Organized Accounting for Swiss freelancers & sole proprietors
You work solo — consultant, craftsperson, freelancer or sole proprietorship. Cortex turns receipts into a structured file to validate, export or hand to your fiduciary — without replacing advice or running a team SME workflow.
Why a Swiss freelancer needs an organized file
As a sole proprietor or freelancer, accounting comes after client work — until catch-up before a VAT return, instalment or annual statement. Unlike an SME (/pme) where several people upload supplier batches, the dominant cost here is your personal time. Cortex receives invoices and receipts in bulk, splits, renames and numbers them. It proposes entries with a VAT consistency check; uncertain cases are flagged, never validated alone. The file can be exported or handed as-is to your accountant or fiduciary, who remains responsible for advice, filings and tax compliance.
How it works for a freelancer
- Submit your receipts — Invoices, receipts, expense notes — drop them in bulk, no prior sorting needed.
- Cortex structures the file — Each document is split, renamed and numbered automatically.
- Proposed and checked entries — Cortex proposes entries with VAT breakdown; uncertain cases are flagged for review.
- Export or hand over — Export to your software or hand the structured file to your accountant.
What Cortex brings to a freelancer
- Less time on paperwork — Manual sorting of receipts is replaced by automatic file structuring.
- Proposed and checked entries — VAT breakdown verified before your validation — never decided alone.
- File ready to hand over — Export to your software or direct hand-over to your accountant or fiduciary.
- Fast document purge — Source documents are deleted about 48 hours after processing.
Typical Swiss freelancer & sole-prop cases
- Catch-up before a VAT return — Drop the quarter in bulk and get a numbered file for review before sending it to your fiduciary — Cortex does not fill the FTA form.
- Monthly hand-off to your accountant — Replace a messy binder / Drive with a structured ZIP plus proposed entries ready for the mandate.
- Receipt photos as you go — Capture on your phone, let Cortex classify, validate when you have a slot between clients.
- Multi-client freelance, one person — Several clients, one decision-maker: structure the flow without an SME team process. If several colleagues upload → /pme.
Typical situations (sole prop / freelancer)
Consultant under the VAT threshold
Turnover under CHF 100,000, not VAT-registered (or voluntary). Cortex structures documents for year-end / your fiduciary — without deciding registration for you.
Craftsperson with quarterly VAT
Scattered receipts; Cortex prepares a checked file. The FTA return stays yours or your fiduciary’s.
Freelancer keeping Banana or Excel
No need to migrate to an SME ERP: export a clean file, then continue in the tool you already use.
Paper binder / Excel vs Cortex (solo)
| Paper binder or Excel | Cortex — Organized Accounting | |
|---|---|---|
| Collecting receipts | Manual sorting month by month, often late | Bulk upload, continuous automatic structuring |
| VAT breakdown | Manual calculation of 8.1% / 2.6% / 3.8% rates | Breakdown proposed with checks, uncertain cases flagged |
| Handing over to accountant | Binder or file to sort before sending | File already structured and numbered |
| Cost | Personal time spent on paperwork | From 54 CHF/month, no commitment |
When to choose /independants instead of /pme
| Signal | Freelancers page | SME page |
|---|---|---|
| Who uploads documents? | You alone (or almost) | Several people / supplier batches |
| Dominant problem | Personal time + fiduciary hand-off | Team volume + month-end |
| Typical tool | Banana, Excel, light export | Crésus, WinBiz, Abacus (ERP) |
| Entry pricing | GED from 54 CHF/month | Volume / team plans |
| Not for | Structured multi-colleague ops | Solo who only wants hand-off |
What Cortex is not (honest independence)
- Not a fiduciary replacement — Tax advice, VAT returns, AHV contributions and commercial-register filings stay out of product. Cortex prepares a reviewable file.
- Not a recycled SME page — The solo narrative (sole prop / freelancer) differs from team volume on /pme — same product bricks, different intent.
- Human validation required — No entry is final without your approval; uncertain cases are flagged explicitly.
FAQ — Freelancers & sole proprietors (CH)
From what turnover do I need to register for VAT?
In Switzerland, VAT registration is mandatory above CHF 100,000 in annual turnover (Art. 10 VAT Act). Below that, registration remains voluntary. Cortex does not give personal tax advice — confirm with your fiduciary.
Does Cortex replace my accountant?
No. Cortex structures your documents and proposes checked entries; your accountant or fiduciary remains responsible for advice and filings.
How does this page differ from /pme?
Freelancers and sole proprietors mainly optimize personal time and hand-off quality to the fiduciary. The SME page targets team volume, supplier batches and operational month-end. If several colleagues upload every month, go to /pme.
When should I go to /pme instead?
As soon as the bottleneck is multi-person volume (suppliers, team expenses, monthly ERP import). Stay here if you are solo and mainly need a clean file for your accountant.
Does Cortex handle RC registration, AHV or my sole-prop status?
No. Those are administrative and tax steps outside the product. Cortex organizes receipts and proposes entries for you to validate — nothing more.
Can I hand the file directly to my accountant?
Yes, the structured file and proposed entries can be exported and handed over as-is. Your fiduciary keeps final professional validation.
Are my receipts secure?
Hosted in Switzerland, encrypted, and source documents deleted about 48 hours after processing. Archive with you or your fiduciary.
Do I need an expensive plan to get started?
A GED plan starts from 54 CHF/month to structure your documents, with no commitment. See /pricing to compare.