
Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on accounting in Grabs: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
The Swiss legal frame for accounting
A small business does not mean small obligations: from the first salary or the first VAT return, mistakes get expensive — in Grabs as anywhere.
The good news: the Swiss frame is stable and predictable. Structure accounting once — chart of accounts, document flow, calendar — and the same organisation pays off for years.
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, valid in Grabs as anywhere.
For accounting, the right granularity is decisive: enough accounts to steer the business (margins by activity, expenses by nature), few enough that every entry finds its place without hesitation. The VAT accounts (input VAT, VAT due) deserve special care — they are the basis of the annual reconciliation.
Digitalising accounting: 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 Grabs as everywhere.
The winning pair for accounting: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.
Outsource accounting 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, the internal-external duo works when both sides see the same file: same entries, same documents, same deadlines. Misunderstandings are born from parallel copies.
Grabs: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Grabs: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton St. Gallen.
Federal deadlines do not move in Grabs: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 9470 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
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 Grabs as everywhere in Switzerland.
How much does accounting cost in Grabs?
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.
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 Grabs as anywhere.
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 Grabs: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates accounting for businesses in Grabs: 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.