Starting as a Freelancer in Switzerland: Accounting, Tools & First Invoice

Setting up your sole proprietorship is done -- congratulations. But now comes the part many freelancers underestimate: the accounting. Not the theory, but the practical side. Which account do you open? How do you record your first receipts? What goes on your first invoice? And how much time does it all take per week?

This article is your practical quick-start guide. Not a founding guide (that's in the sole proprietorship article), not a tax manual (you'll find that in the freelancer tax guide) -- but the concrete steps to get your accounting running cleanly from day one.

01Setting Up a Business Account

Strictly speaking, there is no legal obligation in Switzerland to maintain a separate business account. Nevertheless, it's one of the most important decisions at the start -- because anyone who mixes private and business payments in the same account will lose track at the latest when filing their tax return.

What to Look for When Choosing an Account

• Account fees: Business accounts often cost CHF 5--25/month. Compare offers -- for low transaction volumes, an affordable account is usually sufficient
• QR invoice / QR-IBAN: Check whether the bank issues a QR-IBAN. You need this to create QR invoices with a reference number
• E-banking & integrations: Good e-banking saves time. Some banks offer export functions (CSV, MT940) that you can import into your accounting software
• Payment transactions: Watch out for costs of transfers, standing orders and any card payments

Tip: Open the account before you send your first invoice. This way you can include the correct bank details from the start and won't need to make corrections later.

02Recording Receipts from Day One

The obligation to keep receipts is one of the most underestimated topics among freelancers. Yet it's crystal clear: according to Art. 958f CO (Swiss Code of Obligations), you must retain all business documents for 10 years. This applies to invoices, receipts, bank statements, contracts, and everything that documents a business transaction.

The good news: since the revision of the CO, digital storage is equivalent to paper receipts -- as long as readability and immutability are ensured. In practice, this means: scan or photograph your receipts and store them systematically. More details in the article Retaining receipts in Switzerland.

The Simplest Receipt Workflow

03Creating Your First Invoice

Your first invoice is a milestone -- and a potential pitfall at the same time. In Switzerland, there are clear mandatory invoice elements that you should follow from the start. If they're missing, the client may delay payment or be unable to claim input tax.

What Every Invoice Must Include

1. Full name and address of the invoice issuer (your company name / your name)
2. Name and address of the client
3. Invoice date and unique invoice number (sequential)
4. Service description: What was delivered or performed? Period of service
5. Amount: Line items, quantity, unit price, total amount
6. VAT details: If VAT-registered: VAT number, VAT rate and VAT amount. If not: note 'without VAT' or 'VAT-exempt'
7. Payment terms: Due date or payment deadline (e.g. 30 days net)
8. Bank details: IBAN (ideally as a QR invoice with QR-IBAN and reference number)

Common Beginner Mistakes with First Invoices

• No sequential invoice number (e.g. just 'Invoice 1' instead of '2026-001')
• Missing service period -- especially important for hourly billing
• Forgetting the VAT note (even if you're not VAT-registered, you should indicate this)
• Not defining payment terms -- without a clear deadline, you bear the consequences
• Bank details without QR payment part -- makes it unnecessarily difficult for the client

04Cleanly Separating Income and Expenses

As a sole proprietor with less than CHF 500,000 in annual revenue, you may use the income-expenditure method (EAR) -- the simplest legally compliant form of bookkeeping under Art. 957 CO. Instead of a balance sheet and income statement, you simply document: what comes in and what goes out.

Basic Structure of Your Accounting

At the end of the year, the difference between income and expenses gives you your profit -- and that's exactly what gets taxed. The cleaner your categorisation, the easier your tax return will be. Details on profit calculation can be found in the article Taxes as a freelancer.

05Tool Setup: What You Actually Need

Online you'll find lists with 10+ tools for freelancers. The reality: at the beginning you need exactly one good tool that covers the core tasks. Everything else is nice-to-have.

The Core Tasks of Your Accounting Software

• Create invoices -- with QR invoice, mandatory elements and professional layout
• Record expenses -- with receipt photo, categorisation and VAT assignment
• Track income -- automatic matching of incoming payments
• VAT return -- if you reach the VAT threshold: return at the push of a button
• Year-end closing -- income-expenditure overview for the tax return

einzly covers all these tasks in a single application -- specifically designed for Swiss freelancers and sole proprietors. Invoices with QR payment part, AI-powered receipt scanner, automatic VAT calculation and a clear dashboard with your figures.

Instead of patching together five different tools (invoicing tool + Excel + receipt app + scanner + tax folder), you have everything in one place. This not only saves time but also reduces errors -- because income, expenses and receipts are automatically linked.

06Avoiding Common Beginner Mistakes

We see these five mistakes with freelancers time and again -- and they're all avoidable:

07Your Accounting Routine as a Freelancer

Accounting doesn't have to be a time drain -- if you do it regularly. Here's an overview of what you should do and how often:

In total, that's about 1--2 hours per month for ongoing accounting -- provided you don't procrastinate. With good software like einzly, the effort is reduced even further because receipts are automatically recognised, invoices are created in seconds and VAT returns are prepared for you.

08Frequently Asked Questions