DATEV Automation: Accounting Workflows with Make.com and n8n

DATEV is the backbone of German accounting. Over 2.5 million businesses use DATEV software. Yet many processes around DATEV still run manually: receipts are sent by email, data is transferred by hand, and invoices are captured one by one. In this guide, we'll show you how to automate DATEV processes. For broader context, see our hub article on automation for tax consultants.

The Challenge: DATEV and Automation

The Problem:

DATEV is a closed system. There's no public REST API like modern SaaS tools offer. This makes direct integrations difficult.

The Solution:

There are several ways to automate DATEV nonetheless:

1. DATEV Unternehmen Online - Web portal with upload capabilities
2. DATEV Interfaces - Standardized formats (DATEV CSV, XML)
3. DATEVconnect - Partner API (for certified providers)
4. Middleware Solutions - GetMyInvoices, Candis, etc.

Automation Possibilities Overview

Workflow 1: Automatic Receipt Capture

The Goal

Automatically capture incoming invoices and transfer them to DATEV.

The Workflow

Email with invoice
        |
    OCR Extraction
    (GetMyInvoices/Candis)
        |
    AI Categorization
        |
    Create DATEV format
        |
    Upload DATEV Unternehmen Online
        |
    Notify accountant

Implementation with n8n

Step 1: Email Trigger

Node: IMAP Email Trigger
- Mailbox: invoices@company.com
- Attachments: download

Step 2: OCR Processing

Node: HTTP Request
- URL: GetMyInvoices or Mindee API
- Method: POST
- Body: PDF attachment

Step 3: Validate Data

Node: IF
- Condition: Required fields present?
- Yes: continue
- No: send for manual review

Step 4: Create DATEV Format

Node: Code (JavaScript)
// Create DATEV CSV line
const datevLine = {
  amount: item.amount,
  debitCredit: 'D',
  debitAccount: item.costCenter || '4400',
  creditAccount: item.creditor || '70000',
  documentDate: formatDate(item.date),
  documentField1: item.invoiceNumber,
  bookingText: item.vendor
};
return datevLine;

Step 5: Upload

Node: HTTP Request
- DATEV Unternehmen Online API
- Or: Google Drive/Dropbox as intermediate storage

Alternative: Use Middleware

Instead of building yourself, you can integrate middleware solutions:

n8n Workflow with GetMyInvoices:

GetMyInvoices Webhook (new invoice)
        |
    Fetch data
        |
    Create booking suggestion
        |
    Slack: Request approval
        |
    On approval: DATEV export

Workflow 2: Personio to DATEV Payroll

The Goal

Automatically transfer personnel master data and changes to DATEV LODAS.

The Challenge

DATEV LODAS (payroll) has no direct API. The path goes through:

• DATEV personnel master data format
• DATEV Unternehmen Online upload
• Or: DATEV-certified HR software

Implementation

Option A: Direct Integration (Personio DATEV Connector)

Personio offers a native DATEV export:

1. Personio -> Settings -> Integrations -> DATEV
2. Configure automatic export
3. Accountant receives data in DATEV format

Option B: Custom Workflow (n8n/Make)

Personio (Master data change)
        |
    Transform data
    (DATEV format)
        |
    Create CSV/XML
        |
    Upload to DATEV Unternehmen Online
    (or email to accountant)

n8n Nodes:

1. Personio -> Watch Employees
2. Code -> Create DATEV LODAS format
3. FTP/SFTP -> Upload to accountant

DATEV LODAS Export Format

"EmployeeNumber";"LastName";"FirstName";"StartDate";"EndDate";"TaxClass"
"001";"Smith";"John";"01.01.2024";"";"1"
"002";"Johnson";"Anna";"15.03.2024";"";"4"

Workflow 3: Shopify/WooCommerce to DATEV

The Goal

Automatically capture e-commerce transactions for accounting.

The Workflow

Shopify (New order)
        |
    Extract invoice data
        |
    Create DATEV booking entry
        |
    Collect daily batch
        |
    Evening: DATEV export

Implementation with Make.com

Scenario 1: Individual Bookings

1. Trigger: Shopify -> New Order
2. Transform: Data to DATEV format
3. Store: Google Sheets (as intermediate storage)
4. Scheduled: Daily at 8 PM -> Create DATEV CSV -> Upload

Scenario 2: Batch Processing

Schedule Trigger (daily 8 PM)
        |
    Shopify: Get Orders (today)
        |
    Iterator: For each order
        |
    Create DATEV line
        |
    Aggregator: Collect all lines
        |
    Create CSV
        |
    Email to accountant

DATEV Booking Entry for E-Commerce

Workflow 4: Automatically Categorize Bank Transactions

The Goal

Automatically assign bank transactions to booking accounts.

The Workflow

Bank API (new transactions)
        |
    AI categorization
    (based on reference)
        |
    Create booking suggestion
        |
    Submit for approval
        |
    DATEV export

Implementation with n8n

Bank Integration:

• finAPI (aggregator for German banks)
• Or: CSV import from bank

AI Categorization:

// Use OpenAI for categorization
const prompt = `
Categorize this bank transaction:
Amount: ${item.amount} EUR
Reference: ${item.reference}
Recipient: ${item.creditor}

Possible categories:
- 4400 Office supplies
- 4500 Vehicle costs
- 4600 Advertising costs
- 4900 Other costs

Reply only with the account number.
`;

Understanding DATEV Formats

DATEV CSV (Booking Batch)

The standard format for bookings:

"Amount";"Debit/Credit";"Account";"Counter Account";"Tax Key";"Document Date";"Document Field 1";"Booking Text"
119.00;"D";1200;8400;3;"1501";"RE-001";"Product sale"

Important Fields:

DATEV XML (ASCII)

For more complex data (with header):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LedgerImport>
  <Header>
    <DataCategory>21</DataCategory>
    <FormatName>BookingBatch</FormatName>
  </Header>
  <Document>
    <!-- Bookings -->
  </Document>
</LedgerImport>

Best Practices for DATEV Automation

1. Involve Your Accountant

• Coordinate on chart of accounts
• Define validation rules
• Test phase with feedback

2. Error Handling

• Flag unclear bookings for review
• Daily report on issues
• Quarantine for faulty receipts

3. Consider Compliance

• GoBD-compliant archiving (German regulations)
• Immutability after booking
• Audit-proof logging

4. Introduce Gradually

1. Month 1: Receipt capture only
2. Month 2: + Booking suggestions
3. Month 3: + Automatic booking

Costs and ROI

Typical Costs

Typical Savings

At 50 EUR/hour = 1,575 EUR/month in savings

For a detailed framework to calculate these numbers, see our cost model and ROI framework for automation.

Conclusion

DATEV automation is possible - even without an official API. The key lies in:

1. Right Interfaces: DATEV formats, middleware, Unternehmen Online
2. Gradual Approach: Start small, then expand
3. Accountant Involvement: Define processes together

Next Steps

1. Analysis: Which DATEV processes are most time-consuming?
2. Pilot Project: Automate one workflow (e.g., receipt capture)
3. Scaling: Connect additional processes

Two starting points cover most of what mid-market clients need: the Shopify to DATEV integration for retail revenue and the Stripe to DATEV integration for subscription billing. We support you with DATEV automation - from concept to implementation. You may also be interested in our guides on Lexoffice automation and on what automating your bookkeeping costs. Get in touch for a free consultation.