5. April 2023

How GoBD-compliant archiving saves time, space and nerves

Office work is often characterised by routine and monotonous tasks that are repeated every day. One of these tasks is the archiving of incoming invoices. Piles of paper pile up on the desk and the need for coffee rises steadily. But there is hope. With a few clever tricks, the tedious task can not only be completed in a GoBD-compliant and legally compliant manner, but also save time and space – without having to increase the demand for coffee.

The GoBD, which are hidden behind the unwieldy name “Principles for the proper keeping and storage of books, records and documents in electronic form as well as for data access”, are an important part of the German business environment. Although the GoBD may not be particularly catchy, they strongly influence companies in Germany and change the way electronic documents are managed. This is because since 1 January 2017, they have been mandatory for all companies in Germany that have accounting obligations or keep tax records. Compliance with these principles is thus mandatory and violations can lead to fines and back tax payments.

Especially when archiving electronic invoices, the requirements of the GoBD must be observed. Thus, companies must archive incoming invoices that are received in electronic form also in their original format. This means that the file format in which the invoice was received is also retained during archiving. To ensure compliance, the archived invoices must be immediately available at all times and their data integrity and authenticity must be guaranteed.

With smart solutions for GoBD-compliant archiving

The GoBD defines clear requirements for the archiving of incoming invoices. Special archiving solutions are available to meet these requirements. These solutions are geared towards the requirements of the GoBD and allow the automatic and audit-proof archiving of incoming invoices. The archiving is usually done on an external server or in the cloud. The solutions offer a simple way to archive incoming invoices digitally and in compliance with the GoBD.

Another advantage of archiving solutions is that they save space and protect the environment. Archiving incoming invoices on paper requires a lot of space, as each invoice has to be filed individually. A digital archiving solution reduces this space requirement to a minimum. It also eliminates the need to print paper documents, which saves paper and ink and thus benefits the environment – and the wallet at the same time.

Again, the use of cloud-based archiving solutions is another way to ensure GoBD-compliant archiving of incoming invoices. Here, companies store the archived data on external servers and can thus access it from anywhere. However, even when using cloud-based solutions, the requirements of the GoBD must be met in order to ensure legally compliant archiving. It is therefore important that the chosen archiving system meets the requirements of the GoBD and is regularly checked.

Know how: In the fast lane past the competition

In addition to the legal and ecological advantages, GoBD-compliant archiving of incoming invoices also offers time relief. Processes can be accelerated and simplified through automatic archiving and the possibility to access the archived data at any time and from anywhere. The annoying search for lost paper invoices is no longer necessary and employees can concentrate on important tasks.

Overall, it can be said that GoBD-compliant archiving of incoming invoices is not only a legal obligation, but also brings many advantages. By using special archiving solutions, time and space can be saved while at the same time protecting the environment. Digital archiving of incoming invoices also offers an easy way to simplify and speed up processes. Companies should therefore not underestimate the advantages of GoBD-compliant archiving of incoming invoices and opt for an appropriate solution.

GoBD-compliant archiving with a system

Are you looking for a more efficient way to digitise your accounting and make it GoBD-compliant? Then Amagno can support you with your project. Simply send us an email at sales@amagno.de or call us on: 0441 / 309 123 00. Our competent sales team will be happy to show you how you can use Amagno to quickly and easily digitise your documents and manage them in compliance with GoBD.

For more information as well as a general overview of the topic of digital invoice receipt processing, please contact here.