Descodify vs spreadsheets

Your spreadsheet doesn't know Portuguese tax law.

Spreadsheets are great for tracking numbers. But they can't issue certified invoices, calculate VAT for cross-border clients, or tell you whether you've hit the 15% expense proof threshold. Descodify can - because it was built specifically for solo entrepreneurs (trabalhadores independentes) in Portugal.

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What spreadsheets can't do

No matter how good your formulas are, a spreadsheet will never handle these.

Issue certified invoices

In Portugal, every invoice (fatura) must be issued through certified software and reported to the Portuguese Tax Authority (AT). A spreadsheet or PDF template doesn't count - it's not legally valid.

Calculate VAT correctly for different client locations

Selling to a client in Germany? No VAT. A consumer in Portugal? 23% VAT. A business in the US? Different again. The rules depend on where your client is, whether they have a VIES-registered VAT number, and what you're selling. No spreadsheet formula can keep up.

Track your 15% expense proof requirement in real time

Under the simplified regime (regime simplificado), you need to prove that at least 15% of your income goes to business expenses - or you'll be taxed on a higher presumed amount. In a spreadsheet, you only find out you're short when it's too late.

Warn you when you're approaching the VAT exemption threshold

If your annual income crosses the exemption threshold, you must start charging VAT on every invoice going forward. A spreadsheet won't warn you - Descodify tracks your cumulative income and alerts you before you cross the line.

Store proof alongside your numbers

AT can request documentation for the last 4 years. A spreadsheet tracks amounts - but where are the bank statements, receipts, and contracts that prove them? Descodify stores your supporting documents alongside each declaration, organized by tax year. When AT comes asking about €95 from 4 years ago, you're not digging through moving boxes.

Side-by-side comparison

Here's what changes when you move from a spreadsheet to Descodify.

What you need	Spreadsheet	Descodify
Certified invoicing	Not possible	Built-in
VAT calculation	Manual formulas	Automatic by client location
Expense categories	Your own system	Portuguese tax categories
15% proof tracking	Manual calculation	Real-time dashboard
Social Security	Separate tracking	Automatic
Quarterly declarations	Export and calculate	Auto-generated
Sharing with accountant	Email a file	Invite them to your account
Document storage	Separate folder somewhere	Attached to each tax year
Deadline reminders	Calendar entries (if you remember)	Automatic, 7 days before

You probably started with a spreadsheet

Most freelancers do. When you're just getting started as a trabalhador independente, a spreadsheet feels like enough. You track a few invoices, add up expenses at the end of the quarter, and email the file to your accountant. It works - for a while.

Then things get more complicated. You take on a client in another EU country. You forget to log an invoice. Your VAT calculations don't quite add up. You're not sure if you've hit the 15% expense proof threshold. You can't remember if you need to issue a Recibo Verde or a regular invoice.

Descodify is what comes next. It's not about replacing your tracking habits - it's about adding the compliance layer that a spreadsheet can never provide. You still see all your numbers. You just stop worrying about whether you got the formulas right.

Ready to go beyond the spreadsheet?

Start for free with certified invoicing. Set up your account in minutes, import your existing data, and never worry about tax formulas again.

Invoicing, coming soon

Get early access - free tier includes unlimited invoicing.

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