Steuerkanzleien can connect operational tasks in Payroll and Bookkeeping to an external service provider if system accesses, data areas and responsibilities are clearly defined.
This guide shows how law firms can structure user accounts, permissions, Mandat areas, data paths and the return of work results for collaboration in DATEV or ADDISON.
This allows you to determine before starting who may access which data, how information is transferred, and where queries, results, and approvals converge.
The starting point is an inventory of the system environment actually in use. DATEV or Addison each refers to a product world with different programs, cloud applications, user management systems and client-related workspaces. For law firm outsourcing, therefore, the specific configuration is what counts.
Technical connectivityA reliable connection requires a uniquely assigned user, limited system rights, defined Mandat areas, documented data paths, and a verified return process.
Before creating the user account, those responsible should capture four levels. These levels determine which activity is possible in the system and how the work area is controlled.
Programmes and applicationsWhich local programs, cloud applications and add-on modules are actually used for Payroll or Bookkeeping?
Mandate and data basesWhich clients, consultant numbers, order criteria or work areas belong to the agreed task?
Access media and usersWhich person receives access and which access medium supports the intended application?
Handover and filing of resultsWhere do data arrive, how is receipt acknowledged, and where are work results made available to the specialist team?
An early inventory saves later corrections of rights. It also shows whether existing working methods already have clear handover points or whether a small pilot process makes sense before production starts.
DATEV differentiates between permissions for locally installed programs and permissions for cloud applications. In the local user and permissions management, users are created and access to programs and data is controlled. Online permissions management regulates access to DATEV cloud applications. Programs, functions and sorting criteria form central levels of permission assignment.
For external operational processing, a personal access with the technically required scope is recommended. Management assigns this access to the required programmes, functions and Mandat areas. This ensures that a person's activities remain traceable and the data area corresponds to the agreed task.
ADDISON in the current system stateADDISON Direkt is replacing ADDISON OneClick as an advanced collaboration platform. Wolters Kluwer is building on existing settings, configurations and data. For the specialist team, taking stock of the activated areas, log-ins and access permissions remains a central starting point.
Rights planning should be based on activities. A person who prepares and processes ongoing Lohnabrechnungs requires a different range of functions and data than a person who edits booking data in Bookkeeping. The temporal scope should also be included in the concept, such as in the case of a pilot mandate or temporary capacity support.
For each access, the technical purpose, approved programs, assigned Mandate and responsible internal department are documented. Subsequent changes to Mandaten, personnel or scope of services lead to targeted adjustments of rights.
The integration is made reliable through a clear workflow. Every task requires a defined intake, a processing status, a query channel and a clear destination for results. This applies to the Payroll for law firms as well as for the Bookkeeping for law firms.
In Payroll, master and transaction data arrive at fixed times. The payroll team determines which data source is authoritative, who checks incoming data, and how queries are bundled. DATEV data services provide examples showing that digital transmission channels each have their own activations, supported source systems, and status information. The agreed process should therefore specify the data path actually used.
Following processing, evaluations, audit points and open issues are made available at a designated location. The specialist team is thus provided with a complete status for technical review and further client communication.
Vouchers, booking information, account assignment queries and reports are the focus of Bookkeeping. Data exchange in accounting follows a clear monthly rhythm. This defines when documents are completely available, which processing stage has been reached and how open items are marked. When using DATEV Company Online or comparable portals, the process description also includes assigning the provided documents to the agreed workspace.
A single point of contact for queries reduces duplicate processing. For every open position, it should be clear which Engagement is affected, what information is missing, who is answering internally and by when the processing will continue. Results are then stored in the specified structure and reviewed or approved by the specialist team.
Mandatsführung, primary client relationship and internal review decisions remain with the firm. The external service provider works within the agreed operational framework. This separation should reflect the same logic in the system, workflow and communication.
Scope and performance of MandatsManagement decides which Mandats and which operational tasks are included in the working model.
Users and permissionsThe administration arranges access, assigns permissions and updates the scope when task changes occur.
Technical reviewDefined inspection points, approvals and escalation paths remain internally controlled.
Client communicationThe internal contact person determines the contact routes, the follow-up process and the visible role of the service provider.
For discreet operational processing, system access and communication roles can be planned separately. The specific external impact is determined by the specific needs of the project. White-Label-Payroll and White-Label accounting In-depth. The focus here is on system-level and organizational connectivity.
A structured preliminary review links the system landscape with the planned scope of services. The following table serves as a common working basis for management, specialist teams, and external service providers.
| Test area | To resolve internally | To be determined together |
|---|---|---|
| system landscape | Installed programs, cloud applications, modules, and existing workspaces | Usable system scope for payroll, Fibu, or the agreed-upon sub-process |
| User access | User system, access medium and internal administration | Authorized person, start time and duration of access |
| Permissions | Programs, functions, mandates, advisor numbers, and data areas | Scope required from a technical standpoint and documented rights |
| Data transfer | Source, format, completeness criteria and delivery date | Entrance control, status notification and inquiry channel |
| Result return | Location, scope of evaluation, and internal testing authority | Return format, marking of open points, and release process |
| Production start | Appropriate pilot mandate and responsible contact persons | Access test, process acceptance and documented release for regular operation |
In practice, a suitable pilot mandate forms a typical workload while remaining manageable. The test covers user access, data delivery, processing, follow-up questions, results archiving, and internal release. The complete chain demonstrates how the system and work organization work together.
Release for regular operationAfter the pilot run, the specialist team documents the confirmed work area, the valid rights, the handover times, the inquiry channel, the result archive, and the responsible persons.
BAS It starts with the existing system structure. Together, systems, programs, mandate areas, access routes, and the planned tasks are defined Payroll or Financial accounting recorded. This creates a clearly defined work area for the operational background processing.
The responsible parties define mandates, rights, permissions, and communication channels. BAS They adapt the processing to these requirements and return status information and work results in the agreed structure. A pilot mandate creates a controlled foundation for the later regular operation.
When changes are made to the scope of services or the organization, the model is updated specifically. This includes new mandates, changed functional rights, other handover points, or a new internal contact person. This gives the management an up-to-date overview of tasks, data areas, and access points.
Further information on operational support can be found Tax advisor at BAS for law firms and partners.
Brasser Accounting Solutions GmbH is a specialised accounting service provider that supports companies with financial accounting, payroll accounting, and the structuring of modern digital accounting processes. The aim is a collaboration that is professionally sound, organisationally relieving, and reliably functional in everyday use.
Brasser Accounting Solutions GmbH is part of a corporate group with Quint GmbH Tax Consultancy & Auditing and the Swedish accounting and tax firm Service Place Årjäng AB.
