Structure & legal steps

Your company's accounting: what obligations depending on your legal form?

Full or simplified accounting? In Switzerland, your accounting obligations depend on your legal form and turnover. Here are the rules you need to know and the tools to get off to a good start.

Who has to keep full accounts?

In Switzerland, the following companies are required to keep accounts and present financial statements in accordance with the rules of the Code of Obligations:

  • legal entities, including SAs and Sàrls,
  • sole proprietorships and general partnerships with turnover above CHF 500,000 in the last financial year.

Simplified accounting for small businesses

Sole proprietorships and general partnerships with turnover not exceeding CHF 500,000 must keep at least simplified accounts, covering only income, expenditure and assets.

Software or fiduciary?

There is accounting software that may meet your needs. You can also use a fiduciary to help you keep your accounts — an investment that often pays off in time saved and errors avoided.

Fri Up offers simple Excel templates produced by its partner Fireco SA: a basic bookkeeping template and an invoice template.