DATEV Named Top-Tier Software Vendor by APPS RUN THE WORLD in the APPS TOP 500 Market Report

DATEV Strengths, Domain Expertise, and Key Differentiators

DATEV established its AI Lab to accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence across its software ecosystem, focusing on enhancing capabilities in accounting, HR, business consulting, taxation, ERP, and IT services. This strategic move supports the company’s push toward intelligent automation, enabling smarter workflows, predictive analytics, and data-driven decision-making for its customers. By embedding AI into core functions, DATEV aims to streamline operational processes, reduce manual effort, and deliver more adaptive, value-oriented digital experiences tailored to the evolving needs of finance and consulting professionals.

DATEV Recent Developments

In November 2023, DATEV partnered with T-Systems and the eco Association to develop a secure, future-ready ID wallet for tax consultants, aligning with the European digital identity (EUDI) framework and Gaia-X Federation Services. This initiative focuses on using Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) technology to streamline identity verification, reduce reliance on passwords, and empower users with full control over their digital credentials. Built as open-source software, the wallet is designed for compatibility across cloud ecosystems and supports encrypted data processing within T-Systems' sovereign German cloud infrastructure. With growing demand for trusted digital identity solutions across industries, this collaboration reflects DATEV’s focus on enabling seamless authentication and data exchange tailored to the needs of modern consulting firms and regulatory compliance.

In September 2023, DATEV introduced a fully digital accounting system in collaboration with SAP, targeting critical inefficiencies in paper-based financial workflows. By integrating Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) technology, the new system enables decentralized verification of business identities, automating document flows like order confirmations and tax records between companies of all sizes. This initiative addresses long-standing challenges such as manual data verification, inconsistent master data, and fragmented records by enabling secure, verifiable credentials that can be seamlessly integrated into business networks. The result is a streamlined, audit-ready environment that reduces operational overhead, enhances data consistency, and supports real-time compliance. With SSI embedded in SAP and DATEV infrastructures, businesses gain a scalable framework for secure identity management and digital notarization—setting the stage for broader interoperability and measurable efficiency gains across accounting and tax processes.

DATEV Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Activities

In April 2024, DATEV expanded its strategic focus on digital infrastructure by acquiring a 75% majority stake in b4value.net GmbH, a specialist in secure electronic document and data exchange. This acquisition reflects DATEV’s move to strengthen its capabilities in data-driven process automation and meet evolving regulatory requirements like Germany’s upcoming e-invoicing mandate. With the TRAFFIQX® network, b4value.net offers a robust platform for efficient, compliant digital document transmission across Europe—an asset DATEV plans to leverage in its broader ecosystem of services for tax consultants and small to mid-sized enterprises. The full ownership transfer, structured over two phases, positions DATEV to enhance its role in developing secure digital workflows, while b4value.net continues operating independently to serve the broader market. This move underscores the increasing demand for scalable, analytics-friendly infrastructure that enables seamless integration into national and EU-level digital reporting environments.

DATEV Customers in ARTW Customer Database

Leveraging a rigorous data-centric research methodology, APPS RUN THE WORLD asks the simple question: Who’s buying DATEV applications and why? And we provide the answers – supported by decades of research – to our clients around the world. Our Customer database has over 100 data fields that detail company usage of DATEV and other enterprise apps by function, customer size, industry, location, implementation status, partner involvement, Line of Business Key Stakeholders and IT decision makers contact details. List of Verified DATEV Cloud customers.

DATEV Key Enterprise and Cloud Applications

DATEV Cloud

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DATEV Direct vs Indirect sales

DATEV Customers - Breakdown by Geo, Size, Vertical and Product

List of Verified DATEV Customers

No. of DATEV Customers: 749800

No. of DATEV Enterprise Applications Customers: x

No. of DATEV Cloud Customers: x

No. of DATEV Cloud Subscribers: x

With 9,051 employees and a customer base of 749,800, DATEV plays a pivotal role in supporting the digital transformation of commercial operations across a wide range of businesses. Each month, its software facilitates the creation of approximately 14 million payrolls, underscoring the platform’s scale and integration in core financial and HR workflows. This widespread usage highlights the company's ability to deliver high-volume, data-driven solutions that enhance operational efficiency and support compliance in increasingly complex digital environments.

DATEV Market Opportunities, M&A and Geo Expansions

In May 2021, DATEV introduced invoice automation, marking a significant move toward smarter, AI-powered accounting workflows. By enabling tax consultants to use artificial intelligence for processing digital incoming and outgoing invoices, the service generates automated booking suggestions directly within the DATEV cloud, streamlining integration with accounting systems. This approach boosts the speed and accuracy of financial data processing and enhances the collaboration between businesses and their consultants. Combined with DATEV’s expanding portfolio of cloud-based tools like Enterprise Online, this evolution supports a more dynamic, data-driven environment that caters to the operational needs of modern financial teams.

DATEV Risks and Challenges

DATEV’s ongoing transition toward expanding its cloud application offerings presents both opportunity and complexity, especially considering its longstanding foundation in stable, service-based delivery models. With a significant base of business process outsourcing (BPO) clients, the pace of adoption may naturally be gradual, as customers and internal systems adjust to new technologies and workflows. Balancing innovation with the expectations of a historically conservative user base will require careful planning to ensure continuity, trust, and long-term value as the organization evolves its digital service framework.

DATEV Ecosystem, Partners, Resellers and SI

The DATEV ecosystem integrates a wide range of digital solutions designed to streamline financial, tax, and HR processes for businesses and professionals. Centered around secure cloud infrastructure, it connects tax consultants, enterprises, and software partners through interoperable tools, real-time data exchange, and automated workflows. This collaborative network supports efficient compliance, accounting, and document management, while enabling seamless integration with third-party systems to meet the evolving needs of SMEs and consulting firms.

Research Methodology

Data used in research reports are derived from publicly available documents, continuous surveys of applications vendors, customers, resellers, Independent Software Vendors, systems integrators and other verifiable sources.

Vendor shares and market forecast results are based on a combination of existing databases as well as demand side and supply side research conducted throughout the year with validation from vendors, customers, channel partners and documentations such as earnings releases and 10Q and 10K filings, vertical industry studies, regional and country-level statistics from public and private institutions(i.e. colleges, universities, government agencies and trade associations).

For additional information on our methodologies, here's the link: