DATEV
The backbone of German tax advisory. Your Steuerberater likely uses this.
Features
- ✓Full accounting
- ✓Tax filing
- ✓Payroll
- ✓Document management
Pros
- Industry standard
- Your Steuerberater knows it
- Bulletproof compliance
Cons
- Not direct-to-business
- Old interface
- Expensive
Integrations
Connection Types
24 known connections
Best For
About DATEV
DATEV is not just software—it's the backbone of the German tax and accounting profession, a cooperative owned by and serving over 40,000 Steuerberater, Wirtschaftsprüfer, and Rechtsanwälte across Germany. Understanding DATEV is essential for any German business because, regardless of what software you use internally, your tax advisor almost certainly works in the DATEV ecosystem. This means that any German accounting solution worth considering must offer DATEV export capabilities—the ability to format data in ways that can be imported into your Steuerberater's DATEV system. For larger businesses, DATEV also offers direct solutions including DATEV Unternehmen Online, which provides a cloud-based interface for businesses to work directly with their tax advisor. The platform handles everything from document management to banking to full ERP functionality. While the interface reflects decades of evolution rather than modern design principles, DATEV's integration into the German business infrastructure makes it unavoidable. When evaluating any German finance software, checking DATEV compatibility should be among your first questions.
Why DATEV Matters for Every German Business
Even if you never touch DATEV directly, it impacts your business. Over 90% of German Steuerberater use DATEV systems. When you send your books to your tax advisor, they import them into DATEV. When they file your taxes, they use DATEV. Any software you choose must speak DATEV's language, or you create manual work for everyone.
DATEV Products for Businesses
- DATEV Unternehmen Online: Cloud platform for businesses to work with Steuerberater
- DATEV Belege Online: Digital receipt management and storage
- DATEV Bank Online: Banking integration for transaction import
- DATEV Lohn und Gehalt: Payroll processing (usually via Steuerberater)
- DATEV Mittelstand Faktura: ERP and invoicing for mid-sized companies
DATEV Export Format Explained
The DATEV format (ASCII and XML variants) is the standard for transferring accounting data in Germany. It includes standardized account codes (SKR03/SKR04), booking records, and document references. When your accounting software offers 'DATEV export', it creates files your Steuerberater can directly import without re-keying data.
Working with DATEV via Your Steuerberater
- Belegübertragung: Upload receipts to DATEV Belege Online for your advisor
- Bank feed sharing: Connect bank accounts for automatic transaction import
- Real-time collaboration: Both parties see the same data, reducing errors
- Document archive: 10-year compliant storage handled automatically
- Tax filing: Direct submission to Finanzamt from Steuerberater's system
DATEV SmartTransfer
DATEV SmartTransfer is a newer API-based integration that allows real-time data exchange between business software and DATEV systems. More modern than the traditional file export, it enables live synchronization of bookings, contacts, and documents. Check if your accounting software supports SmartTransfer for the smoothest Steuerberater workflow.
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