Accounting and invoicing for retailers
In the shop customers pay at the till. Beside that there are business customers with an invoice, orders on call, returns and many suppliers with their own payment terms. Saldiqo takes over that part and keeps purchasing and payments in hand.
What comes up for retailers and specialist shops
Till and invoice side by side
Walk-in customers pay through the till. Companies, clubs and public bodies order on invoice, often with a delivery note and a payment term.
Purchasing from many suppliers
Every supplier has its own invoices, due dates and discounts. Without an overview you pay too early or too late.
Items and prices
Hundreds of items with numbers, units and prices should be right in every quote and invoice without retyping them.
Returns and credit notes
Customers bring goods back, and every return needs a correction to the original invoice.
How Saldiqo helps
- Item masterYou create items with number, unit and price once and add them to quotes and invoices with a click.
- Quote, delivery note, invoiceFor business customers the quote becomes the order confirmation, the delivery note and the invoice, all linked.
- Supplier invoices with due datesYou record purchase invoices with their due date. Open invoices can be bundled into a batch payment file for online banking.
- Credit note on returnThe correction stays linked to the original invoice.
- Cost centre per branchAssign income and expenses to branches and compare them in the report.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Items as per order, delivered to the company address
- Made to measure, flat fee
- Shipping and packaging
- Credit note: return of two items
- Gift voucher, issued
- Set-up and briefing on site
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.
For retailers and specialist shops in Germany
The till in your shop has to meet the German till rules. You enter shelving, refrigerated counters and fittings in the asset register if they cost over €800 net.
Frequently asked questions
Does Saldiqo replace the shop till?
No. Saldiqo is not a till system. Cash sales in the shop belong in a till that meets the rules of your country. Saldiqo handles invoices, delivery notes, reminders and expenses.
Is there an item master?
Yes. You create items with number, unit, price and tax rate once and insert them into quotes and invoices.
Can I evaluate several branches separately?
Yes, with cost centres. You assign income and expenses to a branch and see the report per branch.
Do retailers and specialist shops 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 retailers and specialist shops 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 retailers and specialist shops 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.