Accounting and invoicing for branding agencies
Brand strategy, naming, logo, corporate design and style guide: a branding agency bills in phases and delivers rights. Saldiqo splits the project into stage invoices, runs the final invoice and records licences for fonts and photos as expenses.
What comes up for branding agencies
Projects in phases
Analysis, strategy, design, artwork, style guide: each phase is signed off and partly paid.
Rights and licences
The client gets usage rights, the agency buys fonts and photos with its own licences.
Long payment terms
Large brands pay after 30, 60 or 90 days. Until then the invoices have to stay in view.
How Saldiqo helps
- Stage invoices by phaseQuote with phases, stage invoices straight from it, final invoice deducts them.
- Rights as a lineUsage rights with duration and territory as a separate line.
- Record licencesLicence and stock costs as expenses with the project’s cost centre.
- Reminders on long termsKeep open invoices in view and send a payment reminder with one click.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Brand strategy and positioning, phase 1
- Logo and corporate design, phase 2
- Style guide and artwork, phase 3
- Usage rights, unlimited in time and territory
- Font licence re-invoiced as per receipt
- Stage invoice 30 % on commissioning
Tax and invoicing in Germany
What applies to invoices in Germany, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 19 %, reduced rate 7 %. Which rate applies to which supply depends on the case. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
- Small business scheme
- Under section 19 of the VAT Act (UStG) you charge no VAT as long as your turnover was at most €25,000 last year and is at most €100,000 this year. Saldiqo shows how much room is left and adds the note to your invoice.
- Mandatory details
- Under section 14 UStG every invoice shows a tax number or VAT ID, a consecutive invoice number, the date of supply and the recipient. Saldiqo checks this before you finalise an invoice. Small invoices up to €250 gross need fewer details.
- E-invoicing
- All businesses have had to be able to receive e-invoices since 1 January 2025. Issuing becomes mandatory from 2027 if last year’s turnover was above €800,000, and from 2028 for domestic business-to-business sales in all cases. Small businesses under section 19 are exempt. Saldiqo creates XRechnung and ZUGFeRD.
- VAT return
- The advance VAT return goes to the tax office through ELSTER, by the 10th after the end of the period. You file monthly if last year’s VAT was above €9,000 and quarterly above €2,000. Saldiqo provides the figures; you file in ELSTER or through your tax adviser.
- Record keeping
- Keep invoices and accounting vouchers for 8 years, books for 10 years and business letters for 6 years. The period starts at the end of the calendar year.
- Late payment
- In the second half of 2026 the default interest rate is 10.52 % between businesses and 6.52 % towards consumers, plus a €40 flat fee that applies to businesses only. Saldiqo has reminder levels with deadlines and fees.
- Getting paid
- Every invoice carries a GiroCode (EPC QR) that customers scan with their banking app. You match payments by uploading the bank statement as CSV or CAMT.
- Tax adviser
- Cash-basis profit calculation (EÜR), a DATEV export and a separate login for your tax adviser are built in.
Frequently asked questions
How do I bill a project in phases?
With a quote, stage invoices per phase and a final invoice that deducts the stages.
How do I handle licences?
You record the receipt as an expense with the project’s cost centre and re-invoice it if needed.
Do branding agencies in Germany have to charge VAT?
Yes, unless they qualify as small businesses under section 19 UStG. That applies when turnover was at most €25,000 last year and is at most €100,000 this year. The limit is hard: VAT is due on the sale that takes you over it.
Do branding agencies in Germany need e-invoicing?
Every business must be able to receive e-invoices since 2025. Issuing is mandatory from 2027 if last year’s turnover was above €800,000, and from 2028 for domestic business-to-business sales in general. Small businesses, invoices up to €250 and tickets are exempt. Private customers still get a normal invoice.
How long do branding agencies have to keep invoices?
Invoices and vouchers for 8 years, books for 10 years and business letters for 6 years, counted from the end of the calendar year. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records and to document your procedures stays with you.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.