Outsourced accounting in Switzerland for SMEs, Sàrl and SA
Outsource part or all of your Swiss accounting function while keeping approvals, payments and management decisions inside your company.
Robuste provides online accounting outsourcing for Swiss SMEs, Sàrl, SA and foreign-owned entities in Vaud. A written mandate defines bookkeeping, VAT, payroll coordination, annual closing, reporting, deadlines and responsibility — in English or French.
Full, partial or hybrid accounting outsourcing in Switzerland
This page answers a specific commercial question: which part of your Swiss accounting function should remain inside the company, and which part can be handled by an external fiduciary under a controlled process?
Direct answer: accounting outsourcing means delegating defined finance and accounting processes to an external Swiss fiduciary under a written mandate. It is broader than bookkeeping because it also defines responsibilities, deadlines, controls, year-end work and the management information to be delivered.
Complete outsourcing
Robuste handles the recurring accounting cycle under the agreed mandate: documents, bookkeeping, reconciliations, VAT, year-end coordination and reporting where included.
Partial outsourcing
Your team keeps invoicing, payments or document collection, while Robuste takes responsibility for selected processes such as bookkeeping review, VAT, closing or payroll coordination.
Hybrid finance function
An internal administrator or accountant manages operations; Robuste provides technical review, recurring closing logic, reporting and escalation for more sensitive matters.
This role differs from monthly SME bookkeeping, which focuses on transaction processing, and from the broader SME accounting service, which explains the overall accounting scope. Here, the main intent is the decision to delegate the function itself.
Six situations where an outsourced finance function becomes practical
The strongest reason is rarely “we do not like accounting”. It is usually a capacity, continuity or control problem that the current setup no longer solves.
The director is still doing accounting administration
Invoices, bank matching, VAT questions and document chasing consume management time without creating commercial value.
The workload does not justify a full internal hire
The company needs recurring accounting expertise, but not a permanent employee covering every month, deadline and specialist question.
Several providers own different fragments
Bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, tax and closing are split between people who do not share one calendar or one reconciled accounting file.
The accounting file is always late
Management receives usable figures after the decision has already been made, or only when the annual closing becomes urgent.
A foreign owner needs Swiss figures explained in English
The legal accounts are local, but shareholders, directors or a parent company need clear English commentary and responsibilities.
The company is changing fiduciary or software
A takeover needs a cut-off date, access review, open-item check, VAT and payroll calendar, and a documented handover.
The company still needs a person who approves supplier invoices, confirms payroll variables, answers operational questions and sends documents on time. A fiduciary can organise the process; it cannot invent missing commercial information.
What must remain secure when accounting is outsourced
Accounting outsourcing does not move the company outside Swiss rules. The mandate must connect recurring processing with statutory accounts, VAT, payroll and document retention.
Swiss CO accounts
Sàrl and SA must keep accounts and prepare annual financial statements under the Swiss Code of Obligations. Entries, balances and supporting records must remain consistent and traceable.
Document retention
Accounting books, records, annual reports and audit reports generally have a ten-year retention period. Electronic records must remain readable, traceable and verifiable throughout that period.
VAT where applicable
VAT liability commonly turns on CHF 100,000 of relevant worldwide turnover, but the exact analysis depends on the nature and location of supplies, exemptions and the company’s activity.
Management responsibility
Outsourcing does not transfer management and approval responsibilities. For an SA, organising the accounts, financial control and financial planning remains among the board’s non-transferable duties.
For a VAT-specific review, use our Swiss VAT support page. If the immediate issue is the statutory year-end file, see annual closing in Switzerland.
“Accounting outsourced” should never be assumed to mean that payroll, tax returns, annual closing, audit coordination, bank payments or legal work are automatically included. Each function must be named in the mandate.
A modular accounting scope — from monthly processing to management support
Select a tab to see the typical modules. The final mandate can combine them, separate them or leave some tasks inside your company.
Document processing
Customer and supplier invoices, expenses, credit notes, recurring entries and supporting documents are organised according to the agreed workflow.
Recurring moduleBank and payment reconciliation
Bank, card and payment-platform movements are matched to accounting entries and unresolved items are reported for clarification.
Monthly controlReceivables and payables
Customer and supplier balances are matched so that open items, duplicates, advance payments and missing documents can be identified.
If includedAccounting review
Suspense accounts, private/company transactions, fixed assets and unusual entries are reviewed before they become year-end corrections.
Quality layerVAT preparation and filing support
Rates, method, turnover reconciliation, input tax and sensitive entries are reviewed according to the company activity and filing rhythm.
Separate scopePayroll accounting entries
Payroll totals, employer charges and salary-related balances are posted and reconciled with the payroll file.
Connected accountingPayroll service coordination
Payslips, AVS, LPP, accident insurance and withholding tax can be coordinated through a dedicated payroll mandate.
If contractedDeadline calendar
Recurring VAT and payroll inputs are linked to a documented timetable so that internal approvals and external submissions do not conflict.
Shared responsibilityClosing preparation
Reconciliations, accruals, deferrals, fixed assets, provisions and other year-end matters are prepared or reviewed according to the mandate.
Annual moduleStatutory financial statements
Balance sheet, income statement and notes where applicable are prepared from the validated accounting file.
Swiss COCorporate tax preparation support
The accounting file and tax-sensitive schedules can be prepared for the corporate tax return or coordinated with the relevant tax specialist.
Scope-dependentAudit or reviewer coordination
Schedules and explanations can be organised for an auditor or reviewer where required, without replacing the independent assurance role.
If applicableMonthly management summary
Revenue, costs, result, cash, receivables and key issues are presented in a concise format for the director.
Management layerCash-flow and KPI reporting
Budget versus actuals, short-term cash planning and selected indicators can be added when the accounting data is reliable enough.
Extended scopeEnglish shareholder reporting
Swiss figures can be explained in English for foreign shareholders, boards, parent companies or financing discussions.
International teamsProfessional coordination
Accounting information can be coordinated with a bank, tax specialist, lawyer, auditor or payroll provider when the client authorises it.
By mandateFor payroll administration itself, use the dedicated payroll service in Vaud. For dashboards, cash flow and CFO-style support, see financial reporting for SMEs.
Who does what after the accounting function is delegated?
The cleanest mandates separate operating decisions, accounting processing and third-party responsibilities before the first recurring cycle begins.
Your company
- Provide complete documents and business context on time.
- Approve supplier invoices, payments and payroll variables.
- Confirm contracts, pricing, private use and related-party matters.
- Make commercial, financing and governance decisions.
Robuste Fiduciaire
- Process and reconcile the accounting modules included in the mandate.
- Prepare recurring deliverables and flag missing or inconsistent information.
- Maintain a documented calendar for the agreed accounting cycle.
- Explain the figures in English or French at the agreed level.
Shared or third-party
- Banks and payment providers control access and payment execution.
- Insurers and pension funds retain their own administrative responsibilities.
- Auditors, lawyers and notaries remain independent professionals.
- Tax authorities decide assessments and administrative outcomes.
Three operating models — each with different costs and control points
The right model depends on transaction volume, internal competence, continuity requirements, management expectations and the complexity of VAT, payroll and reporting.
In-house accountant
Strong daily proximity and direct access to operations, but the company carries fixed employment, training, software and continuity costs.
- Direct operational control
- Useful for high daily transaction volume
- Continuity risk during absence or departure
- Specialist VAT, tax or closing support may still be needed
Outsourced accounting
Defined recurring processes, variable scope and external expertise without building a complete internal finance team.
- Clear monthly scope and responsibilities
- Suitable when volume does not justify a full hire
- Access to bookkeeping, closing, VAT and reporting layers
- Requires disciplined document flow and internal approvals
Hybrid / co-sourced
An internal administrator or accountant handles operations while the fiduciary reviews, closes, reports and supports sensitive matters.
- Keeps operational knowledge inside the company
- Adds technical review and continuity
- Useful for growing or multi-entity SMEs
- Needs a clear split to avoid duplicated work
From current setup to a controlled monthly accounting cycle
A proper takeover protects continuity. We do not start by moving documents blindly; we first identify the state of the file, cut-off date, responsibilities and upcoming deadlines.
Scope request
You describe the company, volume, VAT, payroll, software, current provider, backlog and reporting needs.
File review
We review available balances, reconciliations, VAT status, open items, accesses, deadlines and unresolved issues.
Takeover plan
We define the cut-off date, document handover, responsibilities, one-off correction work and recurring deliverables.
Digital workflow
Online document channels, software access, approval rules, video meetings and the monthly timetable are set up.
Recurring cycle
Processing, reconciliations, questions, VAT or payroll coordination and management output follow the agreed rhythm.
If the file contains old unreconciled balances, missing VAT returns, incomplete payroll postings or several months of backlog, the clean-up is assessed and quoted separately before the recurring mandate starts.
Accounting outsourcing fees based on delegated responsibility
This page starts where bookkeeping-only support ends. The final proposal depends on the modules delegated, document volume, software, VAT, payroll, reporting, deadlines and the condition of the existing accounting file.
Partial Outsourcing
For a company that keeps invoicing, approvals or document collection internally and delegates selected accounting modules.
- Defined bookkeeping review or reconciliation scope
- VAT, closing or payroll coordination if contracted
- Documented responsibilities and deadline calendar
- Suitable for an internal administrator or finance employee
Integrated Accounting
For an active SME needing monthly accounting, reconciliations, VAT coordination, year-end preparation and a clear director summary.
- Monthly bookkeeping and account reconciliations
- VAT preparation according to the agreed method
- Payroll entries or coordination if included
- Closing preparation and recurring management summary
Extended Finance Function
For growing, foreign-owned or more structured SMEs that need accounting plus recurring reporting, cash visibility and professional coordination.
- Complete or hybrid accounting mandate
- Monthly P&L, cash and working-capital commentary
- Budget, KPI or forecast layer if agreed
- English shareholder, board or bank reporting
Need only recurring transaction processing? Use the dedicated SME bookkeeping page rather than an outsourcing mandate.
Historical catch-up, urgent clean-up, software migration, multi-entity consolidation, complex tax work, audit support, legal work, payment execution and exceptional authority correspondence are outside the recurring fee unless expressly included.
Standalone advisory consultations by video are billed at CHF 150/hour. Where the discussion leads directly to an accounting mandate, the first 30 minutes may be credited within the engagement terms.
Start with the service that matches the work to be done
Accounting outsourcing is appropriate when responsibility for several finance processes is being delegated. If the need is narrower, use the dedicated service page below.
You only need monthly transaction processing
Use the page focused on entries, bank reconciliation and closing-ready records.
SME bookkeeping →You need broad accounting orientation
Use the English hub to compare bookkeeping, VAT, closing, reporting and outsourcing.
Accounting in Vaud →Your immediate issue is year-end
Choose the page focused on statutory accounts, adjustments and the closing file.
Annual closing →You mainly need dashboards and cash flow
Use the reporting page when the accounting exists but management visibility is missing.
Financial reporting →You need margin by activity or project
Use analytical accounting for cost centres, allocation rules and profitability analysis.
Analytical accounting →Official Swiss accounting references
These official sources explain the general framework. The treatment of a specific company still depends on its legal form, activity, records and mandate.
Official overview of accounting-record retention, digital storage and the ten-year retention period under Swiss CO rules.
Open official guidance ↗Official overview of Swiss VAT liability, relevant turnover thresholds and the need to assess the nature and location of supplies.
Open FTA guidance ↗Official summary of the SA board’s non-transferable duties, including organisation of accounting, financial control and financial planning.
Open official guidance ↗Describe the function you want to delegate
Tell us how your accounting works today and where it is failing: internal workload, current fiduciary, backlog, VAT, payroll, closing, reporting or English communication. We will identify the next practical step and prepare a scope-based proposal where appropriate.
- Legal form and activity — Sàrl, SA, SME or Swiss subsidiary.
- Approximate monthly volume — documents, banks, cards and payment platforms.
- VAT and payroll — status, frequency, employees and permits if relevant.
- Current setup — software, internal person or existing fiduciary.
- Desired output — bookkeeping only, complete mandate or management reporting.
Robuste follows a digital-first model: documents are exchanged online and most meetings take place by video. On-site support in Vaud may be arranged when operationally necessary and agreed in advance.
Request a tailored outsourcing scope
Describe your company and the accounting function you want to delegate.
Outsourced accounting in Switzerland — practical questions
Short answers for SME directors and foreign shareholders before defining the mandate.