Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

Accounts receivable for carpenters in Untervaz explained simply

Accounts receivable for carpenters in Untervaz 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.

The Swiss legal frame for accounts receivable

Responsibility for the books is personal: in an SA, organising the accounting is one of the board's non-transferable duties (art. 716a CO); in a Sàrl, the managing directors carry the same duty. Outsourcing the execution never transfers that underlying responsibility, including for a company based in Untervaz.

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 accounts receivable run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.

Outsource accounts receivable 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 accounts receivable lowers fees more surely than any negotiation.

For accounts receivable, a quarterly 30-minute check-in with the fiduciary beats an annual marathon: questions get handled while they are small.

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

An accounting calendar only lives if it is shared: owner, in-house bookkeeper and fiduciary must see the same deadlines and the same status — the rule holds for every SME in Untervaz.

Delays rarely come alone: neglected bookkeeping postpones the closing, hence the tax return, hence the recalculated instalments — and the business flies blind for months. Keeping the books current as you go is the only sustainable way to hold every cascading deadline.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

Digitalising accounts receivable: what actually works

Artificial intelligence has changed the economics of accounts receivable: 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 Untervaz, the real gain of digitalised accounts receivable 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.

Untervaz: what changes, what does not

Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Untervaz: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Grisons.

Federal deadlines do not move in Untervaz: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 7204 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

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 Untervaz.

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 Untervaz.

Do you need a fiduciary for accounts receivable, 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 Untervaz.

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 Untervaz: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounts receivable for businesses in Untervaz: 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.

    Accounts receivable for carpenters in Untervaz — Swiss guide