Accounting and invoicing for tradespeople

Write the quote, order the material, work on site, send a stage invoice, write the final invoice: tradespeople do not invoice at a desk but between two jobs. Saldiqo takes you from the quote to the paid invoice.

Updated: 16 October 2026

What comes up for tradespeople

Jobs that run for weeks

A roof, a bathroom, a heating system: the job takes time and the money comes in stages. You need a quote, an order confirmation, stage invoices and a final invoice that ties everything together.

Material and labour kept apart

Customers and insurers want to see material, labour and call-out separately. An invoice with lump sums brings questions.

Receipts on site

Builders’ merchant, wholesaler, petrol station: receipts are in the van, not in the office. The longer they lie there, the more get lost.

Payment behaviour

Open invoices are the most common reason for cash problems in the trades. If you chase too late, you wait for months.

How Saldiqo helps

Quote, order confirmation, invoiceThe quote turns into the order confirmation, and that into the invoice. You write positions and prices once.
Stage and final invoicesStage invoices by progress are created straight from the quote. The final invoice deducts them automatically.
Delivery notes for materialDelivery notes stay linked to the job, so you can later show what was delivered when.
Time tracking and invoice from timeStart and stop on your phone, and Saldiqo creates the invoice line from the recorded hours.
Cost centre per siteAssign material and time to a site and see whether the job paid off.
Reminders with deadlinesPayment reminder and reminder levels with fixed deadlines and fees, sent with one click.

Typical invoice lines

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

Skilled worker, hour
Labourer, hour
Material at cost, as per delivery note
Call-out charge
Stage 1: start of works
Disposal of old material

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 tradespeople in Germany

Construction services to other businesses that provide construction services themselves are mostly subject to the reverse charge under section 13b of the VAT Act. For that you choose the tax type reverse charge in Saldiqo. For work for private persons, customers can claim part of the labour costs for tax if material and labour appear separately on the invoice. You enter machines and vehicles in the asset register and Saldiqo calculates the depreciation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bill stages by progress?

Yes. You create stage or part invoices straight from the quote. The final invoice deducts the stages already paid.

How do I capture receipts from site?

Photograph the receipt with your phone or upload it and capture it as an expense. You can assign material to a cost centre, for example a site.

Can I show a reverse charge for construction services?

Yes. You choose the tax type reverse charge on the invoice, Saldiqo adds the note and calculates without VAT. Whether the rule applies to the job, you clear with your tax adviser.

Do tradespeople 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 tradespeople 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 tradespeople 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.

Try Saldiqo for free

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.