Key points at a glance
- Stock is what you resell. Fixed assets are things your business owns and uses for more than a year - your own laptop, for example.
- Fixed assets are depreciated over their useful life. The Federal Tax Administration FTA (ESTV) sets a standard rate of 40% of book value for office machines and IT (hardware and software).
- The seller is generally liable for defects in equipment you buy for 2 years from delivery (Art. 210 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO). However, you must report defects immediately.
- With serial numbers, you always know which device is with which customer and how long the warranty still runs.
Stock or fixed assets?
This sounds like an accounting question, but it's very practical: if you buy a device to resell it, it's part of your stock - "inventories" (Vorräte) in the language of the Code of Obligations, which are part of current assets. If your business uses the device itself for more than a year, it's a fixed asset (Art. 959 para. 3 CO).
| Stock | Fixed assets | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | resale to customers | used by your own business |
| Examples | laptops, routers, licenses for customers | your own laptop, printer, office furniture, vehicle |
| At year-end | count and value (stocktaking) | depreciate and record in the fixed asset register |
You value stock at no more than its acquisition cost. If its sales value on the balance sheet date is lower - for an outdated model, say - the lower value applies (Art. 960a and 960c CO). Even a sole proprietorship that keeps only simple accounts must record its financial position (Art. 957 para. 2 CO) - and that includes the goods in stock.
Serial numbers and license keys
For devices and software, it pays to track each item individually: with its serial number or license key, purchase date and status - in stock, delivered, returned or defective. That way you can answer questions like "Which laptop did customer X get?" or "Is it still under warranty?" in seconds. If the serial number is on the invoice and delivery note, your customers also have it for their records.
Depreciation: the FTA's standard rates
Fixed assets lose value over time. You book this loss in value as depreciation, which reduces your taxable profit. For the direct federal tax, the FTA has set standard rates in leaflet A 1995 (in German) - as a percentage of book value:
| Asset | Standard rate on book value |
|---|---|
| Business furniture, workshop and warehouse fittings | 25% |
| Office machines | 40% |
| Data processing equipment (hardware and software) | 40% |
| Motor vehicles of all kinds | 40% |
| Tools, equipment, machine tools | 45% |
If you depreciate on a straight-line basis from the acquisition cost instead of from book value, the rates are halved - 20% per year for IT. Many cantons also allow special methods such as immediate write-off (Sofortabschreibung) of movable assets in the year of purchase. Whether and how you can use this depends on your canton - the canton of Aargau, for example, sets out its rules in its leaflet on depreciation (in German). It's best to discuss this with your accountant (Treuhand).
Example: a new laptop for CHF 2'000
Reto is a self-employed IT specialist. He buys a laptop for CHF 2'000 for his own work. At the standard rate of 40% of book value, he depreciates CHF 800 in the first year and, in the second year, 40% of the remaining CHF 1'200, i.e. CHF 480. At the same time, he sells three more laptops to a customer - these are not fixed assets but goods, which he delivers with the serial numbers on the delivery note.
Warranty and statutory warranty
Two terms that are often confused:
- Statutory warranty (Gewährleistung) is set by law: the seller is liable for the item being free of defects (Art. 197 CO). Claims generally become time-barred 2 years after delivery (Art. 210 CO). Important: you must inspect the goods and report defects immediately (Art. 201 CO). Between businesses, the statutory warranty is often limited in the general terms and conditions - read them before you buy.
- A warranty (Garantie) is a voluntary promise, usually by the manufacturer, with its own conditions and periods - for example 3 years of on-site service or a purchased warranty extension.
If something goes wrong, you need the proof of purchase and the serial number for both. If you know when the warranty expires, you can extend it in time or have a device repaired while it's still under warranty.
How it works in Easly
In Easly, receipts, inventory, delivery notes and invoices are linked - you record each device only once:
- Goods receipt straight from the receipt: With your AI access, Easly recognizes hardware and software licenses on the supplier invoice. "Record as inventory" opens the goods receipt prefilled with purchase date, quantity and the serial numbers found; Easly shows the price for reference - you select the product and check the serial numbers.
- Serial number or license key for each item, with status "In stock", "Delivered", "Returned" or "Defective". If you don't have the serial numbers yet, you record the devices as "Serial numbers pending" and add them later. You manage consumables without serial numbers.
- On invoices and delivery notes: You assign devices from inventory to a line item; their serial numbers or licenses appear in the PDF.
- Warranties at a glance: For each device, you store the proof of purchase or warranty extension; if you like, the AI reads the expiry date. The dashboard shows warranties that have expired or will expire within the next 30 days.
- Fixed asset register: You mark a receipt for a device you use yourself as "Fixed asset". It then appears in the "Fixed asset register", your overview of everything the business owns. In Easly's income statement, the purchase counts as an expense right away; you decide on depreciation over several years with your accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Is my business laptop a fixed asset?
Yes, if it belongs to your business and you use it for work for more than a year. If you buy laptops to resell to customers, however, they are goods in stock.
How much depreciation can I claim on a computer?
FTA leaflet A 1995 sets a standard rate of 40% of book value, or 20% of acquisition cost, for data processing equipment (hardware and software). Many cantons also allow an immediate write-off - ask your accountant what applies in your canton.
How long does the statutory warranty on a purchased device last?
Generally 2 years from delivery (Art. 210 CO). You must report defects immediately after inspection (Art. 201 CO). In business-to-business transactions, the statutory warranty is often limited in the seller's general terms and conditions; a manufacturer's warranty may run longer.
Does Easly calculate depreciation?
No. Easly keeps the fixed asset register and books the purchase as an expense right away in its own income statement. You decide with your accountant how to depreciate over the years - the fixed asset register gives them the basis for this.
Information as of: see above. Sources: Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 197, 201, 210, 957, 959, 960a and 960c CO) and FTA leaflet A 1995 "Depreciation of fixed assets of commercial businesses". Cantonal depreciation rules may differ. This article is not a substitute for tax or accounting advice.