Bookkeeping for engineering firms in Vals without the stress: how it works
Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Vals, bookkeeping eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.
The Swiss legal frame for bookkeeping
For an owner in Vals, 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.
Art. 957a CO requires complete, truthful and systematic recording of transactions, each entry backed by a supporting document. For bookkeeping, that means in practice: no movement without a receipt, and an audit trail that can be reconstructed at any time — including during a VAT or AHV inspection.
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.
In an SME in Vals, the chart of accounts is also a delegation tool: clear posting rules let a non-accountant prepare most entries without error.
Digitalising bookkeeping: what actually works
Digitising does not mean hoarding PDFs: without the document-entry link, a digital file is as opaque as a box of archives — true in Vals as everywhere.
For an SME in Vals, the real gain of digitalised bookkeeping 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.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
January: salary declaration to the compensation office and salary certificates. End of February, May, August, November: quarterly VAT returns (effective method), each to be filed and paid within 60 days after the quarter ends. Within six months of year-end: approved annual accounts. Then: the tax return under cantonal deadlines, with extensions possible.
The useful reflex: date every obligation the moment it arises. An employee hired means AHV/LPP deadlines created; VAT registration means a filing cycle set; a closing date fixed means backward planning of the close. Well organised, the bookkeeping calendar fills itself.
Vals: what changes, what does not
Working with a fiduciary from Vals no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Vals are shared online, while the canton Grisons keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.
For a business in Vals, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Grisons.
Frequently asked questions
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 Vals: federal law applies.
How long must records related to bookkeeping 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 Vals can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Vals.
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 Vals as anywhere.
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