DATEV Unternehmen online: Five Ways Receipts Actually Get In

Receipts enter DATEV Unternehmen online via at least five different paths, and which one is right depends less on the software than on where the receipt actually originates in the business. Paper mail requires a different path than a PDF invoice from the email inbox, and receipts from a connected merchandise management system require yet another. This article compares the five common paths by effort and error-proneness. As of: August 2026.

What are the five paths, exactly?

The common paths are the DATEV Belegtransfer as a local client with folder monitoring, the web upload via Belege online, the mobile app DATEV Upload mobil, the forwarding via DATEV Upload Mail, and the automated connection via DATEV-Datenservices as an interface from a merchandise management or ERP system. Each of these paths is designed for a different receipt origin, and in most companies several of them are used in parallel.

How do Belegtransfer, web upload, and app differ in effort?

The Belegtransfer client monitors local folders and automatically uploads newly saved files, so after the one-time setup it causes practically no ongoing effort, but requires the respective computer to stay switched on. The web upload via Belege online is suitable for individual receipts or scanned paper mail via drag-and-drop directly in the browser and can be used immediately without installation, but causes a manual click for every receipt. The DATEV Upload mobil app digitizes receipts directly via the smartphone camera and transfers them to the DATEV cloud, which is practical on the go, but like the web upload remains dependent on manual action per receipt.

What do Upload Mail and the data service interface offer?

With DATEV Upload Mail you forward PDF, TIF, or TIFF attachments from incoming emails directly to DATEV Unternehmen online; after a one-time free activation in the program, a normal email forward is enough. The connection via DATEV Datenservices Rechnungswesen causes the least manual effort, because through it merchandise management or ERP systems transmit booking-relevant data and receipts automatically to the DATEV cloud, for example via the Belegbilderservice, the Rechnungsdatenservice, or the Buchungsdatenservice. This path is also the one with the highest one-time setup effort, because it requires a technical connection of the source system.

Which path is most error-prone?

The two manual paths, web upload and app, are the most error-prone, because here people individually decide which receipt is uploaded when, with a corresponding risk of forgotten or duplicate submitted receipts. Belegtransfer and Upload Mail reduce this risk through automation, but remain dependent on the reliability of the local storage or the email inbox respectively. The data service interface is the least error-prone, because no file is moved manually anymore, but the error risk shifts to the correct configuration of the technical connection itself.

Frequently asked questions about DATEV Unternehmen online and the receipt paths

Do I have to commit to a single path?

No, the five paths can be used in parallel; a common setup, for example, is Belegtransfer for scan folders, Upload Mail for digital incoming invoices, and the app for receipts captured on the go, within the same company. It is only important that in the end all receipts end up in the same pool and are not submitted twice via two paths.

Which path is best suited for paper mail?

For paper mail, either a scanner with subsequent automatic filing in the Belegtransfer folder or direct digitization via DATEV Upload mobil or Belege online makes sense. Which variant fits better depends on whether the business already has a scan workstation or whether receipts tend to arise decentrally while on the go.

Is the data service interface worthwhile for smaller companies too?

This depends on the receipt volume and the existing merchandise management system, because the setup effort for an interface connection only pays off from a certain recurring number of receipts. At low volume, Belegtransfer or Upload Mail are usually the more economical entry point.

Can I additionally automate receipt capture before the upload?

Yes, upstream automation steps, such as sorting and pre-checking incoming invoices from various sources, can be mapped via an n8n workflow before the receipts reach one of the five DATEV paths. This does not replace any of the mentioned paths, but reduces the manual preparatory work beforehand.