Digital bookkeeping and working with DATEV Unternehmen online: how to make it work!

Files passed back and forth, paper documents and shoeboxes full of receipts are still part of everyday life for many businesses. Yet bookkeeping can be faster, more transparent and accessible from anywhere. As a tax advisory firm, we therefore consistently rely on digital processes. When working with your business, we use DATEV Unternehmen online, a cloud-based platform designed to enable seamless digital communication.

The introduction of electronic invoicing and the GoBD requirements have demonstrated that digitalisation does not end with compliance with individual statutory obligations. A modern tax and accounting function can only be created through fully integrated digital processes.

What is DATEV Unternehmen online?

DATEV Unternehmen online is the central platform through which you and our firm exchange documents and data digitally.

Documents no longer have to be physically delivered to the firm. Instead, they are captured digitally, archived in an audit-compliant manner and made available to both sides at any time.

The result is up-to-date figures rather than months of outstanding bookkeeping, less time spent searching for documents and significantly more efficient processes – both for your business and for our firm.

The digital document process: from receipt to posting

The traditional process of printing a document, filing it, taking it to the tax adviser and later collecting it again is eliminated entirely. Instead, the process is digital from start to finish.

1. Capturing documents: Incoming invoices can simply be scanned or photographed using a smartphone and the DATEV Upload mobil app. Electronic invoices and PDF invoices can be uploaded directly, without changing between digital and paper formats. Documents can also be retrieved automatically by email using **DATEV Upload Mail**. Invoices from your suppliers are then transferred to the system without any further action on your part.

2. Processing documents: The documents are read automatically using optical character recognition, or OCR. Invoice details such as the amount, date and supplier are entered into the relevant fields automatically. You can also initiate payments directly through the system and keep track of outstanding receivables and liabilities.

3. Posting documents: We can access the digital documents at the same time and post them promptly rather than several weeks later. Every accounting entry is linked to the original document. Any queries can be addressed directly in connection with the relevant digital document instead of through handwritten notes or separate correspondence. The result is financial accounting that provides real value to your business: meaningful management accounts based on current data.

This gives you a reliable basis on which to make business decisions.

Interfaces: connecting your systems with our firm

No business operates using only one system. This is precisely where our digital expertise becomes particularly valuable.

Our approach is straightforward: where a system can be connected from a technical perspective, we seek to establish that connection. Whether you use an inventory management system, online shop, invoicing tool, time-recording software or point-of-sale system, we examine whether and how its data can be transferred automatically to DATEV.

Repeated manual data entry and error-prone Excel exports are not a sustainable solution for us. At most, they should serve as a temporary arrangement.

We have detailed knowledge of the DATEV interface ecosystem and select the most appropriate solution for each individual application.

Invoicing and ERP Systems: Whether you prepare your outgoing invoices using established solutions such as Lexware, sevdesk or BuchhaltungsButler, or through a customised enterprise resource planning system, DATEV data services can be used to transfer invoice data, accounting data and digital copies of the supporting documents automatically to DATEV.

These services include, for example Rechnungsdatenservice for invoice data, Belegbilderservice for digital document images and Buchungsdatenservice for accounting entries. This eliminates the need to enter the same data more than once.

Online Shops and Payment Providers: Do you sell through Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon or eBay? E-commerce transactions and data from payment providers such as PayPal, Klarna or Stripe can also be connected to the bookkeeping system using specialised interfaces. This includes the correct VAT treatment of transactions, including international sales.

Bank Connections: Your bank transactions can be transferred automatically into the accounting system through electronic bank statements. Incoming and outgoing payments are matched with the relevant documents. Where required, payments can also be processed automatically through DATEV Unternehmen online.

Point-of-Sale Systems: Cash accounting is a particularly sensitive area for restaurants, retailers and service providers that accept cash payments. Modern point-of-sale systems that comply with the German technical security system requirements, known as TSE, can be connected directly through the DATEV-Kassenschnittstelle (Kassendatenservice). Daily closing figures and cash-register transactions are transferred automatically and in compliance with the GoBD requirements. This removes the need for a manually maintained cash book, reduces transmission errors and provides greater certainty in the event of a cash-register inspection or tax audit.

Digital payroll: paperless HR processes

We also work entirely digitally in the area of payroll.

Using the payroll pre-entry function, you can provide us securely and in a structured format with information such as working hours, additional payments and details of new employees. Interfaces with commonly used time-recording systems can also be incorporated.

Your employees receive their payslips, income tax certificates and social security records digitally through DATEV Arbeitnehmer online. The documents are available at any time, processed in compliance with data-protection requirements and no longer need to be distributed manually.

Management reports, certificates and statutory notifications to public authorities are also handled digitally. This saves time, reduces potential sources of error and significantly eases the administrative burden on your HR department.

Digital reporting: keeping track of your figures at all times

Up-to-date bookkeeping provides the foundation. However, its true value only becomes apparent when the figures are presented through meaningful reports. We therefore provide our clients with fully digital reporting directly from the DATEV accounting system.

• Reports available online at any time: through DATEV Unternehmen online, we make your financial and management reports available digitally. These may include management accounts, known in Germany as a BWA, trial balances, lists of outstanding receivables and liabilities, management control reports and other relevant evaluations. There is no need to wait for printed reports or call the firm to request information. You can access your figures whenever you need them.

• Clear rather than cryptic: Modern reports with clear visual presentation show key information at a glance, including revenue trends, cost structures, liquidity and financial results. The reports are designed to be understandable even for people without an accounting background. Where required, they can also include comparisons with the previous year, budget figures and industry benchmarks.

• Individual management control: for clients with more extensive information requirements, we can expand the reporting system further. This may include  liquidity forecasts during the financial year, cost-centre reports and individual dashboards containing key performance indicators. The reports are tailored to your sector and the figures that are most relevant to managing your business.

• Using figures as the basis for discussion: We do not simply provide you with reports and leave you to interpret them alone. During regular digital meetings, we review the figures together, assess developments and derive specific recommendations for action.

In this way, bookkeeping develops from a statutory obligation into a genuine management tool for your business. Decisions can then be based on current data rather than instinct alone.

Digital collaboration means: we are always only a click away

For us, digitalisation is not an end in itself. It provides the basis for a collaborative relationship in which both sides work together as equal partners.

• Real-time transparency: you can view the current status of your bookkeeping, outstanding items and financial reports at any time – rather than waiting until several weeks after the end of the month.

• Access from any location: whether you are in the office, working from home or travelling, you can access your documents and figures whenever required. Meetings with us can also be held by video conference.

• Secure communication: documents and sensitive information are exchanged through encrypted channels rather than by unsecured email.

• Advice rather than document administration: because routine processes are automated, more time is available for what truly matters: providing you with tax and business advice.

Practical advice: our experience shows that the greatest time savings often result not from introducing new software, but from establishing clearly defined processes and consistently applying a digital approach to collaboration.

Switching to digital bookkeeping is easier than you may think

Many businesses hesitate to switch to digital bookkeeping because they are concerned about the work involved and the cost of changing their systems.

Our experience from numerous digitalisation projects shows that, with the right support, the transition can be completed within a few weeks and generally pays for itself quickly.

We

• analyse your existing processes and software environment
• set up DATEV Unternehmen online together with you
• connect your existing systems through the appropriate interfaces and
• train you and your team to use the relevant tools.

Our involvement does not end once the initial setup has been completed. We continuously monitor new interfaces and functions within the DATEV ecosystem and actively develop your processes further rather than leaving the original solution unchanged.

For many businesses, digitalising their bookkeeping also provides a valuable opportunity to review their tax and accounting processes more broadly – from capturing documents and approving invoices to working with their tax advisers.

Would you like to structure your tax processes efficiently and prepare them for the future?

Discover how clear processes, digital tools and a modern approach to working with your tax advisers can help your business save time and reduce risk.

Frequently asked questions about DATEV Unternehmen online and digital bookkeeping:

How much does DATEV Unternehmen online cost?

The monthly DATEV licence costs are relatively modest at approximately €20, depending on the selected range of services and the volume of documents processed.

These costs are offset by significant potential savings, including less time spent entering data, faster processes and potentially lower bookkeeping costs as a result of more efficient procedures. In most cases, the cost of switching to the platform is recovered relatively quickly.

We would be pleased to calculate the likely costs and savings for your particular circumstances.

Do I have to replace my existing software to work digitally with ACCONSIS?

No, not in most cases. Our approach is to connect your existing systems, including your invoicing software, inventory management system, point-of-sale system, time-recording software or online shop, through appropriate interfaces. Only where existing software cannot be connected effectively will we recommend a suitable alternative and support you throughout the transition.

Is digital document storage legally compliant and can paper documents be destroyed afterwards?

Yes. DATEV Unternehmen online archives documents in an audit-compliant manner at the DATEV data centre in Germany and meets the requirements of the GoBD.

Under a process known as replacement scanning, paper documents may generally be destroyed after they have been digitised. However, this requires a documented procedure. We can assist you in preparing the necessary documentation.

Certain original documents, such as notarised deeds, should continue to be retained in their original form.

How long does it take to switch to digital bookkeeping?

This depends on your current systems and processes, but the transition will typically take only a few weeks. Once we have analysed your processes, we set up the platform, connect your systems and train your team.

The changeover will usually take place at the beginning of a new month to ensure a clear transition. From the first day onwards, we provide close support until all processes are operating smoothly.