Which documents to send your accountant in Estonia

For the monthly bookkeeping of an Estonian OÜ, prepare customer and supplier invoices, bank and payment account statements, expense documents and employee payment information. Add explanations for loans, refunds and other non-routine transactions. The exact set of documents depends on the company’s activities: the checklist below helps you make sure nothing is missing.

A bank statement alone does not always explain what the company bought or why. A payment to a supplier, for example, confirms the movement of money, while the invoice or contract explains the transaction. It is better to collect documents with their explanations than to send them one at a time after questions from the accountant.

Which documents to collect each month

Use this list as a basis for your workflow, not as a universal list of mandatory forms. If the company had no transactions of a particular type, that section is not needed.

• Sales. Issued invoices, credit notes and documents relating to refunds. Flag cancelled invoices and changes to documents already submitted so the accountant can identify the current version.
• Purchases and expenses. Supplier invoices, receipts, subscription confirmations and other company expense documents. If the purpose of a purchase is unclear, briefly explain how it relates to the OÜ’s business.
• Banks and payment services. Statements for all accounts used, covering the same period. If the company receives payments through a platform, include its report showing fees and refunds, not just the amount received in the bank.
• Employees and payments. Changes to contracts and pay, working time records, leave and other information needed for calculations. Send personal data through an agreed secure channel.
• Loans and transactions with the owner. Contracts, decisions and explanations for transfers between the company and its owner. The word “transfer” alone does not explain the basis for a payment.
• Assets and unusual transactions. Documents for equipment purchases or sales, leases, large advances and new lines of business. These transactions are best discussed separately.

What to check on an invoice or receipt

As explained by the Estonian Ministry of Finance, a source document must make it possible to understand a transaction and assess its reliability. It must contain the transaction date, a description of its substance and numerical information. For a transaction between legal entities, the document identifier and the parties’ details are also important. VAT invoices are subject to additional requirements.

Before sending a document, check that it is fully legible, the amount and currency are visible and the company details are correct. If you receive a corrected invoice, include it with a note identifying the document it replaces. Do not correct the supplier’s details yourself: ask the supplier for an accurate document.

For questions about VAT registration and accounting, see FPRO’s VAT in Estonia page. A tax amount shown on an invoice does not, on its own, settle how it should be recorded in a particular company’s accounts.

How to send files without confusion

Agree on one main channel and a document submission date with your accountant. This is a working arrangement: a deadline in another company’s service contract should not be treated as a general deadline applying to every company.

1. Identify the period. Sort documents by month, then separate sales, purchases, statements and other transactions within each month.
2. Keep the original files. Send the electronic document you received, not a screenshot of part of it. If an export is available from the bank or accounting system, confirm the required format in advance.
3. Use clear file names. For example, include the date, counterparty and invoice number. This helps with searching; it is not a legal requirement for file names.
4. Prepare a list of questions. For an unclear payment, state the date, amount, counterparty and what is already known. If a document is missing, say so straight away.
5. Check access. Make sure the accountant can open the folder and download the files. Do not send passwords or personal electronic signature codes with the documents.

What to do if some documents are missing

Do not replace a missing document with an invented explanation. Request a copy from the supplier or download it from your service account, and give the accountant a list of gaps. Separately identify payments whose purpose has not yet been established.

If bookkeeping for earlier periods is incomplete, start by establishing the cut-off point: up to which date the records are confirmed, which statements are available and which documents are missing. This helps you discuss the scope of bookkeeping reconstruction before starting the ongoing work.

Sending documents to an accountant does not replace an archive

Arrange storage so that the company retains access to its documents even after changing accountants. Agree in advance where originals are kept, who creates exports and how the archive is handed over when the service ends.

Retention periods do not have the same starting point for every document. The Ministry of Finance states the general rule for accounting source documents: seven years after the end of the relevant financial year. For VAT payers, the Estonian Tax and Customs Board separately explains the retention of issued and received invoices: seven years from issue or receipt, preserving the original form of the information. An electronic invoice must therefore be retained electronically.

Check before sending

• One period has been selected, with statements for every account used.
• Invoices and expenses have the necessary explanations.
• Refunds, fees and corrected documents have not been missed.
• Changes concerning employees and payments have been provided separately.
• Missing documents are listed and access to the files has been checked.

If you need ongoing bookkeeping or help sorting accumulated documents, see how accounting services in Estonia work. Before contacting us, describe the company’s activities, the state of its records and the volume of documents. The scope of work is agreed for your situation.