Can I handle my own accounting with Saga? What you need to know before you try
Technically yes, legally it depends, practically — risky. Here is what you can do yourself, what you cannot, and when it is actually worth paying an accountant.
Mihai Istrati — CTO Azuvio · 2026-05-21 · 8 min · ERP & Integrations
The question every entrepreneur asks at the start
«Can I handle my own accounting with Saga without an accounting firm?» The short answer: technically yes, legally — it depends on the legal entity, practically — in 80% of cases it is not worth it. Here is the breakdown.
The legal framework: what you can and cannot do yourself
Sole Trader / Freelancer (single-entry bookkeeping) → YES, you can do it yourself. Accounting Law 82/1991 allows sole traders to handle their own accounting (cash receipts and payments journal, inventory register, filing standard tax returns like D200/D212).
Micro-company (SRL) with turnover < €100,000 → YES, but provided the administrator has demonstrated accounting skills or uses consultancy. In practice, ANAF (the Romanian tax authority) does not require a specific «certification», but the liability for filed declarations remains 100% with the administrator.
Limited Liability Company (SRL) with double-entry bookkeeping and turnover > €100,000 → NO. The law requires accounting records to be kept by an authorized person: a chartered accountant (member of CECCAR) or an authorized accountant. You can use Saga as a tool, but the signature on declarations must belong to an authorized accountant.
Companies subject to audit (assets > €3.65m or turnover > €7.3m) → NO, never alone. Requires a CAFR authorized financial auditor.
What «handling your own accounting with Saga» actually means
If you are a sole trader or a small micro-company and decide to go solo, here is the monthly workflow:
1. Issue invoices in Saga as you sell (5-30 min/day)
2. Record incoming invoices from suppliers (15-60 min/week)
3. Record receipts and payments from bank statements (30 min/week)
4. Generate payroll (if you have employees — 1-2 hours/month)
5. Close the month — run adjustment entries, file VAT and informative returns like D300, D394, D112 (3-6 hours/month)
6. Annually — balance sheet, corporate tax returns, D101, D205 (8-15 hours between January and April)
Total: 15-30 hours/month for a micro SRL. Opportunity cost: if your hour is worth €50, you cost yourself €750-€1,500/month to «save» €200-€400 on an accounting firm.
The risks you are underestimating
1. Legislative changes. The Tax Code changes 30-50 times a year. Your accounting firm tracks this; you probably don't. A missed update = automatic penalties.
2. Missed tax optimizations. Deductible expenses not recorded correctly, preferential regimes you don't know about — these can mean 5-15% more tax than necessary.
3. Fundamental errors. Incorrect recording of intra-community VAT, missing reverse charge mechanisms, confusing accounts 411 and 461 — 6 months later you discover you need to rectify 5-10 declarations.
4. Tax audits. ANAF (the Romanian tax authority) interviews the accountant. If you are your own accountant and don't know the terminology, the inspector realizes within 5 minutes and the audit becomes «more thorough».
5. Stress. The 25th of the month becomes a recurring «D-day». Studies show that entrepreneurs who handle their own accounting report 40% more burnout in the first 2 years.
When it actually makes sense to do it yourself
Case 1: Simple sole trader with <10 invoices/month, no VAT, no employees. Here, a firm costs €80-€150/month for ~30 min of work. With Oblio Free or Saga Soft + 2 hours of reading/month, you can do it yourself.
Case 2: Company in its first 6 months, still without real transactions. You record a few incorporation invoices, learn the software. Switch to a firm when you start selling seriously.
Case 3: You have an accounting/finance background. You are a former accountant, former CFO, or former tax authority employee. Then you understand the nuances.
In all other cases: €100-€250 per month for an accounting firm is one of the best investments in your business.
The recommended hybrid: «Accounting firm + You on operations»
The optimal solution for 80% of SMEs:
The accounting firm handles the accounting in Saga C (signature, declarations, tax optimization)
You handle the operational side (invoices, receipts, payments) in Saga Soft / SmartBill / Oblio
Data is transferred automatically between the two (monthly XML export or API)
For a company with 50-500 invoices/month, the firm's cost is €200-€500/month. Your internal cost is €0 (you make invoices anyway). Time saved: 15-25 hours/month.
Where Azuvio fits in
Azuvio does NOT replace the accounting firm — ever. Azuvio connects to the operational side and automates capture from modern channels (Shopify, eMAG, EDI with retailers, marketplaces). Your firm stays on Saga C and receives perfectly clean data, with no transcription errors.
For an entrepreneur who wants to «go solo», Azuvio is not yet necessary — simple Saga or Oblio is enough. Azuvio becomes relevant when you scale multi-channel and volume exceeds 500 invoices/month. See ERP Connectors.
Conclusion
Can I handle my own accounting with Saga? Simple sole trader — YES, economically sound. Micro SRL — TECHNICALLY YES, but risky and time-consuming. Growing SRL — NO, you lose more than you save. The right solution for 80% of entrepreneurs: accounting firm on Saga C + you on Saga Soft (or SmartBill/Oblio) + Azuvio when you scale multi-channel. Also read «How to choose accounting software for a small business» for the complete selection guide.