DATEV Belegtransfer: Getting Receipts Into Unternehmen Online Without Manual Uploading

DATEV Belegtransfer automatically moves paper and PDF receipts from a local folder into DATEV Unternehmen online, without anyone having to upload each receipt by hand. To do this, the Belegtransfer client monitors specific, previously linked receipt directories in the background and automatically transfers newly saved files as soon as the client is active. This article shows how to set this up and what happens when receipts are filed twice. As of: August 2026.

How does automatic uploading work in Belegtransfer?

For automatic uploading to work, the receipts must be located in the receipt directories linked in Belegtransfer, because according to the DATEV Help Center only these folders are monitored and transferred in the background. Using the "Upload automatically" button, you activate this function so that files subsequently saved to the corresponding folders are sent on to DATEV Unternehmen online without any further click. However, this automation only works as long as the PC is switched on and the Belegtransfer client is active in the background; if the computer is shut down, new files accumulate in the folder without being transferred.

What folder structure do I need for this?

In Belegtransfer, you link individual directories in a targeted way, for example one folder for incoming invoices and one for outgoing invoices, instead of releasing an entire drive tree. In practice this means: a scan folder into which a multifunction printer or an email program automatically saves receipts can be registered directly as a monitored directory, so that the scanning process and Belegtransfer together create a continuously automatic path from paper to DATEV Unternehmen online.

What happens if a receipt is uploaded twice?

For the Belegtransfer client itself, according to the Overview of DATEV Belegtransfer the default setting is to delete duplicates immediately, to prevent documents from being transferred twice or three times. In addition, DATEV Unternehmen online has its own duplicate detection, which is active for all receipt-approval holdings using the DATEV Belegfreigabe online cloud service and applies regardless of whether a receipt is currently going through an approval process or not. In practice this means: anyone who accidentally places the same scan twice in the monitored folder does not have to manually check whether this causes a receipt to end up twice in the bookkeeping.

Where does plain folder monitoring reach its limits?

The automation in Belegtransfer covers the path from the local folder to DATEV Unternehmen online, but it does not replace upstream format recognition or data extraction from the receipt itself. For companies that also want to automatically pre-process invoice data from PDFs or email attachments before they are placed in the monitored folder, an upstream automation step is worthwhile, for example via an n8n workflow that collects and sorts incoming receipts and only then places them in the folder monitored by Belegtransfer.

Frequently asked questions about DATEV Belegtransfer

Does the computer have to run continuously for receipts to be uploaded automatically?

Yes, automatic transfer only works as long as the PC is switched on and the Belegtransfer client is active. If the computer is off, newly filed receipts remain in the folder until the client is running again and transfers them afterwards.

Can I have several folders monitored at the same time?

Yes, in Belegtransfer you link several receipt directories individually, so that, for example, incoming and outgoing invoices can be collected in separate, individually and automatically monitored folders. The number of linked folders depends on your own filing structure within the company.

Are duplicate uploaded receipts detected automatically?

Yes, on two levels: the Belegtransfer client itself deletes duplicates immediately by default, and in addition, the duplicate detection of DATEV Belegfreigabe online checks receipts submitted twice regardless of approval status. Even so, this is no guarantee against every incorrect posting, so spot checks remain worthwhile.

Is Belegtransfer worthwhile for small volumes of receipts too?

The effort required for setup is manageable, so the automation is already worthwhile from just a few receipts per week, as soon as manual uploading becomes a recurring nuisance. For very small volumes, however, manual upload via the web interface can still be the simpler solution.