HS Financial Accounting: Functions & Automation

The digital transformation in accounting presents companies with the challenge of making their accounting processes more efficient. HS Finanzbuchhaltung from Hamburger Software has established itself as a proven solution for small and medium-sized enterprises looking for industry-neutral, GoBD-compliant accounting software. As an integral component of a comprehensive ERP system, hs finanzbuchhaltung offers far more than mere bookkeeping—it connects financial management, controlling, human resources, and other corporate areas on a unified platform.

The range of functions in HS Finanzbuchhaltung

HS Finanzbuchhaltung is the heart of financial management in many German companies. The software covers all the requirements of modern accounting and goes far beyond simple document entry.

Core functions of financial accounting

The basic functionality covers all essential posting types and processes:

• Account assignment and posting of all business transactions according to HGB and IFRS

• Open item management for debtors and creditors

• Payments with automated payment runs and SEPA integration

• Dunning with multi-level reminder procedures

• VAT advance return directly from the system

• Business management evaluations (BWA) in various versions

The GoBD-certified solution ensures that all postings are stored in an audit-proof manner and in accordance with legal requirements. Particularly noteworthy is the intuitive user interface, which enables quick onboarding even without in-depth accounting knowledge.

Asset accounting as an add-on module

An important component of hs finanzbuchhaltung is the integrated asset accounting. This extension enables the professional management of fixed assets:

Asset accounting works seamlessly with financial accounting and automatically transfers depreciation postings into the current accounting.

ERP integration: More than just accounting

What sets hs finanzbuchhaltung apart from pure accounting solutions is full ERP integration. The system connects different business areas and creates end-to-end processes.

Inventory management and order processing

The connection between inventory management and financial accounting eliminates breaks in the flow of information:

• Automatic transfer of invoice data from order processing

• Real-time inventory valuation

• Cost and contribution margin accounting at item level

• Project costing with integrated post-calculation

As soon as an order is invoiced, the relevant data flows directly into accounting. This reduces sources of error and significantly accelerates the entire process.

Human resources and payroll accounting

In HR as well, hs finanzbuchhaltung offers comprehensive features. Human resources is closely integrated with financial accounting:

• Payroll accounting with automatic transmission to tax authorities

• Travel expense accounting in line with current tax requirements

• Time tracking linked to project billing

• HR controlling with KPIs on personnel costs

The financial accounting services of professional providers show that an integrated solution is particularly beneficial when working with tax advisors.

Controlling and reporting

Another focus of hs finanzbuchhaltung lies in the controlling area. The software not only provides historical data, but actively supports corporate management.

Cost center accounting and controlling tools

Differentiated cost center accounting enables:

1. Assignment of costs and revenues to individual business areas

2. Contribution margin accounting for well-founded decisions

3. Plan-actual comparisons to manage budgets

4. Liquidity planning with forecasting functions

5. Profit center accounting for decentralized areas of responsibility

The system offers numerous predefined evaluations that can be customized. From the classic BWA to the P&L and the balance sheet—all relevant reports are available with just a few clicks.

Reporting and dashboards

Modern companies need up-to-date information. The HS Finanzwesen software offers:

• Real-time analyses with current figures at the touch of a button

• Graphical dashboards for quick overviews

• Custom reporting tailored to your requirements

• Export functions for Excel, PDF, and other formats

• Automated reports with time-controlled email delivery

For managing directors and controllers, this means maximum transparency about the company's financial situation—accessible anytime and from anywhere.

Automation through external system integrations

The true strength of modern accounting software lies in its ability to communicate with other systems. Automation plays a central role in efficient processes, especially with hs finanzbuchhaltung.

Document management and DMS integration

Connecting to document management systems revolutionizes document processing. Instead of manual entries, the integration enables:

• Automatic transfer of invoice data from scanned documents

• OCR recognition with intelligent data mapping

• Digital document archiving in accordance with GoBD

• Workflow-driven approval processes

• Audit-proof retention

• Systems such as AMAGNO or DocuWare can be seamlessly connected to hs finanzbuchhaltung. Incoming invoices are automatically recognized, relevant data extracted, and proposed for account assignment.

Importing postings from external sources

Particularly valuable is the ability to automatically import posting data from various external sources. Via standardized interfaces, data can be read in from the following systems:

Financial accounting at universities shows how important automated processes are when document volumes are high.

filehub as a central automation platform

For comprehensive automation of workflows around hs finanzbuchhaltung, integration with filehub is recommended. The platform makes it possible to build complex automation processes without programming.

All functions are available via the HS Hamburger Software node:

• Automatic invoice retrieval from supplier portals

• Intelligent data extraction from various document formats

• Creation of posting imports with validation and plausibility checks

• Connection to cloud storage such as OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox

• Multi-system workflows that link multiple applications

A practical example: Invoices are automatically retrieved from Amazon Business, processed by filehub, relevant data extracted, and transferred to hs finanzbuchhaltung as a formatted posting import. The entire process runs without manual intervention.

Practical use cases of automation

The combination of hs finanzbuchhaltung and automated workflows opens up numerous use cases that significantly simplify day-to-day accounting.

Automated accounts payable

The classic process of incoming invoice handling can be fully automated:

1. Invoice receipt via email, portal, or EDI

2. Automatic recognition and data extraction

3. Match with purchase order and goods receipt

4. Account assignment proposal based on historical data

5. Digital approval workflow according to company policies

6. Posting in hs finanzbuchhaltung without manual entry

7. Payment proposal taking cash discount deadlines into account

These automated workflows reduce processing time per invoice from an average of 10 minutes to under 2 minutes.

Integration with tax advisory

Collaboration with the tax advisor also benefits from automation. Via DATEV Unternehmen Online, data can be exchanged bidirectionally:

• Monthly transmission of accounting data to the tax advisor

• Return of year-end postings

• Automatic reconciliation of general ledger accounts and tax keys

• Digital document provision for audit purposes

The accounting services provided by tax advisors thus become more efficient, which often results in lower fees.

Industry-specific solutions

While HS Finanzbuchhaltung is designed to be industry-neutral, configuration and extensions provide special functions for various sectors.

Retail and e-commerce

In retail, the following are particularly important:

• Cashbook integration with TSE-compliant POS systems

• Multichannel sales processing across various platforms

• Inventory valuation using various methods (FIFO, LIFO, average)

• Commission and discount settlement for sales partners

The connection to shop systems enables daily automatic import of all sales.

Service companies

For service providers, the focus is on:

• Project cost accounting with time and material capture

• Charge-out rates for different service types

• Post-calculation to compare quote and actual effort

• Project controlling with contribution margin analysis

Integration with time-tracking systems ensures automatic transfer of working hours into billing.

Real estate industry

In the real estate sector, hs finanzbuchhaltung supports:

• Tenant management with automatic rent charges

• Service charge settlement in accordance with the Condominium Act

• Homeowners' association (WEG) fee management

• Property accounting with separate accounts per property

Data can be synchronized via interfaces to property management software such as Casavi or WowiPort.

Data security and compliance

Security plays a paramount role with financial data. HS Finanzbuchhaltung meets all relevant German and European requirements.

GoBD compliance and audit security

The software is fully GoBD-compliant and ensures:

• Immutability of posted transactions through the journal function

• Completeness through seamless logging

• Traceability through audit trails

• Proper record-keeping through structured filing

• Access protection through role-based permissions

All changes are logged and can be evidenced for tax audits.

GDPR and data protection

In handling personal data, hs finanzbuchhaltung meets GDPR requirements:

• Encrypted data storage and transmission

• Logging of data accesses

• Deletion functions for legacy data

• Data subject access rights

• Privacy-friendly default settings

Especially when integrating external systems via filehub, it is important that all data flows remain within Europe and comply with German data protection standards.

Cloud or on-premises: deployment options

Modern companies have different requirements for IT infrastructure. HS Finanzbuchhaltung offers flexible operating models.

Server-based installation

The classic variant with installation on your own servers offers:

• Complete control over data and system

• No dependence on an internet connection

• Integration into the existing IT landscape

• Individual backup and recovery strategies

This approach is particularly suitable for companies with their own IT department and high security requirements.

Cloud solution

Alternatively, hs finanzbuchhaltung is available as a cloud version:

• Access from anywhere with an internet connection

• Automatic updates and maintenance

• Scalable resources as needed

• Lower IT infrastructure costs

• Integrated backup solutions

The cloud variant is ideal for distributed teams and companies without their own IT infrastructure. Here, too, the data is hosted in German data centers.

Training and support

The successful use of hs finanzbuchhaltung depends largely on the competence of the users. Hamburger Software offers comprehensive support.

Introduction and training

New users benefit from:

• Structured training programs for different user roles

• Online training and webinars

• Individual on-site workshops

• Extensive documentation and manuals

• Video tutorials for common tasks

The multi-stage training concepts take different prior knowledge into account.

Ongoing support

During operation, various support channels are available:

• Hotline for urgent questions during business hours

• Ticket system for systematic problem handling

• Remote support for direct assistance on the system

• Online forum for exchange with other users

• FAQ and knowledge base with solutions to common questions

The financial accounting department of Jade University shows how important professional support is with complex accounting systems.

Integration with filehub: The practical guide

The connection between hs finanzbuchhaltung and filehub opens up completely new automation possibilities. This is how the practical implementation works.

Setting up the connection

The first step is to configure the HS Hamburger Software node in filehub:

1. Authentication with the HS system via API credentials

2. Mapping of chart of accounts and cost centers

3. Definition of posting templates for recurring transactions

4. Definition of validation rules for data quality

5. Test postings to verify the connection

The one-time setup typically takes 30–60 minutes.

Building automated workflows

With filehub's workflow functionality, complex processes can be mapped:

Example workflow: Automated invoice processing

• Trigger: New invoice in Microsoft SharePoint

• Step 1: PDF extraction of invoice data

• Step 2: Validation against purchase order data

• Step 3: Account assignment proposal based on vendor

• Step 4: If matched: Automatic approval

• Step 5: Create posting import for HS

• Step 6: Upload the document to the DMS

• Step 7: Notification to accounting

Such workflows can be created via a visual interface without programming.

Best practices for posting imports

When creating posting imports for hs finanzbuchhaltung, you should consider the following aspects:

• Use standardized data formats (CSV, Excel, XML)

• Fill in all mandatory fields (date, amount, debit/credit account, posting text)

• Maintain consistent date formats

• Perform validation before import

• Define error handling for rejected postings

• Log all imports for traceability

filehub's Finance solutions offer preconfigured templates for typical posting scenarios.

Visualization and image optimization

Visual elements are becoming increasingly important in finance as well, for example for presentations or reports. When you integrate graphics, charts, or document scans into workflows, removit can provide professional image editing. The AI-enabled platform automatically optimizes backgrounds and image quality, which is particularly helpful for archiving and presenting documents.

Mobile accounting and on-the-go access

In the modern working world, flexibility is crucial. HS Finanzbuchhaltung also supports mobile work.

Mobile apps and responsive design

The web-based interface automatically adapts to different devices:

• Tablet use for postings and analyses on the go

• Smartphone access for queries and approvals

• Offline capability for delayed synchronization

• Touch-optimized operation for mobile devices

This allows managing directors to access up-to-date financial data at any time, even while traveling.

Receipt capture by photo

Modern functions enable:

• Taking photos of receipts with a smartphone camera

• Automatic OCR recognition of the relevant data

• Proposed account assignment based on similar receipts

• Immediate posting or workflow integration

• Archiving of the original as an image file

This feature is especially practical for travel expenses and smaller receipts that often get lost.

Cost considerations and ROI

When deciding to invest in hs finanzbuchhaltung, both acquisition and operating costs play a role.

Licensing models and pricing

HS Hamburger Software offers various pricing models:

• Perpetual license with a one-time payment and annual maintenance fee

• Rental license with monthly or annual payment

• Cloud subscription with usage-based billing

• Named user vs. concurrent user licenses

Costs vary depending on company size, scope of functions, and number of users. Typically, investments range between 50 and 200 euros per month and workplace.

Return on investment

Automating accounting processes pays off quickly:

This calculation only takes direct time savings into account, not the improvement in data quality and faster decision-making through timely information.

HS Finanzbuchhaltung, as part of a comprehensive ERP system, offers all the functions modern companies need for efficient financial management. Its true strength unfolds through intelligent automation and system integration. With filehub, you can fully automate your accounting processes, from invoice capture to posting import into HS—without programming and with the highest German data protection standards. Start optimizing your financial processes now.