DATEV Interface

A DATEV interface is the export and exchange mechanism that lets a German ERP or accounting system hand bookkeeping data to a tax adviser (Steuerberater) using the data formats of DATEV eG, the cooperative whose software dominates the German tax-advisory market. Because many DACH SMEs keep order entry, invoicing, and operational accounting in their ERP but delegate financial bookkeeping and tax filings to an external adviser, the interface bridges the two worlds. It typically produces structured files — postings, debtor and creditor master data, and document references — that the adviser imports into DATEV without manual re-keying.

Why a DATEV interface matters in Germany

DATEV eG provides the software used by the large majority of German tax advisers and auditors. As a result, a clean DATEV export is a practical requirement for any ERP or accounting product sold into the German market, even where the system itself uses an entirely different internal data model. The interface removes manual transfer of figures between the company and its adviser, reducing both effort and the risk of transcription errors. It also supports the legally required separation of duties where bookkeeping is handled externally.

What the interface typically transfers

A DATEV export usually covers more than just journal entries. Depending on the configuration it includes:

• Booking records (postings) with accounts, amounts, tax keys, and dates.
• Debtor and creditor master data, often aligned to the standard chart of accounts (SKR 03 / SKR 04).
• Document links so scanned invoices can be matched to postings.
• Cost-centre information feeding cost-centre accounting.

The modern, structured format used for these exchanges is commonly referred to as the DATEV format or DATEV-Format/EXTF; older systems may still reference the historic ASCII postings format. Correct mapping of accounts and tax keys is essential, because errors propagate straight into the financial books.

Direction and integration patterns

Most ERP systems implement the export direction: the company sends data out to the adviser. Some setups are bidirectional, returning booked or corrected data so that the ERP and the adviser's ledger stay reconciled. Document-related workflows increasingly rely on OCR document recognition and digital document storage so that the relevant receipts travel alongside the postings. Where companies operate their own financial accounting in the ERP, the interface may instead feed monthly or annual handovers for the tax return and the advance VAT return (UStVA).

Compliance considerations

Because the exported data forms part of the official books, the export and its handling must respect German retention and audit requirements under the GoBD, including immutability of booked records and a traceable audit trail. The interface itself does not replace those obligations; it is a transport mechanism. When evaluating an ERP system for the German market, buyers should confirm not only that a DATEV export exists but that it maps the chart of accounts and tax keys correctly and preserves document references in line with the adviser's expectations.

Related Topics

• GoBD
• E-invoicing
• Accounts Payable