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Accounting outsourcing for the self-employed in Erlinsbach (SO): what every SME should know

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 Erlinsbach (SO): what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.

The Swiss legal frame for accounting outsourcing

Whether a business sits in Erlinsbach (SO) or elsewhere in Switzerland, the same federal law applies — one of the strengths of the Swiss system for accounting outsourcing. Cantonal differences concentrate on taxation (rates, filing deadlines); bookkeeping itself follows art. 957 ff. CO everywhere.

The annual accounts (art. 958 CO) consist of the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes; they must be drawn up within six months of the year-end so the general meeting can approve them. A delay here cascades into the tax return and the final social insurance settlements.

Outsource accounting outsourcing or keep it in-house?

Outsourcing accounting outsourcing to a fiduciary frees up time and secures compliance; keeping it in-house preserves a continuous view and costs less in fees. The best answer is often hybrid: the company captures and digitises as it goes, the fiduciary supervises, closes the books and represents the company before the authorities.

A clear mandate agreement states who does what by when: document handover, posting deadlines, filing calendar, and responsibility for delays. A shared platform (same data, same document archive) between the company and its fiduciary eliminates binder ping-pong and duplicate entry.

Year-end closing: how the mechanics work

The closing turns day-to-day bookkeeping into annual accounts: balance sheet, income statement and notes (art. 958 CO). Mandatory stops: accruals and deferrals, depreciation, commercially justified provisions, inventory of stock and work in progress, then VAT and AHV reconciliations.

For an SME in Erlinsbach (SO), the closing is also decision time: distributions, provisions, investments to anticipate. A file ready in February leaves time to decide; one ready in June just endures.

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Digitalising accounting outsourcing: 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 Erlinsbach (SO) as everywhere.

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

Erlinsbach (SO): what changes, what does not

Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Erlinsbach (SO): the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Solothurn.

Erlinsbach (SO) requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 5015 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

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 Erlinsbach (SO) can therefore archive fully digitally.

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 Erlinsbach (SO).

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 Erlinsbach (SO) as anywhere.

How much does accounting outsourcing cost in Erlinsbach (SO)?

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

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