Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

Invoice scanning for opticians in Erlen without the stress: how it works

Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Erlen, invoice scanning eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.

Digitalising invoice scanning: what actually works

Access for the fiduciary, the auditor and employees is set by roles: view, enter, approve, close. Well-set rights protect the data and speed up collaboration.

For an SME in Erlen, the real gain of digitalised invoice scanning 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.

Outsource invoice scanning or keep it in-house?

Outsourcing does not exempt you from understanding: an owner who can read the balance sheet and the income statement challenges the fiduciary better — and pays for advice, not re-keying.

In Erlen, 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.

QR-bills and friction-free collections

Clear payment terms, a visible due date, exact details: half of late payments come from ambiguous invoices, not bad payers — the finding holds in Erlen too.

The winning trio remains: QR-bills for collections, e-banking connected to the accounts for statement imports (camt.053), and automatic matching rules. Exceptions — partial payments, duplicates, missing references — are then handled in minutes, not hours.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

The same chart serves three readings: accounting (accuracy), tax (accepted adjustments) and management (margins by activity). Modern software produces all three views without double entry.

For a business in Erlen, the Sterchi/Käfer structure also eases benchmarking: banks and fiduciaries reason on those standard classes to situate an SME's invoice scanning.

Erlen: what changes, what does not

Erlen (postal code 8586, canton Thurgau) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Erlen are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

For a business in Erlen, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Thurgau.

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 Erlen.

Which social contributions does a Swiss employer pay?

AHV/IV/APG: 5.3% employer share (the same is withheld from the employee); unemployment insurance: 1.1% each up to CHF 148,200 a year; occupational pension (LPP) by age and plan (employer at least 50%); occupational accident insurance paid by the employer; family allowances by canton. For an employer in Erlen, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

How long must records related to invoice scanning 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 Erlen can therefore archive fully digitally.

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 Erlen as anywhere.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates invoice scanning for businesses in Erlen: 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.

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