DATEV
DATEV is the standard for accounting, payroll, and taxes in Germany and the system most tax firms work with.
DATEV isn't just another tool on this list; it's the infrastructure that much of German accounting runs on. The cooperative, based in Nuremberg, is owned by over 40,000 tax firms, and this ownership profoundly shapes the product: everything is designed for seamless collaboration between companies and their tax advisors.
For companies, DATEV Unternehmen online is typically the entry point. You photograph or upload receipts, your tax firm processes them, and evaluations like the BWA (business analysis) are returned digitally. Payroll, payment transactions, and archiving are all integrated into the same system.
Compared to Lexoffice or sevDesk, DATEV can appear old-fashioned, costs more, and its interface has some quirks. Modern tools are the better choice if you handle your own bookkeeping for a small company. However, once a tax firm is actively involved, DATEV truly shines: no more back-and-forth exporting and importing, no data inconsistencies, just a single, unified database.
Recommended for companies whose tax advisors use DATEV, which applies to most businesses in Germany. Self-bookkeepers not connected to a tax firm should first consider Lexoffice or sevDesk.
Functions
- Direct collaboration with your firm: Upload documents, and your tax advisor handles the accounting.
- GoBD-compliant processes without additional effort
- Interfaces to banks, POS systems, and invoicing tools
- Automation services for recurring bookings
- Over 40,000 member firms in the cooperative network
Core Functions
- Financial accounting with direct integration with your tax firm
- Payroll services, including regulatory reporting
- DATEV Unternehmen online for digital document exchange
- Annual financial statements and tax returns in a seamless process
- Data center in Germany with audit-proof archiving
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DATEV
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