Before starting the connection flow in Spendesk, make sure the elements below are in place. You will need to make your DATEVConnect APIs accessible over the internet. This can be done either by installing the Riecken Cloud Gateway (if you are using DATEV SmartIT hosting) or installing a local agent that Spendesk generate during the connection process (for all other types of hosting). If you need assistance, your Customer Success Manager or Account Manager can help you coordinate with your IT team or DATEV administrator.
Prerequisites checklist
1. DATEV licences
Licence | Requirement |
DATEV Rechnungswesen licence | Mandatory. Owned either by your company or provided through your accountant / tax advisor. |
DATEVConnect licence | Mandatory. Enables API access. Usually already included in DATEV installations but must be activated. If missing, you can order it for free via the DATEV shop. |
DATEV Unternehmen Online (DUO) licence | Only required if you wish to send receipt attachments (PDFs, invoices, receipts) to DATEV. |
How to confirm your licences:
In DATEV Arbeitsplatz, go to Licence Management (Lizenzverwaltung) to view installed licences.
Or request confirmation from your DATEV administrator, accountant (Steuerberater), or DATEV service partner.
2. Windows user account requirements
During the connection flow, you will be asked for the Windows username and password of a Windows user account that is linked to a DATEV user with the following permissions:
✔ Access to the relevant mandate / company in DATEV Rechnungswesen
✔ Rights to use the DATEVConnect service
✔ Sufficient rights to read and write accounting data
DATEV requires that API authentication is performed using a Windows login mapped to a DATEV user account. This mapping is configured in DATEV Benutzerverwaltung (User Management). Have these credentials ready before starting the connection.
3. Spendesk requirements
You must be an Account Owner or Controller in Spendesk.
Access to this integration must be granted by your Spendesk representative — please contact your Customer Success Manager or Account Manager to enable it.
Next steps
Once you have validated all the prerequisites, you can start the connection from Spendesk: