Invoice scanning guide in Basel: rules, deadlines, best practice
Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Basel, invoice scanning eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.
Digitalising invoice scanning: what actually works
Security is part of digitalisation: named access, tested backups, encryption of sensitive data. A digital accounting file is protected like a safe — because it is one.
Migrate in stages: supplier invoices first (high volume, immediate gain), then receivables with the QR-bill, finally payroll and the closing. At each stage, comparing one month before/after is enough to prove the gain — no theoretical promises needed.
QR-bills and friction-free collections
Instalments and partial payments are handled cleanly with distinct references per tranche: each collection finds its share, and the remaining balance stays correct at all times.
For the debtors of a business in Basel, nothing changes on the payer's side: scan the code, confirm, pay. On the invoice scanning side, everything changes: the collection entry proposes itself, the receivables ledger updates continuously and reminders go out on exact balances.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
The same chart serves three readings: accounting (accuracy), tax (accepted adjustments) and management (margins by activity). Modern software produces all three views without double entry.
Standard numbering also enables automation: stable posting rules (same supplier, same account) make data entry predictable and the audit faster. Avoid changing the chart of accounts mid-year — migrate at the closing date, with a documented mapping table.
Outsource invoice scanning 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 Basel as elsewhere.
In Basel, as everywhere, the right collaboration rhythm follows the activity: monthly for payroll and data entry, quarterly for VAT, yearly for the closing and tax advice.
Basel: what changes, what does not
Working with a fiduciary from Basel no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Basel are shared online, while the canton Basel-City keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.
For a business in Basel, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Basel-City.
Frequently asked questions
How long must records related to invoice scanning be kept?
Ten years from the end of the financial year concerned (art. 958f CO). Electronic retention is permitted if the integrity and readability of the records are guaranteed — a serious digital archive validly replaces paper binders. A business in Basel can therefore archive fully digitally.
Which social contributions does a Swiss employer pay?
AHV/IV/APG: 5.3% employer share (the same is withheld from the employee); unemployment insurance: 1.1% each up to CHF 148,200 a year; occupational pension (LPP) by age and plan (employer at least 50%); occupational accident insurance paid by the employer; family allowances by canton. For an employer in Basel, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
When must a business register for VAT?
As soon as its worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (CHF 250,000 for non-profit sports or cultural associations). Below that, voluntary registration remains possible and often makes sense to reclaim input VAT on investments. The threshold is federal: it applies in Basel as everywhere in Switzerland.
What is the difference between a limited and an ordinary audit?
The ordinary audit applies to companies exceeding, for two consecutive years, two of three thresholds: CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions. Others fall under the limited audit, and those with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with all shareholders' consent. These federal thresholds do not depend on the registered seat — in Basel as anywhere.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates invoice scanning for businesses in Basel: 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.