Everything that matters about e-invoicing for engineering firms in Thun
E-invoicing for engineering firms in Thun raises the same questions for most Swiss SME owners: which obligations apply, which deadlines are running, which documents to prepare. This page covers the federal rules in force — without unnecessary jargon.
Digitalising e-invoicing: what actually works
Artificial intelligence has changed the economics of e-invoicing: automatic invoice reading reaches recognition rates that make manual entry marginal, and posting suggestions learn from corrections. The accountant does not disappear — the job shifts from data entry to control and advice.
Migrate in stages: supplier invoices first (high volume, immediate gain), then receivables with the QR-bill, finally payroll and the closing. At each stage, comparing one month before/after is enough to prove the gain — no theoretical promises needed.
Outsource e-invoicing 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.
Changing fiduciary is not a drama: the accounting data belongs to the company, and a clean export (entries, chart of accounts, linked documents) allows a transition at year-end. A provider who locks in a client's data says a lot about how it works.
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.
For e-invoicing, the share of collections matched automatically is a metric worth watching: when it drops, it is almost always a matter of misused references.
The Swiss legal frame for e-invoicing
AHV audits and VAT audits follow the same logic: start from the documents, trace to the entries, check consistency. A business in Thun with a clean audit trail sails through these exercises.
For e-invoicing, the classic early mistake remains mixing private and business: a dedicated bank account and documented private withdrawals eliminate half the discussions with the tax office.
Thun: what changes, what does not
Thun (postal code 3600, canton Bern) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Thun are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
Federal deadlines do not move in Thun: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 3600 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
Effective VAT method or net tax rate: how to choose?
The effective method deducts actual input VAT and files quarterly; the net tax rate method applies a flat industry rate to turnover, semi-annually, with no separate input VAT deduction. The flat rate suits low-cost structures; as investments grow, the effective method usually wins again. The choice rests on the company's own figures, in Thun as anywhere.
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 Thun.
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 Thun as anywhere.
Do you need a fiduciary for e-invoicing, 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 Thun.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates e-invoicing for businesses in Thun: 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.