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E-invoicing for cleaning companies in Salvan: rules, deadlines, best practice

E-invoicing for cleaning companies in Salvan 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.

For an SME in Salvan, the real gain of digitalised e-invoicing 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.

The Swiss legal frame for e-invoicing

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 e-invoicing run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

Nearly all Swiss SMEs rely on the standard SME chart of accounts (Sterchi/Käfer): classes 1 (assets) to 9 (closing), with revenue in class 3 and expenses in classes 4 to 6. Using this standard structure makes conversations with your fiduciary, auditor and tax administration far easier.

In an SME in Salvan, the chart of accounts is also a delegation tool: clear posting rules let a non-accountant prepare most entries without error.

Collaborative desk with laptops and documents, top view

Outsource e-invoicing or keep it in-house?

A fiduciary's cost depends first on the quality of the data received: digitised, filed, reconciled documents are processed fast; a box of loose receipts is billed by the hour. Improving the internal preparation of e-invoicing lowers fees more surely than any negotiation.

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.

Salvan: what changes, what does not

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

Salvan requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1922 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

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 Salvan as everywhere in Switzerland.

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 Salvan.

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 Salvan as anywhere.

How long must records related to e-invoicing 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 Salvan can therefore archive fully digitally.

Also worth reading

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates e-invoicing for businesses in Salvan: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.

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