The DATEV interface is the bridge between your car trade and your tax advisor. Over 2.5 million businesses in Germany use DATEV — and most tax advisors expect booking data in DATEV format. AutoPult offers a fully automatic DATEV export that accounts for all specifics of the car trade: correct account assignment per SKR 03 or SKR 04, margin taxation, intra-Community transactions and more.
What Is DATEV?
DATEV eG is a cooperative based in Nuremberg that provides software and IT services for tax advisors, auditors and lawyers. The DATEV system is the de facto standard of German tax advisory. Over 40,000 firms use DATEV — making it highly likely that your tax advisor works with it too.
DATEV Kanzlei-Rechnungswesen
Your tax advisor’s central accounting program. This is where your booking data is imported, the VAT advance return is prepared and the annual accounts are finalized.
DATEV Unternehmen online
The cloud platform for collaboration between business and tax advisor. Receipts are uploaded digitally and booking data is exchanged.
DATEV Receipt Image Service
Digital receipt transmission directly from AutoPult: invoices and credit notes are transferred as PDF along with the booking data to your tax advisor.
How the DATEV Export Works in AutoPult
Automatic Booking Creation
For every transaction — vehicle sale, purchase, workshop invoice, payment — AutoPult automatically creates the correct booking entry with the appropriate account, tax key and contra account.
Generate Booking Batch
At month-end (or any period), all booking entries are compiled into a batch. This contains all information DATEV needs for import — including tax keys and cost centers.
Export in DATEV Format
AutoPult exports the data in standard DATEV format (ASCII export file or DATEV XML online). The file is automatically validated to prevent import errors.
Transfer to Tax Advisor
The export can be transmitted directly via DATEV Unternehmen online or sent as a file to your tax advisor. Receipt images (PDF invoices) are included on request.
SKR 03 vs. SKR 04: Charts of Accounts for Car Dealers
SKR 03 or SKR 04? Ask Your Tax Advisor!
In Germany, two standard charts of accounts are used. SKR 03 is the most widely used with approx. 70% market share, while SKR 04 is more closely aligned with the balance sheet/P&L structure. AutoPult fully supports both — coordinate the choice with your tax advisor. Switching is possible at any time.
| Feature | SKR 03 | SKR 04 |
|---|---|---|
| Structure principle | By business processes | By balance sheet/P&L structure (HGB) |
| Market share | Approx. 70% of businesses | Approx. 30%, mainly larger companies |
| Revenue car trade (standard tax) | Account 8100 | Account 4100 |
| Revenue car trade (§25a) | Account 8199 | Account 4199 |
| Vehicle purchase | Account 3100 | Account 5100 |
| Intra-Community supply | Account 8125 | Account 4125 |
| Intra-Community acquisition | Account 3425 | Account 5425 |
| AutoPult support | Full | Full |
Booking Batch: What Gets Exported?
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Booking amount (gross or net) | 25,000.00 |
| Debit/Credit | Booking direction | D |
| Account | GL account per SKR 03/04 | 8100 |
| Contra account | Debtor or creditor | 10001 |
| Tax key | Tax indicator | 3 (19% VAT) |
| Receipt date | Invoice date | 1504 (April 15) |
| Receipt number | Invoice number | INV-2026-0042 |
| Posting text | Transaction description | VW Golf VIN: WVWZZZ… |
| Cost center | Optional: department assignment | CC01 (Vehicle trading) |
Correctly Booking Car Trade Specifics
The car trade has booking specifics that general software does not handle. AutoPult correctly handles all of them:
Margin Taxation (§25a UStG)
For margin-taxed vehicles, only the margin is taxed. AutoPult automatically calculates the margin, posts to the correct revenue account (e.g., 8199 in SKR 03) and calculates the included VAT for the advance return.
Intra-Community Transactions
Sales to EU dealers with verified VAT ID: AutoPult posts to account 8125 (SKR 03), uses tax key 0 and prepares the data for the recapitulative statement.
Reverse Charge (§13b UStG)
For acquisitions from EU countries, AutoPult creates the booking with tax key 94 (intra-Community acquisition) and automatically posts both input tax and VAT.
Advance Payments & Installments
Advance invoices, final invoices and installment payments are correctly booked with the appropriate accounts and tax keys — even in mixed cases with different taxation types.
AutoPult vs. Manual DATEV Entry
| Criterion | Manual Entry | AutoPult DATEV Export |
|---|---|---|
| Time required (50 vehicles/month) | 8–12 hours | Under 15 minutes |
| Error rate | High (wrong accounts, tax keys) | Minimal (automatic validation) |
| Margin taxation | Calculate manually | Automatically correct |
| Receipt images | Scan separately | Automatically included |
| Follow-up questions from tax advisor | Frequent | Rare to never |
| Cost (tax advisor hours) | High | Significantly reduced |
Supported DATEV Formats
DATEV ASCII Export
The classic: booking batches in DATEV ASCII format for import into DATEV Kanzlei-Rechnungswesen. Contains all booking entries, master data and optionally the corresponding receipt images as separate PDF files.
- Compatible with all DATEV versions
- Proven, stable format
- Simple file transfer
DATEV XML Online
The modern format for digital collaboration: booking data and receipt images are transmitted directly to DATEV Unternehmen online. Your tax advisor has immediate access — without file transfer.
- Direct upload to DATEV cloud
- Receipt images automatically linked
- Real-time collaboration possible
Integration with Other AutoPult Modules
Invoicing Software
Every invoice created in the invoicing software is automatically prepared for DATEV export — with correct account assignment and tax key.
E-Invoicing
E-invoices (ZUGFeRD/XRechnung) contain structured data that makes the DATEV export even more efficient — no more manual data entry.
Document Management
Receipt images archived in the DMS can be automatically included in the DATEV export — booking entry and receipt in one package.
Automate Your DATEV Export
No more manual booking entry. AutoPult delivers correctly assigned booking data to your tax advisor — at the push of a button.