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Elevated view of a vast open-pit quarry cut into stepped terraces, surrounded by forest, with heavy machinery at the bottom of the pit.

Accounting for other mining and quarrying n.e.c. in Switzerland: the practical guide

NOGA code 089900 · MINING AND QUARRYING

Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship, accounting 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 accounting

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 good news: the Swiss frame is stable and predictable. Structure accounting once — chart of accounts, document flow, calendar — and the same organisation pays off for years.

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.

Comparability over time beats sophistication: a chart stable for five years beats a “perfect” one rebuilt every year. Banks and the tax administration read year-on-year movements first.

Digitalising accounting: what actually works

A serious accounting document archive links every record to its entry, timestamps versions and logs access — exactly what Swiss bookkeeping regulation expects from probative electronic retention. Chronological filing by financial year becomes an automatic by-product.

An SME that digitalises gains owner time first: less filing, fewer “where is that receipt?” questions, more attention to the trade — that is the real return of accounting.

Elevated view of a vast open-pit quarry cut into stepped terraces, surrounded by forest, with heavy machinery at the bottom of the pit.

Outsource accounting or keep it in-house?

Splitting roles clearly avoids duplication: the company captures documents and approves payments; the fiduciary checks postings, closes the year and defends the file before the authorities. Each side does what it does best — and nobody keys the same invoice twice.

With a shared online platform, collaboration works remotely, documents and entries visible to both sides in real time. The choice widens to all of Switzerland — competence becomes the criterion again, not the postcode.

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

Frequently asked questions

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.

When must a business register for VAT?

As soon as its worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (CHF 250,000 for non-profit sports or cultural associations). Below that, voluntary registration remains possible and often makes sense to reclaim input VAT on investments.

What are the legal obligations for accounting 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.

Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business anywhere in Switzerland?

Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. Cantonal specifics (taxes, allowances) are configured in your file.

Professions in the same sector

This guide by municipality

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting for Swiss SMEs: 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.

Source: NOGA 2008 nomenclature, Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO). A statistical nomenclature: it describes an activity and is not a commercial register entry.