What documents do I need for accounting?

For compliant accounting in Switzerland, you need all documents that justify business operations.

The Code of Obligations prescribes that all business-relevant transactions must be documented. Here is a complete overview of the most important documents:

Mandatory documents for accounting:

Purchase invoices and expenses:

• Supplier invoices: All invoices from business partners
• Receipts: For cash expenses and smaller amounts
• Fuel receipts: For company vehicles or travel expenses
• Rental contracts: Office, warehouse, or machinery rentals
• Insurance premiums: Business and professional liability
• Bank statements: All account statements and credit card receipts

Sales invoices and income:

• Customer invoices: All invoices you issue
• Cash receipts: For cash transactions
• Online payment receipts: PayPal, Stripe, Twint etc.
• Interest statements: Savings interest or investment income

Additional documents for special cases:

• Employment contracts: For payroll accounting
• Inventory lists: Fixed assets and merchandise stock
• Export documents: For international trade
• Contracts: Leasing, maintenance, delivery agreements

Digital document management with Findea.ch:

With our scan app, you can easily digitize all documents:

• Photograph: Simply with your smartphone
• Automatic categorization: AI recognizes document type
• Cloud storage: Secure preservation
• VAT recognition: Automatic extraction

Retention obligation:

Important: All documents must be kept for 10 years in Switzerland. This applies to both physical and digital documents.

Tip for SMEs:

Collect documents continuously and hand them over monthly to your fiduciary. This ensures up-to-date accounting and avoids stress during annual closing.

With the Findea.ch app, document management becomes child's play - scan, upload, done!