Invoice scanning guide in Cartigny: what every SME should know
Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around invoice scanning in Cartigny, 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 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.
For invoice scanning, migrating history must not block the start: begin on day one of the current financial year and import the history later if needed.
The Swiss legal frame for invoice scanning
Swiss accounting law has been unified in the Code of Obligations since 2013: the same bookkeeping rules (art. 957a CO) and retention rules (art. 958f CO — 10 years for books, vouchers and reports) apply regardless of legal form. Invoice scanning sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in Cartigny.
The annual accounts (art. 958 CO) consist of the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes; they must be drawn up within six months of the year-end so the general meeting can approve them. A delay here cascades into the tax return and the final social insurance settlements.
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 Cartigny.
For invoice scanning, a few well-chosen analytical accounts (by activity, by site) beat a forest of sub-accounts nobody ever reads.
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 Cartigny as elsewhere.
A clear mandate agreement states who does what by when: document handover, posting deadlines, filing calendar, and responsibility for delays. A shared platform (same data, same document archive) between the company and its fiduciary eliminates binder ping-pong and duplicate entry.
Cartigny: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Cartigny: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Geneva.
Cartigny requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1236 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents should be prepared for the year-end closing?
Bank and cash statements at the closing date, the inventory of stock and work in progress, final AHV/LPP/accident settlements, contracts signed or amended during the year, invoices straddling two years and the detail of accruals. With an up-to-date document archive, most of it is already there. The list is identical in Cartigny: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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 Cartigny too.
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 Cartigny can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Cartigny.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates invoice scanning for businesses in Cartigny: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.
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