Logo
Sign Up

sevDesk

Learn how to connect and configure sevDesk for automated invoice generation.

Before You Start

Prerequisites

What You'll Need

  • API Key - Your sevDesk API token for secure authentication

Part 1: Connecting sevDesk

Step 1: Generate API Key

  1. Log into your sevDesk account at https://my.sevdesk.de
  2. Navigate to Settings → User Settings → API Token
  3. Create or copy your API Token
  4. Save the API Key for use in BrickInvoice

Step 2: Configure Connection

  1. Navigate to: /home/accounting/connect
  2. Select "sevDesk" from the package dropdown
  3. Fill in your connection details:
    • API Key: The API token you generated in Step 1
  4. Click "Connect to sevDesk" to verify the connection and save the configuration

Security Note

Your API key is:

  • Encrypted before storage in the BrickInvoice database
  • Never shared with third parties
  • Used only for authenticated API calls to sevDesk
  • Can be regenerated in sevDesk settings if compromised

Part 2: Configuring sevDesk Settings

After successfully connecting sevDesk, you'll need to configure how orders are processed and mapped to your accounting system.

Invoice Line Item Structure

Each order creates an invoice with separate line items for different product types and customer locations. You'll need to configure Parts for:

Product Line Items (Standard Products)

  • LEGO parts and sets subject to standard VAT rates
  • Separate Parts based on customer location:
    • Domestic: Sales within your country
    • EU: Sales to other EU countries
    • Export/Other: International sales outside the EU
  • Each Part needs appropriate tax code based on German/EU tax rules

Margin Scheme Line Items (Second-hand Goods)

  • Products subject to margin scheme (special VAT treatment for used goods)
  • Separate Parts based on customer location:
    • Domestic: Margin scheme sales within your country
    • EU: Margin scheme sales to other EU countries
    • Export/Other: Margin scheme sales outside the EU
  • Tax codes typically set to margin scheme rate
  • Note: Only applicable if you use margin scheme for second-hand goods

Handling Fees Line Items

  • Processing and handling costs
  • Single Part that applies to all regions
  • Set appropriate tax code (usually same as standard rate)

Shipping Line Items

  • Shipping and delivery costs
  • Single Part that applies to all regions
  • Set appropriate tax code (usually same as standard rate)

Parts Mapping

For each line item type and region, you'll map a sevDesk Part:

Product Sales:

  • Domestic Product - For customers in your country (e.g., "LEGO Parts - Germany 19%")
  • EU Product - For other EU customers (e.g., "LEGO Parts - EU 19%")
  • Export Product - For non-EU customers (e.g., "LEGO Parts - Export 0%")

Margin Scheme Sales:

  • Domestic Margin - For customers in your country (e.g., "Margin Scheme - Domestic")
  • EU Margin - For other EU customers (e.g., "Margin Scheme - EU")
  • Export Margin - For non-EU customers (e.g., "Margin Scheme - Export")

Other Items:

  • Shipping Part - For shipping costs (e.g., "Shipping Costs")
  • Handling Fees Part - For processing fees (e.g., "Handling Fees")

If you don't want to separate domestic and EU sales, you can choose the same part for both.

General Settings

Before configuring parts, you can optionally set up invoice customization:

Invoice Header:

  • Optional custom header text for invoices
  • Displayed at the top of generated invoices

Header Text:

  • Optional additional header content
  • Additional information or instructions

Payment Terms:

  • Optional payment terms text
  • Example: "Payment due within 14 days"

Make Invoice Final:

  • Choose whether invoices should be automatically finalized after creation
  • No: Invoices remain in draft status (editable in sevDesk)
  • Yes: Invoices are automatically finalized and receive official invoice numbers

Configuration Tips

1. Create Parts in sevDesk First

  • Go to sevDesk → Items/Parts menu
  • Create Parts for each category and region
  • Set appropriate tax codes for each part
  • Use clear, descriptive names

2. Use Consistent Naming

  • Example: "LEGO Parts - Domestic 19%", "Shipping"
  • Makes it easier to identify Parts in BrickInvoice configuration
  • Helps with bookkeeping and reporting

3. Review Tax Settings

  • Ensure Parts have correct tax codes for your region
  • For German companies:
    • Confirm 19% for standard rate
    • Set 0% or non-taxable codes for margin scheme
    • Set export codes (0%) for international sales outside EU
  • For Austrian companies:
    • Set 20% for standard rate
    • Set GST-free codes for international exports

4. Test with Sample Order

  • Process one test order to verify configuration
  • Check created invoice in sevDesk
  • Verify tax amounts and part assignments are correct
  • Ensure customer information syncs properly

Part 3: Invoice Features

Automatic Invoice Creation

When orders are synchronized:

  1. Customer Sync: Customer data (contact) is created or updated in sevDesk
  2. Invoice Generation: Invoice is created with proper line item structure
  3. Invoice Finalization (optional): Invoice can be automatically finalized in sevDesk
  4. Invoice Number: Final invoices receive an invoice number from sevDesk

Draft vs Final Invoices

sevDesk supports both draft and final invoice creation:

Draft Invoices (Default):

  • Invoices are created in draft status
  • Can be modified in sevDesk before finalization
  • No invoice number assigned until finalized
  • Edit URL: /fi/edit/type/RE/id/{id}

Auto-finalization (Optional):

  • Enable "Make Final" in sevDesk settings to automatically finalize invoices
  • Invoices are automatically marked as final after creation
  • Invoice number is immediately assigned and available

Customer Management

BrickInvoice automatically manages customers (contacts) in your sevDesk system:

  • Customer Creation: New contacts are automatically created based on order data
  • Customer Updates: Existing contact information is updated when needed
  • Customer Search: System searches by BrickLink/Brick Owl username (buyerReference) to avoid duplicates
  • Address Management: Billing addresses are created with proper country lookup

Invoice URLs

BrickInvoice automatically generates direct links to view invoices in your sevDesk interface. These URLs allow you to quickly navigate to the invoice in sevDesk for review or further processing.

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

"Failed to Connect to sevDesk"

  • Invalid API key: Verify your API token is correct
  • API access disabled: Check if API access is enabled in your sevDesk account
  • Network issues: Verify your internet connection and sevDesk service status

"Authentication Failed"

  • Key revoked: Check if you regenerated keys in sevDesk (old keys become invalid)
  • Account suspended: Verify your sevDesk subscription is active
  • Permission issues: Ensure your sevDesk user has API access permissions

Configuration Issues

"Parts Not Loading"

  • Check connection: Verify sevDesk is still connected
  • Permissions: Ensure your sevDesk user has access to Parts
  • Empty parts: Check that you have created parts in sevDesk
  • Refresh: Try refreshing the configuration page

"Invoice Creation Failed"

  • Missing parts: Verify all required parts are configured
  • Invalid tax: Selected part may have invalid or expired tax code
  • Part settings: Verify Parts have correct tax codes in sevDesk
  • Customer data: Ensure order has complete customer information

Disconnecting sevDesk

To disconnect sevDesk:

  1. Navigate to: /home/accounting/connect
  2. Click "Disconnect" button
  3. Confirm the disconnection
  4. Connection credentials are removed from BrickInvoice

Note: Existing invoices in sevDesk are not affected by disconnecting. You can reconnect at any time with the same or new API key.

Best Practices

VAT Configuration for German Businesses

Standard Setup:

  • Domestic (Germany): 19% standard VAT rate
  • EU Sales: 19% standard VAT rate
  • Export Sales: 0% (no VAT for non-EU sales)
  • Margin Scheme: 0% or margin rate (special treatment for second-hand goods)

Parts Organization

Recommended Parts Structure:

Parts in sevDesk:
├── LEGO Parts - Domestic (19% VAT)
├── LEGO Parts - EU (19% VAT)
├── LEGO Parts - Export (0% VAT)
├── Margin - Domestic (0% Margin)
├── Margin - EU (0% Margin)
├── Margin - Export (0% Margin)
├── Shipping (19% VAT)
└── Handling Fees (19% VAT)

Invoice Management

Draft vs Final Invoices:

  • Use draft invoices when you need to review before finalization
  • Enable auto-finalization for streamlined processing
  • Final invoices cannot be modified and receive official invoice numbers

Next Steps

After configuring sevDesk:

  1. Test integration - Process a few test orders
  2. Verify invoices - Check that invoices are created correctly in sevDesk
  3. Review tax treatment - Ensure tax codes are applied correctly based on customer location
  4. Set up automation - Configure automated invoice generation schedules

Support

If you encounter issues with the sevDesk integration:

  • Connection issues: Verify API key and permissions
  • Configuration help: Review parts mappings and tax settings
  • Invoice errors: Check sevDesk parts setup and customer data
  • Technical support: Contact BrickInvoice support with specific error details

Additional Resources

  • sevDesk API Documentation: https://api.sevdesk.de/
  • sevDesk Support: Via sevDesk support portal
  • API Token Management: Settings → User Settings → API Token