Ir a lo conteniu principal
Certyneo
Accounting firms & payroll firms

Electronic signature for accounting firms and payroll firms

Engagement letters, certificates, approval minutes, pay slips, social declarations, management mandates: digitize all signed documents from your firm and your clients with eIDAS proof level. Compliant with ordinance no. 45-2138, the OEC Code of Professional Conduct, the Commercial Code, the Labor Code (art. L3243-2) and eIDAS regulation.

Use cases in accounting and payroll firms

All contractual documents of an accounting and payroll firm can be electronically signed, from the engagement letter to the individual social declaration.

Engagement letter

Required under article 151 of the Code of Professional Conduct, the engagement letter must be signed by the customer BEFORE the service begins. Remote signature in 2 minutes, qualified timestamp that proves prior acceptance of conditions and fees.

Accountant's certificate

Certificates for banks (turnover, borrowing capacity), social agencies (URSSAF), landlords or authorities. AES signature + audit trail = proof of authenticity that can be enforced.

Annual accounts approval minutes

Ordinary general meeting minutes (article L232-1 of the Commercial Code), with sequential or parallel signature of partners. Automatic maintenance of a dematerialized minutes register.

Dematerialized pay slip

Compliant with article L3243-2 of the Labor Code (from the 2015 Macron law) and decree no. 2016-1762. Provision in a compliant digital safe, presumed employee consent — express refusal possible at any time.

Social and tax management mandate

Mandates by which the customer entrusts the firm with the management of social (DSN) and tax (VAT, IS, CFE) declarations. Advanced signature to identify the mandator and trace the precise scope of the mandate.

Service agreements and customer commitments

Confidentiality commitments, agreements for one-off services outside engagement letters, sub-contracting agreements between firms: the entire contractual scope of the firm is covered.

Why Certyneo for an accounting firm

Six guarantees specifically tailored to the ethical and probative requirements of the chartered accountant profession.

Strong customer identification

OTP SMS + email verification of signer, qualified timestamp, SHA-256 fingerprint of document. The audit trail covers all requirements of the Code of Professional Conduct regarding formalization of commitments.

Enforceable audit trail

Each envelope produces a signature certificate: OTP identity, IP, qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, integrated in the signed PDF. Admissible before the Order Council, in fee disputes and before all courts.

Professional secrecy respected

TLS 1.3 encryption in transit, AES-256 at rest, strict data isolation per firm. 100% EU hosting (Germany), no sub-contracting outside the EU. Standard DPA included, compliant with professional secrecy under article 8 of ordinance 45-2138.

Archiving compliant with accounting retention periods

10-year archiving included at probative value (article L123-22 of the Commercial Code — retention period for accounting records). Full export at any time for transmission to a successor or for a tax audit.

Conforme eIDAS — niveau avancé (AES)

Signature avancée conforme au règlement (UE) n°910/2014. Pour les actes exigeant le niveau qualifié (QES — actes authentiques), notre roadmap intègre un prestataire QTSP partenaire.

Integration with professional software

Public REST API, event webhooks, and ongoing integrations with major accounting production software (CEGID, ACD, RCA, ISACOMPTA, QuadraCompta). Compatible with your existing stack.

Probative value for an accounting firm

The probative value of electronic signature in an accounting firm rests on two fronts: demonstrating the customer's informed consent to the engagement letter (article 151 of the Code of Professional Conduct) and establishing the authenticity of certificates issued under article L823-12-1 of the Commercial Code.

Certyneo delivers for each signature an audit certificate integrated in the PDF, which groups technical evidence:

  • Identity of signer (email + phone number verified by OTP)
  • Qualified timestamp of each action (sending, viewing, signing, refusal)
  • SHA-256 cryptographic fingerprint of signed document
  • IP and rough geolocation of signer at time of signature
  • Detailed log of reminders and notifications

This bundle of evidence meets the requirements of article 1366 of the Civil Code (probative force of electronic writing) and is recognized by French case law (Cass. com., 13 March 2019). For certificates addressed to third parties (bank, URSSAF, landlord), the audit trail provides proof of authenticity of the document issued by the firm.

OEC compliance, Commercial Code and eIDAS

Certyneo operates within the legal and ethical framework applicable to the chartered accountant profession.

OEC Code of Professional Conduct

Article 151 of the Code of Professional Conduct mandates a written engagement letter prior to any service. Article 145 governs the confidentiality of customer data. Certyneo applies end-to-end encryption and probative-value archiving consistent with these obligations.

Commercial Code — art. L123-12 and L823-12-1

Article L123-12 sets accounting obligations for merchants; article L823-12-1 governs certificates issued by statutory auditors. Certyneo's advanced signature meets the authenticity and integrity requirements of these provisions.

Labor Code — art. L3243-2 (pay slip)

Since the Macron law of 6 August 2015, the employer may provide the pay slip in electronic form under conditions guaranteeing its integrity, availability for 50 years (or until the employee reaches age 75) and data confidentiality.

Article 1366 of the Civil Code & eIDAS regulation

Electronic writing has the same probative force as paper writing provided the signer's identity can be duly established and the document's integrity is guaranteed. Certyneo's advanced signature (AES) meets both requirements under regulation (EU) no. 910/2014.

Frequently asked questions from accounting firms

Can a certified accountant's engagement letter be electronically signed?

Yes, without restriction. Article 151 of the Code of Ethics requires prior written documentation but does not prescribe any particular form. Certyneo's advanced signature (AES) meets the evidentiary requirement, with the advantage of precisely time-stamping the acceptance of fees and the scope of engagement BEFORE the service begins.

What is the value of a certified accountant's certificate electronically signed against a bank?

A certificate electronically signed with AES level (Certyneo) has the same value as a hand-signed and stamped paper certificate. The recipient (bank, URSSAF, landlord) can verify the audit trail from the verification URL included in the PDF certificate — they see the signatory's identity, the date, and the absence of document alteration.

Is the dematerialized pay slip mandatory for all employees?

Since the Macron law (January 1, 2017), the employer may provide the pay slip in electronic form without prior employee agreement, provided they have informed the employee at least one month in advance and comply with retention conditions (50 years or until the employee reaches 75 years old). The employee may object at any time.

How long must an engagement letter be retained?

Article L123-22 of the Commercial Code requires retention of accounting documents for 10 years. As a precaution, the same duration applies to engagement letters, which serve as proof of acceptance of fees in case of dispute. 10-year archiving is included in all Certyneo plans.

Does Certyneo integrate with my accounting software?

A public REST API is available with event webhooks (envelope.signed, recipient.signed, etc.). Native integrations with leading accounting software (CEGID, ACD, RCA, ISACOMPTA, QuadraCompta) are being rolled out. Contact us for the exact status on your solution.

Is the certified accountant's professional confidentiality respected?

Oui. Certyneo applique un chiffrement TLS 1.3 en transit et AES-256 au repos, une isolation stricte par cabinet, et un hébergement 100 % UE (Allemagne, IONOS) sans sous-traitance hors UE. Une DPA conforme GDPR est disponible et intègre les clauses spécifiques au secret professionnel de l'article 8 de l'ordonnance 45-2138.

Can an AGM resolution be signed by multiple associates via electronic signature?

Yes. Certyneo natively manages signatures in series or in parallel among multiple signers. Each associate receives their personal link with OTP SMS on their own number. The unique audit trail brings together all signatures and time stamps, making it easier to maintain the dematerialized register of resolutions.

How much does electronic signature cost for an accounting firm?

A free plan allows you to test on 5 envelopes per month. Beyond that, paid plans start at a rate compatible with customer billing (pass-through billing possible). The price includes 10-year archiving, eIDAS audit trail, and technical support.

Artículos recomendaus

KPI eta SLA SOW batean: atzerapen-penalizazioak L441-10 arauen arabera

Jaloak, errendimenduko adierazleak, atzerapen-penalizazioak: klausula hauek SOW batean egituratzeak zure pagoa babestzen du eta zure harreman komertzialak seguru mantentzen ditu. Aurkitu gida osoa.

9 min

Firma electrónica del boletín de salario: guía 2026

La desmaterialización del boletín de salario se acelera en 2026 gracias a la firma electrónica. Descubre todo lo que necesitas saber para una implementación conforme y eficaz.

8 min
Two businessmen collaborating on a laptop

Webhooks Certyneo : automatizar o balance contable en ERP

Os webhooks Certyneo permiten conectar a túa solución de firma electrónica a túa ERP u o túa experto contable en tiempo real. Descubre cómo automatizar a recopilación de documentos firmados en túa flujo contable.

8 min
a close up of a container with words on it

Informe d'actividat en contabilidat: guida practica 2026

La producción d'un informe d'actividat riguroso ye un aspecto estratechico para tot gabinete d'espertiza contable. Descubra los metodos, ferramientas numericas y obligacions legals a dominar en 2026.

8 min
a screen with a bunch of information on it

Unviar un balance comptable a firmar : guía completa

La validación d'un balance comptable por firma electrónica ganya terreno en os gabinetes d'expertise comptable. Descubrí cómo unviar tos tuyos documentos en tota conformidat legal.

8 min

Gestión Integrada de Nómina: Guía 2026

La gestión integrada de nómina se convierte en un apalancamiento estratégico para las empresas en 2026. Descubre las mejores prácticas, herramientas y obligaciones legales a dominar.

9 min

Sign your next engagement letter in 5 minutes

Create your free account and test the Certyneo audit trail on a real engagement letter. No credit card, no commitment.