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Bookkeeping for e-commerce in Solothurn: the practical guide

Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on bookkeeping in Solothurn: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.

The Swiss legal frame for bookkeeping

Responsibility for the books is personal: in an SA, organising the accounting is one of the board's non-transferable duties (art. 716a CO); in a Sàrl, the managing directors carry the same duty. Outsourcing the execution never transfers that underlying responsibility, including for a company based in Solothurn.

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 bookkeeping run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

The professionals' trick: handle every deadline at D-30, not D-1. A VAT return prepared a month early leaves time to chase a missing document without penalty.

For bookkeeping, deadline discipline is worth real money: default interest on late VAT, AHV adjustments, tax fines. A shared deadline calendar — fed by up-to-date figures — remains the simplest safeguard.

Digitalising bookkeeping: 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.

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.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

Outsource bookkeeping 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 Solothurn as elsewhere.

In Solothurn, 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.

Solothurn: what changes, what does not

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

Federal deadlines do not move in Solothurn: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 4500 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

How much does bookkeeping cost in Solothurn?

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.

Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Solothurn?

Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. A business in Solothurn manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.

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 Solothurn: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

What are the legal obligations for bookkeeping 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 Solothurn: federal law applies.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates bookkeeping for businesses in Solothurn: 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.