Can I do my own bookkeeping with e-invoicing?
E-invoicing and doing your own bookkeeping — is that feasible? The short answer is: partially. In straightforward situations, a self-employed professional can handle a great deal with the right tools. But there are limits, and it is important to know where they lie.
What can you do yourself with good invoicing software?
With modern invoicing software, you can manage a lot on your own as a self-employed professional:
Invoicing: Create invoices, send them via Peppol, receive invoices from suppliers and archive them. This is the core work you do yourself regardless of whether you have an accountant.
Expense management: Scan receipts, record and categorise expenses. Good software uses AI to fill in the details automatically — you just validate.
Payment tracking: Keep track of outstanding invoices, send automatic reminders, and match payments to invoices via bank synchronisation.
VAT preparation: Gather the figures you need for your quarterly VAT return. Some tools show you exactly which amounts to enter in MyMinfin for each quarter.
What remains difficult without an accountant?
To be frank: for some matters, an accountant remains invaluable, even with good software.
Tax return: The annual personal income tax or corporate tax return is complex. Mistakes cost you money, and an accountant will find deductions you would miss on your own.
Complex situations: Do you operate as a company, employ staff, work in multiple countries or have investments? Things quickly become complicated.
Advice: An accountant is not just someone who processes figures — they also advise you on the most tax-efficient structure for your situation.
Peace of mind: Many self-employed professionals simply prefer having someone who keeps an eye on things. That has a value which is hard to quantify.
The smart middle ground
Many self-employed professionals opt for a hybrid approach: they handle the day-to-day work themselves (invoicing, expenses, payments) and engage an accountant for the annual tax return and advice. This saves costs while keeping the expertise where you truly need it.
With Cleero you can invite your accountant into your account. They then see all the documents they need, configured with the correct VAT settings, and can process them directly in their accounting package. Less back-and-forth, fewer errors, fewer hours — and therefore a lower invoice from your accountant.
In summary
- Invoicing, expense management and payment tracking: perfectly manageable yourself with good software
- VAT return: feasible if your situation is straightforward
- Annual tax return and complex situations: an accountant remains valuable
- Smartest approach: do what you can yourself, bring in an accountant where it pays off
Try Cleero free and discover how much you can handle on your own.