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SME chart of accounts template in Trey without the stress: how it works

SME chart of accounts template in Trey 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 SME chart of accounts

For an owner in Trey, the question is never “do we need accounts?” but “at what level of detail?”. The CO sets the floor; the bank, the tax office and the shareholders set the rest.

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.

Digitalising SME chart of accounts: what actually works

Artificial intelligence has changed the economics of SME chart of accounts: 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.

The winning pair for SME chart of accounts: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.

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 Trey 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.

Team analysing financial charts around a table

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

Three families of deadlines shape the year: federal (VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January), cantonal (tax return, extensions depending on the canton, including in Trey) and internal (closing, general meeting within six months). Mixing them up is the leading cause of delays.

For SME chart of accounts, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.

Trey: what changes, what does not

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Can SME chart of accounts be automated with AI?

Largely, yes: automatic document reading, posting suggestions, bank reconciliation via QR references and VAT exports. Human approval remains essential — AI prepares, the professional checks. That is exactly how MyFiducia.ai approaches SME chart of accounts.

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 Trey, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

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 Trey.

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 Trey: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

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