This article walks you through the complete setup process for the DATEV Direct integration in Moss—from initiating the connection in Moss, through legal approval, to establishing the technical connection to the DATEV server.
It builds on the preparation guide and guides you step by step through all required phases until DATEV Direct is fully active.
Step 01
1. Open Moss
To start the DATEV Direct Integration, got to:
"Settings" > "Accounting"
2. Initiate the connection
Click on "Set up accounting" or "Connect accounting" if another accounting integration is already active.
3. Confirm responsibilities
In the next step, Moss will ask whether you are the right person to set up the accounting integration.
Select "Yes, that’s me" if you are responsible for the setup yourself.
Alternatively, you can invite your accountant or tax advisor at this stage and hand over the setup to them.
4. Choose DATEV
Choose DATEV from the list of accounting systems.
5. DATEV Rechnungswesen
Choose "DATEV Rechnungswesen" to connect the DATEV server directly and continue.
6. Enter information
You will now enter the details of your DATEV server. This information determines:
where Moss connects to, and
who must legally approve the integration.
Required information
Legal name of the DATEV server owner
Advisor number of the DATEV database
Client number to be connected
Optional sub-advisor number
Email address of a contact person
IT infrastructure (SmartIT, DATEVasp, IT partner, own server)
Server owner (client or tax advisor firm)
⚠️ Important: Incorrect details—especially the advisor or client number—will prevent the connection from being established.
7. Overview
In the next step you'll see an overview of what happens next. Read through the steps and then click "Continue".
8. Manage receipts
In the next step, you'll decide where receipts and invoice documents will be archived.
Option 1: Store receipts in Belege Online (recommended)
Option 1: Store receipts in Belege Online (recommended)
You connect DATEV Belege Online in parallel to the Cloud Gateway interface with DATEV Rechnungswesen. The receipts are then archived in DUO and linked to the corresponding postings in DATEV Rechnungswesen.
Option 2: Store receipts in Moss
Option 2: Store receipts in Moss
Postings are transferred to DATEV without receipts, and the receipts remain in Moss. Receipts can optionally be exported separately, either via download or through SFTP to an external document archive.
If receipts are to be archived in DATEV Belege Online, you will be redirected to a DATEV login. There, you can confirm the connection using DATEV SmartCard or SmartLogin.
In the next step, you choose the client where the receipts should be archived.
Confirm the connection again in the DATEV system.
9. Complete the step
The first step is now complete.
Step 02
After submitting the setup, Moss reviews the information in the background.
Generally the review takes up to one business day.
You can check the current status under "Settings" → "Accounting".
Once the information is approved, you can proceed with the next step.
Step 03
Since DATEV Direct connects directly to the DATEV server, legal approval from the server owner is required.
Scenario A: The server belongs to your company
Scenario A: The server belongs to your company
If your company is the legal owner of the DATEV servers:
A verified Moss user can accept the contractual terms of our integration partner, Riecken, directly within Moss.
The contractual documents are available for download in advance.
Click "Sign contract" in the top right corner. This option is only available to verified users, typically members of the management team. On the next screen, you can download and accept the terms and conditions of our integration partner, Riecken.
Once you accept the terms, you can proceed with the technical setup of the interface on the DATEV server.
Scenario B: The server belongs to a tax firm or a third party
Scenario B: The server belongs to a tax firm or a third party
If the DATEV server does not belong to your company:
Moss provides an externally shareable link.
An authorised signatory of the server owner must grant approval via the Riecken onboarding process.
Identification is carried out via SmartLogin, SmartCard, or VideoIdent.
⚠️ The name of the authorised person must exactly match the details listed in the commercial register or the tax advisor directory.
You can also find the "Sign contract" button in the top right under "Settings" > "Accounting". On the next page, you will see a redirect link to our integration partner, Riecken, where you will need to complete parts of the onboarding form again.
In the first step, you'll start the onboarding of the client.
Next, you can choose whether you want to connect a tax firm or company (self-booking).
In the next step, you must enter the advisor number of the portfolio to be connected. Riecken will check whether an interface has already been set up for this advisor (in which case activation is shortened) or whether a new portfolio is being connected.
Now you need to search for and select the tax advisor firm or company in the commercial register or tax advisor directory.
Enter your email address and click on "Continue", to choose the infrastructure of the DATEV server.
Choose your DATEV server provider from the list (SmartIT, DATEVasp, DATEV IT-Partner or another/own server).
Finally, Riecken verifies who is authorised to sign on behalf of the company or tax advisor firm. An authorised representative must then confirm the terms of use via DATEV SmartCard, SmartLogin, or a video identification process.
The interface is then implemented on the DATEV server.
Technical implementation of the interface
After legal approval has been granted, the DATEV server is technically prepared for the integration. Below you will find information on the different IT environments:
DATEV SmartIT / DATEVasp
The interface is enabled by DATEV
The technical implementation is carried out in the background by DATEV and Riecken
The DATEV SmartIT add-on "Anbindung Drittanbieter" (third-party integration) is required for SmartIT / DATEVasp
We provide the link to order this module
The module is billed separately by DATEV at €30.75 per month per advisor number connected
DATEV server hosted by an IT partner
Riecken contacts the IT partner directly
The IT partner receives instructions for installing the Cloud Gateway
We also provide these instructions here
Installation may only begin once the interface has been approved by Riecken
Riecken actively supports the IT partner with any technical questions
Own DATEV server (client or tax advisor firm)
The Cloud Gateway software must be installed on the local DATEV server
Riecken provides the installation guide
We also make the guide available here
Installation may only begin once the interface has been approved by Riecken
The IT department is supported during the setup process
Once the technical setup is complete, you can finalise the connection in Moss.
Step 04
To complete the connection, go to "Settings" > "Accounting". Click on "Complete setup".
In the next step, you can initiate the initial import of accounts from DATEV Rechnungswesen by clicking "Synchronise and continue". Moss will then synchronise your chart of accounts, suppliers, cost centres, and cost carriers from DATEV to Moss.
Enter the relevant accounts.
We recommend the following accounts:
Moss account (Wallet balance): Use a bank or credit card general ledger account.
Examples of credit card accounts:
1730 (SKR 03)
3610 (SKR 04)
Cash in transit account: Assign a cash in transit account for posting the cash movement "Transfer to Moss balance".
For example:
1360 (SKR 03)
1460 (SKR 04)
If you have further questions, you can refer to this article to learn more about posting Moss payments and reconciling the Moss balance.
Assign a standard supplier account for credit card payments and other postings.
You can also use the toggle here to define whether credit card transactions should be posted to this standard supplier account or to the respective supplier accounts of the individual suppliers.
In the next step, you will see the chart of accounts imported from DATEV. You can deactivate individual accounts or entire account ranges.
Accounts without postings are imported with the status "Inactive". Adjust the filter to display these accounts.
On the next page you'll see the suppliers imported from DATEV. You can deactivate them as well if you don't use them in Moss.
Posting keys for VAT rates are not synchronised from DATEV. You can load the most commonly used posting keys or create additional ones by clicking "Add VAT rates" in the top right corner.
Here you can load the most common posting keys or create new ones.
You need to skip cost centres and cost carriers at this point. You can import them later from DATEV.
Finish the setup.
Assigning cost centres and cost carriers
Once the setup is complete, you can assign cost centres and cost carriers at any time as needed.
Go to "Settings" → "Accounting" and open the "Dimensions" tab.
First, open "Cost centres", click "Configure" at the top, and select the KOST system from DATEV that should be imported as cost centres.
Repeat the same steps for the cost carriers.
Ongoing synchronisation & operation
Once setup is complete, two-way synchronisation is active:
Master data is synchronised automatically every night.
Manual synchronisation is available at any time via "Import now".
Suppliers, accounts, and cost centres remain continuously aligned between Moss and DATEV.
Using DATEV Direct after implementation
Once setup is complete, you can:
Export transactions directly from Moss into DATEV batch processing
Open receipts directly from within DATEV Rechnungswesen (when using Belege Online)
Create suppliers in Moss and have them automatically synchronised to DATEV
At this point, the DATEV Direct integration is fully set up and ready to use.
Your connection is now ready.
In the next article, you'll learn how to export expenses to DATEV.