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Accounting software for startups in Trub: rules, deadlines, best practice

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around accounting software in Trub, 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

Automation is judged on the exceptions: what happens when the document is unreadable, the supplier unknown, the amount divergent? A good tool isolates those cases and lets a human decide fast — precious for teams in Trub.

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.

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

Shareholder current accounts demand strict hygiene: every private withdrawal documented, interest at the rates accepted by the tax administration, and a clean-up at closing.

For accounting software, the right granularity is decisive: enough accounts to steer the business (margins by activity, expenses by nature), few enough that every entry finds its place without hesitation. The VAT accounts (input VAT, VAT due) deserve special care — they are the basis of the annual reconciliation.

Outsource accounting software or keep it in-house?

The scope goes down in writing: who enters data, who approves payments, who answers the tax office, who keeps the originals. Every “we'll see” at the start becomes a December misunderstanding — in Trub as elsewhere.

In Trub, as everywhere, the right collaboration rhythm follows the activity: monthly for payroll and data entry, quarterly for VAT, yearly for the closing and tax advice.

Smiling advisor with a headset at their workstation

QR-bills and friction-free collections

Supplier invoices benefit from the same standard: the QR code is read on receipt, the payment is staged in e-banking with the desired due date, and the expense entry is proposed with the correct VAT. The purchase-payment-posting chain takes three moves.

For accounting software, the share of collections matched automatically is a metric worth watching: when it drops, it is almost always a matter of misused references.

Trub: what changes, what does not

Trub (postal code 3556, canton Bern) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Trub are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Federal deadlines do not move in Trub: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 3556 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

How long must records related to accounting software 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 Trub can therefore archive fully digitally.

Do you need a fiduciary for accounting software, 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 Trub.

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 Trub.

How much does accounting software cost in Trub?

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.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

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