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Accounting and invoicing for DevOps engineers

Pipelines, Kubernetes, cloud migration, monitoring and on-call: DevOps freelancers work through platforms and intermediaries and have day rates with standby supplements. Saldiqo creates the monthly invoice from days, adds standby and records cloud costs that you re-invoice.

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What comes up for DevOps engineers

An intermediary in between

Projects often run through platforms or intermediaries with payment terms of 30 to 60 days.

Standby and call-out

Standby has a flat fee, an actual call-out day rates or supplements.

Cloud costs

Infrastructure runs through the client’s or your accounts. Re-invoicing needs receipts.

How Saldiqo helps

  • Invoice from daysRecord days and take them over as a line.
  • Standby as a lineFlat fee and call-out supplement separately.
  • Re-invoice cloud costsReceipt as an expense, line with the receipt.
  • Reminders on long termsKeep open invoices in view.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

  • DevOps engineering, 20 person days
  • On-call standby, November
  • Call-out supplement outside working hours, hours
  • Cloud costs re-invoiced as per receipt
  • Pipeline migration, milestone 1
  • Documentation and handover

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 standby?

As a flat fee per month and separately the actual call-outs by hours or days.

Can I write invoices to intermediaries?

Yes. You create the intermediary as a contact and write the invoice to them.

Do DevOps engineers 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 DevOps engineers 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 DevOps engineers 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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Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.

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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.