Smiling team looking at a laptop

Everything that matters about e-invoicing for the self-employed in Personico

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around e-invoicing in Personico, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.

Digitalising e-invoicing: 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.

Outsource e-invoicing or keep it in-house?

Outsourcing e-invoicing 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.

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

QR-bills and friction-free collections

Instalments and partial payments are handled cleanly with distinct references per tranche: each collection finds its share, and the remaining balance stays correct at all times.

The winning trio remains: QR-bills for collections, e-banking connected to the accounts for statement imports (camt.053), and automatic matching rules. Exceptions — partial payments, duplicates, missing references — are then handled in minutes, not hours.

Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

The Swiss legal frame for e-invoicing

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

One simple principle drives e-invoicing: 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.

Personico: what changes, what does not

Personico (postal code 6744, canton Ticino) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Personico are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Personico requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 6744 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

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 Personico.

When is entry in the commercial register mandatory?

A Sàrl and an SA only come into existence with their registration. A sole proprietorship must register from CHF 100,000 of annual revenue; below that, registration stays voluntary but adds credibility and protects the business name. Registration goes through the canton's commercial register office — for Personico too.

How much does e-invoicing cost in Personico?

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.

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 Personico: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

Also worth reading

In neighbouring municipalities

Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates e-invoicing for businesses in Personico: 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.

    E-invoicing for the self-employed in Personico — Swiss guide