Accounting & taxation, Blog: 27.01.26Year-end: 6 key points your organisation should not overlook

Year-end is a structuring period for all organisations in Switzerland. Contrary to a common belief, it is not the moment when accounts are closed, but when this step is actively prepared. As at 31 December, final statements, certain supporting documents, full inventories and several essential tax elements are still missing.

December therefore becomes the starting point of a rigorous process, not its conclusion. It is the period during which the conditions are put in place for a smooth, reliable and compliant closing at the beginning of the following year. For SMEs, NGOs, associations and foundations, this preparation brings together accounting, tax, organisational and strategic challenges.

At Synergix, we support organisations that want to move forward with clarity and structure. For us, year-end closing is not a simple regulatory exercise. It is a governance lever and a privileged moment to understand, anticipate and make better decisions. Outsourcing this preparation makes it simpler, smoother and significantly more secure.

Here are the six essential points to master in order to approach year-end with confidence and understand how specialised support can truly make a difference.

Effective year-end preparation begins well before December. Regular bookkeeping is not an administrative detail. It is the foundation on which everything else depends. When an organisation records its transactions on an ongoing basis, it ensures reliable information, significantly reduces the risk of errors and avoids time-consuming catch-up work at a moment when activity is already under pressure.

In practical terms, this means:

• recording supplier invoices as soon as they are received
• monitoring customer payments without delay
• integrating expenses as they occur
• properly retaining and classifying supporting documents
• checking bank movements on a daily basis

This ongoing discipline ensures that the accounts truly reflect the organisation’s activity. In Switzerland, the Code of Obligations does not merely require this. It establishes it as a core principle to guarantee the reliability of financial statements. Regular bookkeeping facilitates everything: tax management, cash flow monitoring, decision-making and, above all, preparation for closing.

At its core, up-to-date accounts also mean comfort. Fewer surprises. Less last-minute searching. Less stress.

Outsourcing this function makes the entire process more fluid. No backlogs, no misplaced documents, no pressure as 31 December approaches. Synergix establishes an accounting rhythm that simplifies everything that follows.

Once the accounts are up to date, the second essential step is to verify their consistency. This review work, sometimes seen as purely administrative, is in reality a strategic phase. It ensures that the figures accurately tell the story of the past year.

In practice, this verification includes:

• precise reconciliation of bank accounts

• validation of customer and supplier balances

• identification and correction of unusual entries

• clarification of suspense or transitory accounts

• confirmation of internal transactions such as allocations, recharges or project postings

This consistency work guarantees that the annual accounts will be reliable and understandable. It also strengthens the organisation’s ability to engage with financial partners such as banks, institutional funders, donors or investors.

For NGOs and foundations, this step is particularly important, as financial clarity directly affects the trust of donors and stakeholders. Inconsistent or approximate accounting can complicate the justification of received funds, especially when recognising income, and can weaken confidence in the organisation.

Outsourcing this phase offers a dual benefit: an independent perspective and a level of rigour that avoids costly errors later in the process.

One of the most critical aspects of year-end in Switzerland is compliance with the applicable accounting standards. Depending on the size and nature of the organisation, two main frameworks must be considered.

The Code of Obligations

This is the baseline standard for all Swiss companies and organisations. Articles 957 to 962 define:

• the structure of the annual accounts, including balance sheet, income statement and notes
• valuation principles such as prudence, going concern, consistency and clarity
• the obligation to keep complete and traceable records
• the retention of supporting documents for ten years

The Code of Obligations is flexible enough to adapt to the diversity of companies and NGOs, but this flexibility comes with responsibility. Misinterpretation can lead to tax errors, internal misunderstandings or loss of credibility with financial partners.

Swiss GAAP RPC

Some organisations choose or are required to apply this more detailed and structured standard. This is often the case for:

• NGOs receiving significant funding
• associations or foundations subject to increased transparency requirements
• SMEs seeking a more robust framework or preparing for an audit
• organisations aiming to further professionalise their reporting

Swiss GAAP RPC promotes transparency, comparability and a more detailed view of operations. It is particularly well suited to organisations with multiple projects, multiple funding sources, demanding governance or significant external reporting needs.

Year-end in Switzerland also involves numerous tax obligations. For organisations, these require careful preparation, as they involve not only figures, but also supporting documentation and the ability to explain certain valuation choices.

As the end of the financial year approaches, it is essential to ensure that tax obligations followed throughout the year are complete and properly documented:

• VAT returns, whether monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual

• corporate tax filings

• reports for funders or financing institutions

• preparation for potential audits or inspections

Given Switzerland’s federal tax system, each canton has its own specificities. Good anticipation helps avoid:

• penalties

• late payment interest

• additional time-consuming procedures

Preparing this phase means knowing which documents to gather, how to justify a provision, how to explain a value adjustment, and how to present a project financed by multiple funders, particularly in the case of NGOs.

At Synergix, we help organisations structure their tax files efficiently and simply, ensuring that each obligation is met on time and without unnecessary stress.

Year-end is the final opportunity to take decisions that can still influence your result before closing. This is not about manipulating figures, but about using the legitimate levers provided by Swiss legislation to accurately reflect the economic reality of your organisation.

These optimisations may include:

• adjusting depreciation within the framework of the Code of Obligations

• creating provisions where risks have been identified

• planning investments to be completed before year-end

• reviewing professional expenses to ensure correct allocation

• for SMEs, balancing salary remuneration and dividends

• for NGOs and foundations, ensuring that funds are used in line with their designated purpose and that projects are properly documented

The key is that every decision is compliant, documented and consistent with your economic model.

Outsourcing this step helps secure decisions, avoid misjudgements and anticipate their impact on future financial years. At Synergix, we support our clients in making the right decisions at the right time, with a clear view of their obligations and room for manoeuvre.

Unlike optimisations, which are based on decisions taken before year-end, inventories and adjustments are accounting observations. Their role is straightforward: to ensure that the annual accounts faithfully reflect the organisation’s actual situation as at 31 December.

This step includes:

• stock inventories and valuation

• recognition of identified risks or disputes through provisions

• value adjustments on receivables to reflect probable losses

• accrued expenses for costs incurred but not yet invoiced

• accrued income where services have been rendered but not yet billed

• depreciation reflecting the actual wear of fixed assets

• off-balance-sheet commitments where required

• for NGOs, precise allocation of restricted and unrestricted funds and cost allocation by project, particularly under Swiss GAAP RPC 21

These adjustment entries are not strategic choices but accounting obligations. They ensure that the accounts are reliable, consistent and usable by management, boards, funders and other stakeholders.

Outsourcing this work brings real added value: structure, clarity, compliance with Swiss standards and reduced risk of error. A solid closing always starts with well-prepared inventories and controlled adjustments.

Each of these six points has a direct impact on the quality of your year-end closing. Taken together, they create a true management framework. An organisation that masters them:

• gains peace of mind

• presents clear and credible accounts

• improves dialogue with banks, funders and boards

• optimises its tax position

• prepares the following year more effectively

• strengthens governance

Closing then becomes far more than an obligation. It becomes an opportunity to clarify your trajectory.

Outsourcing these steps to a modern fiduciary like Synergix adds an extra layer of security, precision and comfort.

Synergix supports SMEs, NGOs, foundations, associations and structured organisations in building modern and confident financial governance. We do not see accounting as a series of technical tasks, but as a strategic lever serving your mission and impact.

Our approach is built on three essential pillars:

• clarity, providing a simple and understandable view of your figures

• rigour, ensuring impeccable compliance with Swiss standards, from the Code of Obligations to Swiss GAAP RPC

• support, standing by your side at key moments with proactive presence and practical advice

Year-end is only one step in the financial cycle. Our role is to make it useful, smooth and intelligible, strengthening your management and allowing you to move forward with confidence.