Security & retention

Preparatory bookkeeping requires data protection, access controls, and compliance with statutory retention periods. Saldek uses defined roles and immutable document storage.

Account security and credentials

Manage access to your account and organization under “Settings” -> “Security”:

• Change your password: When you change your password, Saldek signs you out of all other devices.
• Two-factor authentication (2FA): Protect your login with an authenticator app (TOTP).
• Devices and sign-ins: View your active sessions and sign out all other devices with “Sign out other sessions”. “Recent sign-in activity” shows your latest sign-in attempts; Saldek keeps sign-in and security logs for 90 days.
• API keys: Create and manage interface keys under “Settings” -> “Security”.
• Encrypted credentials: Saldek stores credentials for connected integrations, such as your own SMTP servers, in encrypted form.
• Audit log: Saldek logs who changed what and when. Admins and owners can see it under “Settings” › “Retention & log”. Changes are recorded on every plan; viewing the log is included from the “Business” plan and during the trial.

Set up two-factor authentication (2FA)

1. 1Open “Settings” -> “Security” and select “Enable 2FA”.
2. 2Install an authenticator app on your phone if you do not use one yet. The dialog suggests apps such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or “Apple Passwords”.
3. 3In the app, tap “+” or “Add account”, choose “Scan a QR code”, and scan the code shown. If that does not work, type in the “Setup key”; if you opened the page on your phone, select “Add it to the app directly”.
4. 4Enter the 6-digit code from the app and select “Verify & activate”. Keep the setup key in a safe place so you can set up the codes again on a new phone.

Hosting and data processing

• App servers and database: Hetzner operates them in Germany.
• Document files: AWS S3 stores them in Frankfurt (eu-central-1).
• Database backups: Saldek backs them up to AWS in the EU each night using encryption, including client-side encryption. AWS retains them for 30 days.
• Error monitoring: Sentry monitors errors without receiving document contents.
• Tracking cookies: Saldek does not use analytics or tracking cookies.
• AI processing: In “Standard” mode, Jev (TypeSafe) and OpenAI process data in the US, including the image check of a document’s first page. The basis is the EU standard contractual clauses (SCC) in TypeSafe’s data processing agreement and, for OpenAI, the EU standard contractual clauses between OpenAI Ireland Ltd and its affiliates in the USA. Google Gemini is the fallback (Data Privacy Framework, otherwise SCCs). Saldek does not use documents to train AI models. In “Without AI” mode (local_only), Saldek sends no data to AI providers.
• E-mail and voice: Mailgun (EU region) processes incoming e-mail, Resend (USA) sends e-mail, and Microsoft Azure Speech (Ireland) turns voice input into text. All service providers with their location and transfer basis are listed under “Subprocessors”.

Statutory retention periods and WORM archive

Saldek stores original documents immutably after upload. When a document supports a posted entry, Saldek automatically applies a WORM lock (S3 Object Lock in COMPLIANCE mode). If Saldek cannot set the lock, the posting fails (fail-closed). A reversal entry does not remove the lock. You can delete an uploaded file before posting.

The lock period follows the statutory retention period, starting at the end of the calendar year:

• Austria (§ 132 BAO): 7 years; 22 years for documents related to real estate.
• Germany (§ 147 AO): 10 years for books, inventories, and annual financial statements; 8 years for accounting documents (since January 1, 2025); 6 years for received and sent commercial letters.

Delete data and close an organization

The “Owner” can check retention periods in a dry run and delete expired documents that have not been posted. Saldek processes GDPR deletion requests only after the statutory retention period ends; a restriction on processing (Art. 18 GDPR) blocks deletion. When you close an organization, choose one of two options: (a) close it and keep documents read-only until the retention period ends, then delete them automatically; or (b) delete them immediately after confirming that you remain responsible for statutory retention.