Team analysing financial charts around a table

Accounting records archiving for architecture firms in Premier: the practical guide

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around accounting records archiving in Premier, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.

Digitalising accounting records archiving: what actually works

Automation is judged on the exceptions: what happens when the document is unreadable, the supplier unknown, the amount divergent? A good tool isolates those cases and lets a human decide fast — precious for teams in Premier.

The winning pair for accounting records archiving: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.

Outsource accounting records archiving or keep it in-house?

The scope goes down in writing: who enters data, who approves payments, who answers the tax office, who keeps the originals. Every “we'll see” at the start becomes a December misunderstanding — in Premier as elsewhere.

A business in Premier can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — accounting records archiving splits very well.

The Swiss legal frame for accounting records archiving

A small business does not mean small obligations: from the first salary or the first VAT return, mistakes get expensive — in Premier as anywhere.

One simple principle drives accounting records archiving: every franc in or out must be explainable by a document, an entry and an account. All of Swiss accounting law fits inside that traceability requirement.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

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 — even in Premier.

For a business in Premier, 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.

Premier: what changes, what does not

Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Premier: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Vaud.

For a business in Premier, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Vaud.

Frequently asked questions

Can accounting records archiving be automated with AI?

Largely, yes: automatic document reading, posting suggestions, bank reconciliation via QR references and VAT exports. Human approval remains essential — AI prepares, the professional checks. That is exactly how MyFiducia.ai approaches accounting records archiving.

When is entry in the commercial register mandatory?

A Sàrl and an SA only come into existence with their registration. A sole proprietorship must register from CHF 100,000 of annual revenue; below that, registration stays voluntary but adds credibility and protects the business name. Registration goes through the canton's commercial register office — for Premier too.

What are the legal obligations for accounting records archiving 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. Nothing is different in Premier: federal law applies.

What is simplified bookkeeping and who can use it?

Sole proprietorships and partnerships under CHF 500,000 of revenue may limit themselves to recording income, expenses and assets (art. 957 para. 2 CO). Once over the threshold — or upon founding a Sàrl or an SA — full accounts with balance sheet, income statement and notes become mandatory. The CHF 500,000 threshold is assessed the same way in Premier.

Also worth reading

In neighbouring municipalities

Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting records archiving for businesses in Premier: 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.

    Accounting records archiving in Premier