- How can I use the Online APIs?
To use the Online APIs an API client is needed. You will receive this as part of the app creation process.
Prerequisite for the creation of an app is the membership with appropriate rights in an Enterprise Organization.
An app can then be created in the app overview. To do this, go to "Manage apps" under "Organization" and initiate the process with "Create new app".
- How does communication with the DATEV data center work?
DATEV has implemented the web standards OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect for communication with the DATEV data center.
Two main components are required for data exchange:
1. An API client (Client app)
2. An DATEV identity (person) with a DATEV login medium (SmartCard/SmartLogin)

The API Client is the identification of the client app to the DATEV data center. Each API client receives its own client ID and a client secret. With this data, the client app authenticates itself to the DATEV data center.
Important note: Such API clients are currently only assigned as part of a partnership with DATEV. During the 2nd half of the year in 2021, we would like to make our web services available to all interested parties. API Clients can then be registered directly via the Developer Portal itself. As soon as we can publish our online APIs, we will inform via the blog. So interested parties should take the opportunity now and subscribe to the #Online API on the blog.
In a further step, a DATEV identity with a DATEV authentication medium (SmartCard/SmartLogin) must allow the client app to access the web services in the DATEV data center. When the user grants authorization, the client app receives a token for communicating with the DATEV data center.
- What does subscription mean?
After successfully creating an app (API client), the desired online APIs must be subscribed to. By clicking on "Subscribe", the respective APIs are assigned to the app and can then be used by the app.
- Online APIs, Data Services, DATEVconnect online?
Our online APIs can basically be divided into two types:
1. DATEV Data Services is the term for our APIs in the DATEV data center with a user authentication. Authentication & authorization is handled via the web standards OAuth 2.0 & OpenID Connect. With DATEVconnect online, a wide variety of DATEV data services can be used. Each individual data service can consist of one or more APIs. Some APIs are used by many data services. This level of APIs is published here in the Developer Portal in section Documentation > Online APIs. Which data services use which online APIs is also explained here in the FAQs.
DATEVconnect online was the original name. The name was changed to DATEV Data Services (Datenservice) in May 2021

2. APIs in the DATEV data center without user authentication. These APIs allow access to non-confidential data (neither personal nor company-related). This can be, for example, access to knowledge databases. Currently there is no published API of this type in the Developer Portal.
- Buchungsdatenservice
This data service makes it possible to transmit the CSV files in DATEV-Format (see also documentation > file interfaces) directly to the DATEV data center. Since the familiar DATEV-Format serves as the data basis here, extensive transaction and master data for DATEV Rechnungswesen can be transmitted. In addition to the CSV files, associated documents can also be transmitted directly to the DATEV data center. This ensures that, for example, invoice dataset are also directly linked with the documents.
For the Buchungsdatenservice, the following online APIs are to be implemented:
- accounting:extf-files: transfer of CSV file
- accounting:documents: transfer of the document/images
- accounting:clients: query user rights & metadata for accounting
More information about the data service is here.
- Rechnungsdatenservice 1.0
This data service enables the XML files in the format DATEV XML-Schnittstelle online (see also documentation > file interfaces) to be transmitted directly to the DATEV data center. Accordingly, the same use cases can be realized with the data service as with the DATEV XML-Schnittstelle online. This includes, above all, the transmission of invoice and cash data for DATEV Unternehmen online (data and documents).
For the Rechnungsdatenservice 1.0, the following online APIs are to be implemented:
- accounting:dxso-jobs: transfer of XML file
- accounting:clients: query user rights & metadata for companies online
More information about the data service is here.
- Belegbilderservice
This data service enables the transmission of documents directly to DATEV Unternehmen online or Belege online.
The following online APIs are to be implemented for the Belegbilderservice:
- accounting:documents: transfer of documents (PDF, TIFF, PNG, etc.)
- accounting:clients: query user rights & metadata for Belege online
More information about the data service is here.