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Bank reconciliation for IT companies in Echallens explained simply

Swiss accounting law (art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations) sets a precise frame, yet day-to-day practice often stays fuzzy. This guide walks through what actually matters for a business based in Echallens.

Digitalising bank reconciliation: 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 an SME in Echallens, the real gain of digitalised bank reconciliation 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.

The Swiss legal frame for bank reconciliation

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 bank reconciliation converges on those three pages, in Echallens too.

The annual accounts (art. 958 CO) consist of the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes; they must be drawn up within six months of the year-end so the general meeting can approve them. A delay here cascades into the tax return and the final social insurance settlements.

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

A good chart of accounts tells the story of the business: classes 1 and 2 describe what it owns and owes, class 3 what it sells, classes 4 to 6 what it consumes. Private accounts (sole proprietorships) and shareholder current accounts (Sàrl/SA) must stay spotless: they are the first thing examined in a tax audit.

For bank reconciliation, a few well-chosen analytical accounts (by activity, by site) beat a forest of sub-accounts nobody ever reads.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

Outsource bank reconciliation 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 Echallens can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — bank reconciliation splits very well.

Echallens: what changes, what does not

Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Echallens: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Vaud.

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

Frequently asked questions

How long must records related to bank reconciliation 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 Echallens can therefore archive fully digitally.

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 Echallens, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

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 Echallens.

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 Echallens: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates bank reconciliation for businesses in Echallens: 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.

    Bank reconciliation for IT companies in Echallens