The Month-End Pack Your Treuhänder Actually Wants

Your Treuhänder doesn't want more meetings.

They want the same eight things, every month, by the same date.

Most small companies send them in drips instead: a statement here, three receipts there, "oh, and there was that payment in dollars". Each drip is an email, a question and a delay. And when the year-end comes, everything that was missing all year shows up at once.

This article gives you the month-end pack: what goes in it, how to build it in under an hour, and how to stop the "can you send me an export?" emails for good.

Why a monthly pack beats a yearly scramble

• Questions get answered while you still remember. In March nobody knows what "Zahlung 14.07." was.
• VAT is easier. Your VAT returns draw on the same data. Clean months make clean returns.
• You see your numbers. A monthly close gives you real figures to make decisions with, not last year's.
• Your Treuhänder costs less. Less detective work means fewer billable hours.

The 8-part month-end pack

1. Statements for every account, in every currency

Not just the main CHF account. Every account, every currency, and any stablecoin or crypto holdings, as statements covering the full month.

Tip: check that the closing balance of each statement matches what you see in the account. Gaps usually mean a missing account.

2. Receipts and invoices matched to transactions

Every outgoing payment should have a document: a supplier invoice, a receipt or a contract. Every incoming payment should match an invoice you sent.

The simplest habit: capture receipts the moment you pay, not at month-end. See Forward a Bill, Click Approve: Accounts Payable on Autopilot.

3. Open receivables

The list of invoices you've sent that haven't been paid yet: client, amount, currency, due date.

4. Open payables

The bills you've received but not paid yet. This matters for accrual accounting and for your cash planning.

5. Payroll summary

For each employee: gross salary, deductions (AHV/IV/EO, ALV, BVG, accident insurance and so on), net salary, and the contributions paid. Plus joiners, leavers and salary changes. See Hiring Your First Employee in Switzerland: The AHV Setup to Do Before Payday One.

6. Foreign-currency and crypto movements

For every conversion and every payment in foreign currency or stablecoins:

• the date,
• the amount in both currencies,
• the rate used,
• for stablecoins, the transaction ID (on-chain hash) and the network.

For booking stablecoin payments, see How a Swiss Company Can Receive USDC (and What to Do Next).

7. Notes on anything unusual

A short list, in plain words:

• loans to or from shareholders,
• private expenses paid by the company (and how they'll be reimbursed),
• one-off large payments,
• anything you're unsure how to book.

This is where Treuhänder questions usually come from. Answer them before they're asked.

8. VAT-relevant items

If you're VAT-registered: invoices with VAT, imports, services bought from abroad that may be subject to reverse charge, and any correction notes. VAT is usually settled quarterly under the effective method and semi-annually under the net tax rate method. Since 2025, businesses with turnover up to CHF 5,005,000 can apply to settle annually, paying in instalments (MWSTG Art. 35), and monthly settlement is possible on request.

The month-end calendar

A simple rhythm for a small company:

• Daily or weekly — What: Capture receipts; forward bills to one inbox
• Last working day — What: Pay salaries; pay or schedule supplier bills
• Working day 1–2 — What: Download statements; update open receivables and payables lists
• Working day 3 — What: Send the pack to your Treuhänder
• Working day 5–10 — What: Answer questions; review the numbers they send back

Agree the exact dates with your Treuhänder. The point is that they're the same every month.

How to build the pack in under an hour

1. One shared folder per month, with the same eight subfolders every time.
2. Statements: download from every provider. If your account provides monthly statements automatically, even better.
3. Receipts: if they were captured during the month, this step is just a check.
4. Lists: keep open receivables and payables in a single spreadsheet you update, rather than recreating them.
5. Notes: a running document where you jot down unusual items as they happen.
6. Send one email with one link. Not twelve attachments.

Give the pack one owner

Even in a three-person company, one person owns the month-end pack. That person doesn't have to do everything, but they make sure everything arrives. Without an owner, every item is "someone else's" and the pack goes out late. Put the owner's name and the send date in the shared calendar, and add a backup for holidays.

Keep it for ten years

Swiss companies have to keep their business records for ten years from the end of the financial year (OR Art. 958f). For VAT, records relating to real estate can need keeping for up to 26 years (MWSTG Art. 70).

Records can be kept electronically if they stay complete, unaltered, readable and retrievable throughout the retention period (OR Art. 958f para. 3 and the Accounting Records Ordinance, GeBüV). Ask your Treuhänder what that means for your setup.

Common month-end mistakes

1. Forgetting the "other" accounts: the EUR account, the card, the crypto wallet.
2. Sending screenshots instead of statements. Treuhänder need full statements.
3. Receipts with no context. "Lunch CHF 84" — with whom, and why?
4. Mixing private and company spending. See 7 Money Mistakes Swiss Founders Make in Year One.
5. Missing the rate on conversions. Without it, FX can't be booked properly.

Bottom line

Your Treuhänder isn't asking for much. They're asking for the same things, every month, complete.

Build the eight-part pack once, then repeat it.

FAQ

What does a Treuhänder need from me every month?

Typically statements for all accounts, receipts and invoices, open receivables and payables, a payroll summary, foreign-currency and crypto movements, notes on unusual items, and VAT-relevant documents.

How long do Swiss companies have to keep business records?

Ten years from the end of the financial year (OR Art. 958f). VAT records relating to real estate can need keeping for up to 26 years.

Can I keep receipts digitally?

Yes, if the records stay complete, unaltered, readable and retrievable throughout the retention period (OR Art. 958f para. 3, GeBüV). Confirm your setup with your Treuhänder.

When should I send the month-end pack?

Agree a fixed date with your Treuhänder. Many small companies aim for the first few working days of the following month.

How do I document crypto or stablecoin payments for my Treuhänder?

Include the date, amount, CHF value used, rate source, network and transaction ID for every movement.

Make month-end the easy part

No more chasing exports. Firma gives you monthly statements to reconcile your accounts, with USD, EUR, CHF, GBP, CAD, MXN and BRL balances, and stablecoins on the same ledger. Bills come in by email or photo and are categorized before you approve them. Integrations with accounting tools like bexio, Abacus, Klara, QuickBooks, Xero and Sage are coming soon.

Open your Firma account →

More reading: The QR-Bill, Explained for Busy Founders and The FX Fee Your Bank Never Shows You.

This article is general information, not legal, tax, or investment advice. Talk to a qualified adviser about your situation.

Firma is a regulated financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided through banking partners. Balances are digital stablecoin tokens, not bank deposits, and are not covered by esisuisse.

Sources: Swiss Code of Obligations, Art. 958f; Federal Act on Value Added Tax (MWSTG), Art. 35 and 70; Firma.