Accounting and invoicing for events and media

Fees, tech days, deposits for weddings and trade fairs: whoever produces events and media works in projects with fixed dates and many parties. Saldiqo bills deposit and final invoice cleanly and keeps travel and equipment costs together.

Updated: 16 October 2026

What comes up for events and media businesses

Date is fixed, money comes later

Bookings are made months ahead, payment often only follows after the gig or event. Deposits secure the date.

Many parties

Organiser, agency, venue, equipment hire and artist: every job has several invoice routes.

Equipment and travel

Hire, transport, hotel and expenses are big items that are often re-invoiced.

Changing income

Peaks in summer and around Christmas, quiet months in between. Whoever steers by income needs the overview.

How Saldiqo helps

Quote, deposit, final invoiceYou issue the fee or package as a quote, the deposit as a stage invoice and the rest after the date.
Re-invoice equipment and travelYou record receipts as expenses and pass them on with a mark-up or at cost.
Match paymentsUpload the bank statement, and Saldiqo suggests the matching invoice.
Reminders with deadlinesPayment reminder and reminder levels with one click, with fixed deadlines.

Typical invoice lines

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

Performance fee, 3 hours
Equipment flat fee, sound and lights
Travel and hotel as per receipt
Deposit 50 % for the event on 18 July
Set-up and take-down
Re-invoiced hired equipment as per receipt

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

Can I bill deposits for booked dates?

Yes. The quote becomes the deposit invoice. The final invoice deducts the deposit.

How do I bill travel and equipment costs?

You record the receipt as an expense and add the costs as a line to the invoice.

Do events and media businesses 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 events and media businesses 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 events and media businesses 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.