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Since 2008, SMEs in Switzerland can opt out of having an audit office (Opting-Out), which saves costs but requires more intensive credit checks by lenders. Despite the risk to lenders and suppliers, this approach is often chosen because the cost factor predominates.

Since 2012, companies must conduct a proper audit under stricter conditions if they meet certain financial criteria or legal requirements. The criteria for this are regulated in Art. 727 of the Swiss Code of Obligations and include, among others, publicly traded companies and those with large balance sheets or employee numbers.

The private portion for business vehicles can either be determined effectively through a logbook or as a flat rate of 0.8% of the purchase price per month. This amount is treated as AHV-liable salary and taxed.

Like an employee's salary, social security contributions and other social levies are due on the board of directors' fee. The article clarifies this obligation to pay contributions.

Employee contributions to social security are deducted directly from the salary (accounting entry: payroll expense/creditors). Employer contributions are recorded through the expense account (social benefits/creditors).

According to Art. 18 para. 2 lit. J MWSTG, board of directors' fees are exempt from value-added tax. They are considered equivalent to a salary payment for tax purposes.

Companies are generally liable for VAT, but can be exempt from the obligation with revenues under CHF 100,000. VAT registration can still make sense, e.g., for input tax deductions or if many customers are also VAT liable.

Small businesses use open-item accounting without individual debtor/creditor accounts and instead keep two folders each for outstanding and paid invoices. Outstanding invoices are totaled for the year-end inventory, and paid invoices are recorded upon receipt or payment.

Purchases are directly recorded as cost of goods expense, appropriate when the items are sold within the same period; the inventory remains invisible. Sales are recorded daily based on the cash register tape, thereby avoiding additional entries.