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Everything that matters about accounting software step by step in Epalinges

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around accounting software in Epalinges, 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 accounting software: 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 Epalinges as everywhere.

For an owner in Epalinges, a dashboard only has value if the data is fresh: automating data entry means, first of all, buying up-to-date information about your own business.

Outsource accounting software or keep it in-house?

A good test before choosing: ask the fiduciary HOW it wants to receive the documents. A precise answer (formats, frequency, platform) says more than any brochure — including in Epalinges.

Three signals say it is time to delegate more: missed deadlines (VAT, AHV), entries running months behind, or an owner spending evenings on receipts instead of the business. Conversely, an SME equipped with modern software can safely take day-to-day entry back in-house.

The Swiss legal frame for accounting software

Three documents summarise the health of a Swiss business: the balance sheet (what it owns), the income statement (what it earns) and the notes (what else you should know). All the work of accounting software converges on those three pages, in Epalinges too.

Art. 957a CO requires complete, truthful and systematic recording of transactions, each entry backed by a supporting document. For accounting software, that means in practice: no movement without a receipt, and an audit trail that can be reconstructed at any time — including during a VAT or AHV inspection.

Collaborative desk with laptops and documents, top view

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

The test of a good chart of accounts is a single question: can the owner find the margins in three clicks? If not, the chart serves the tax office but not the business — even in Epalinges.

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

Epalinges: what changes, what does not

Epalinges (postal code 1066, canton Vaud) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Epalinges are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Federal deadlines do not move in Epalinges: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1066 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

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 Epalinges as everywhere in Switzerland.

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 Epalinges as anywhere.

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 Epalinges.

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 Epalinges as anywhere.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting software for businesses in Epalinges: 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.

    Accounting software step by step in Epalinges | MyFiducia.ai