DATEV interface: handing accounting over to your tax advisor cleanly

If you run a business in Germany, you know the recurring question at the end of each month or year: how do you get your accounting data to your tax advisor (Steuerberater) as smoothly as possible? In practice, this exchange almost always runs through DATEV. This guide explains what DATEV is, why a DATEV interface in your ERP helps, and what to watch for when handing data over.

What exactly is DATEV?

DATEV is a widely used standard and an entire ecosystem in Germany for exchanging accounting and financial data between companies and their tax advisors. A large share of tax firms work with DATEV software, which is why common formats and workflows have grown up around this system.

For businesses, the key point is this: if your accounting data is available in a DATEV-compatible format, your tax advisor can usually import it directly – without tedious retyping or reformatting.

Why is it a de facto standard?

Because a shared format makes data exchange predictable. The firm and the client don’t have to agree on individual spreadsheet templates or email attachments; they use an established route instead. That reduces follow-up questions and misunderstandings on both sides.

Why does a DATEV export in your ERP matter?

An ERP system already captures many accounting-relevant processes: invoices, payments, purchases. An integrated DATEV export ensures this data can be passed on in a structured way to bookkeeping and to your tax advisor.

A clean handover instead of a loose folder

Without an interface, receipts often reach the tax advisor as a loose collection of PDFs, tables, and notes. A DATEV export hands the data over in a defined structure. That makes the handover traceable and easy to check.

Less duplicate data entry

When data is copied manually from the ERP into accounting software, typos and extra work creep in easily. An export transfers the existing information directly, so the same entries don’t have to be recorded twice.

Time savings at year-end

An orderly data foundation pays off especially at year-end closing or for VAT returns. When the journal entries are already structured, it noticeably shortens the reconciliation with the firm.

What typically gets exported?

Depending on scope and agreement, a DATEV export usually covers several building blocks:

• Journal entries (Buchungssätze): the actual bookings with amounts, dates, debit and credit assignments, and references to receipts.
• Accounts (Konten): the general ledger and subsidiary accounts used, so entries are assigned correctly.
• Receipts (Belege): depending on the setup, the associated receipt images or receipt data, so each entry can be traced.

The exact scope is agreed on jointly by the company and the tax advisor. Some firms handle ongoing bookkeeping themselves and mainly need receipts and base data; others receive finished journal entries.

What should you look out for?

A few points help set the handover up cleanly from the start:

Align the chart of accounts

Clarify early with your tax advisor which chart of accounts is used and how accounts are named. When the accounts match, the data imports smoothly.

Completeness of receipts

An export is only as good as the underlying data. Make sure receipts are captured completely and assigned to the right transactions.

A regular rhythm

Decide together how often to export – monthly, quarterly, or on demand. A fixed rhythm prevents everything from piling up at year-end.

Clear roles

Define who in the company creates the export and who hands it over. That avoids gaps and duplicated work.

Using a DATEV export in your ERP

Many modern ERP systems offer a DATEV export as part of their accounting module. VertooERP, too, provides a DATEV export within its accounting module, so processes captured in the system can be passed to the tax advisor in a DATEV-oriented format. In the end, what matters is less the individual tool than consistent use: clean master data, complete receipts, and a workflow agreed with the firm.

Conclusion

A DATEV interface in your ERP makes handing over your accounting predictable: journal entries, accounts, and receipts move to your tax advisor in a structured form, duplicate entry disappears, and year-end closing becomes less stressful. Clarifying the chart of accounts, receipt quality, and handover rhythm early saves time on both sides.

Note: This article provides general information and is not tax or legal advice. For your specific situation, please consult your tax advisor.