In six months—to be precise, by January 1, 2025—all companies must be able to receive e-invoices. Tax advisors can help with this. Datev offers the appropriate IT solutions. (Photo: © DATEV eG)
Read aloud:
Starting January 2025, all companies must be able to receive e-invoices. The IT service provider Datev offers solutions to make it easier for SMEs to get started.
From January 1, 2025, e-invoicing will be mandatory for business-to-business (B2B) transactions in Germany. From this date, all companies, including micro-enterprises, must be able to receive electronic invoices. Transitional regulations apply to the sending of e-invoices. Many SMEs still confuse an e-invoice with an invoice in PDF format.
Datev is currently highlighting the urgent need for action with an information campaign . "Because this topic is so important for tax advisors, but also for all small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany, it is important to us to generate attention and raise awareness of e-invoicing," said Prof. Dr. Robert Mayr, CEO of Datev, at the Nuremberg-based IT service provider's annual press conference.
Mayr stated that all of Datev's invoicing-related products can be used to implement current e-invoicing requirements . He recommends that freelancers and businesses contact their tax advisors with any questions about e-invoicing, "who can help and support them with the implementation." Mayr is convinced that businesses and their tax advisors will only benefit from the advantages of digitalization and efficiency gains associated with e-invoicing . Furthermore, error-prone manual data entry will be eliminated, and paper will be saved.
Information events / seminars / podcast on e-invoicing for the skilled trades: The Chambers of Skilled Crafts regularly offer information events and online seminars in cooperation with Datev on the introduction of e-invoicing before the end of the year. Simone Schlewitz, Head of Department for Taxes and Financial Policy at the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), explains in the current episode of the Datev podcast "Taxes. With Law!" what is important when it comes to e-invoicing.
Operations management
Operations management
Operations management
As a further service for tax offices and companies, Datev is currently developing an e-invoicing platform . It is to be gradually expanded into a "central hub for receiving and sending e-invoices".
This also lays the groundwork for implementing the next stage of future legal developments – the reporting system planned by the tax authorities for 2028 , which will transmit the relevant electronic invoice data to the tax authorities . This is intended to reduce or even prevent VAT fraud. "Looking ahead, this platform will support the legislator's corresponding requirements for tax reporting and play a key role in creating and transmitting the necessary reporting data sets," said Robert Mayr.
Cloud solutions are a key focus for DATEV . "We now generate 52,4 percent of our revenue with cloud services and products." The best-known and most successful of these is DATEV Unternehmen Online. The company is currently transforming its entire product portfolio to the cloud. One example is the DATEV Personalakte (personnel file ). Tax advisors' clients can upload documents, such as employment contracts, via mobile devices and enter the suggested assignment of the uploaded documents.
There is also a lot happening in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) . Tax advisors and auditors are showing great interest in AI solutions. The IT service provider is planning, among other things, an automation service for bank transactions , which is intended to improve the quality of posting suggestions for recurring general ledger account entries when processing bank transactions electronically.
The Datev Seismograph study surveyed tax advisors about their assessment of the economic outlook for companies in Germany . According to the study, the economic outlook is brightening somewhat. "29 percent of the advisors predict positive business development for their clients in the next six months. In autumn 2023, this figure was only 20 percent," reported the CEO.
Tax advisors' perceptions of the proportion of companies classified as at risk of going out of business have not changed, remaining stable at seven percent.
The cooperative IT service provider, with nearly 9.000 employees, remains on a growth trajectory. According to Datev CFO Diana Windmeißer , following a 9,6 percent increase in revenue to €1,439 billion in fiscal year 2023, the first half of 2024 also went well. The company is confident of continued growth and the ability to expand its market position.
DHB now also available digitally! Simply click here and register for the digital German Crafts Journal (DHB)!
Newsletter
2 Comments
Write a comment