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SME chart of accounts checklist in Egg: rules, deadlines, best practice

SME chart of accounts checklist in Egg rests on three pillars: federal law that applies across Switzerland, cantonal deadlines worth knowing, and tools that eliminate re-keying. This guide puts it all in order, fact by fact.

The Swiss legal frame for SME chart of accounts

AHV audits and VAT audits follow the same logic: start from the documents, trace to the entries, check consistency. A business in Egg with a clean audit trail sails through these exercises.

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 SME chart of accounts run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.

Outsource SME chart of accounts or keep it in-house?

Responsibility stays with the client: the fiduciary executes with care, but the signed accounts bind the company. Understanding what you sign is not optional.

A business in Egg can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — SME chart of accounts splits very well.

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 Egg.

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

Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

Digitalising SME chart of accounts: what actually works

Security is part of digitalisation: named access, tested backups, encryption of sensitive data. A digital accounting file is protected like a safe — because it is one.

For SME chart of accounts, migrating history must not block the start: begin on day one of the current financial year and import the history later if needed.

Egg: what changes, what does not

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

Federal deadlines do not move in Egg: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 8132 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

What are the legal obligations for SME chart of accounts in Switzerland?

The foundation is the Code of Obligations: proper bookkeeping (art. 957a CO), annual accounts (balance sheet, income statement, notes) and 10-year retention of books and records (art. 958f CO). VAT applies from CHF 100,000 of turnover, and social insurance settlements from the first employee. Nothing is different in Egg: federal law applies.

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 Egg.

How much does SME chart of accounts cost in Egg?

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.

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 Egg.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates SME chart of accounts for businesses in Egg: 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.