DEFINITION
The French standard file for accounting entries, in a format set by the tax authority. Accounting software can read it too. Clivio’s Finance module (beta, Pro) exports your transactions as CSV and as FEC.
What a FEC contains
A FEC lists every accounting entry of a financial year, one per line, in columns set by the French tax authority: among others the journal, the entry number and date, the account, the reference of the supporting document, the description, the debit and the credit. Because the layout is fixed, any accounting software can produce one and read one.
When it’s needed
Businesses in France that keep their books on a computer must be able to hand their FEC to the tax authority during an audit. The file is produced from the books, so in practice it comes out of your accounting software or your accountant’s. Its name follows a set pattern: the company’s SIREN, then the letters FEC, then the closing date of the financial year.
FEC and Clivio
Clivio doesn’t keep your books. With Finance (beta, Pro), each invoice or receipt it reads becomes an entry to approve, linked to its document. Once you’ve approved them, you export the entries as CSV or in FEC format, so your accountant can bring them into their own software. If you invite them, they can also view your entries and documents read-only in the Accountant portal. The bookkeeping, and the FEC you’d hand over in an audit, stay with your software or your accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Does Clivio replace my accounting software?
No. It files your documents and prepares your entries. You export them as CSV or FEC, and the bookkeeping happens in your software or at your accountant’s.
Which Clivio plan includes the FEC export?
The FEC export is part of Finance, which is in beta and comes with Pro.