Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

Accounting outsourcing for tradespeople in Ollon: the practical guide

Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on accounting outsourcing in Ollon: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.

The Swiss legal frame for accounting outsourcing

In Switzerland, the duty to keep accounts stems from art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations. Legal entities (Sàrl, SA) and sole proprietorships with at least CHF 500,000 in revenue keep full accounts: balance sheet, income statement and notes. Below that threshold, a simplified record of income, expenses and assets is sufficient.

The law also settles the form: accounts may be kept in a national language or in English, on paper or electronically (art. 957a para. 5 CO). That pragmatism lets accounting outsourcing run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.

Year-end closing: how the mechanics work

Companies exceeding two of three thresholds for two consecutive years — CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions — move to an ordinary audit. Below that, the limited audit applies, and companies with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with the consent of all shareholders.

The timetable is tight: accounts drawn up and approved by the general meeting within six months of the year-end. For accounting outsourcing, chasing missing documents from January (bank statements, contracts, insurance settlements) avoids the last-minute sprint and auditor reservations.

Digitalising accounting outsourcing: what actually works

Security is part of digitalisation: named access, tested backups, encryption of sensitive data. A digital accounting file is protected like a safe — because it is one.

For an SME in Ollon, the real gain of digitalised accounting outsourcing shows day to day: no paper pile at month-end, VAT prepared continuously, and an owner reading today's figures rather than last quarter's.

Two people reviewing numerical reports

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

The typical annual cycle: monthly or quarterly AHV instalments, VAT returns (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annual under the net tax rate), the final salary declaration in January, closing in the first half-year, then the tax return and the annual VAT reconciliation. Each link depends on the quality of the previous one.

For accounting outsourcing, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.

Ollon: what changes, what does not

Working with a fiduciary from Ollon no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Ollon are shared online, while the canton Vaud keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.

Ollon requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1867 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

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

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 Ollon manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.

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 Ollon as anywhere.

Do you need a fiduciary for accounting outsourcing, 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 Ollon.

How long must records related to accounting outsourcing 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 Ollon can therefore archive fully digitally.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting outsourcing for businesses in Ollon: 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.