Our history

Banana Accounting was created to solve small businesses challenges. 

Near the end of the 1980s, Domenico Zucchetti, Banana's founder, was working for a Swiss bank's credit office, where he realised that many small companies did not get credit because they were unable to present up-to-date and complete financial statements.

Personal computers had become popular, but in the field of accounting there was only a market for expensive and complex solutions. That is when Domenico had an idea: inspired by spreadsheets, he developed an user-friendly accounting software. Everyone, from entrepreneurs to freelancers, even those with no accounting training, could approach this world and get perfect accounts and balance sheets. 

 

Highlights

Banana Accounting was one of the first easy-to-use software available to small businesses, associations and individuals. From 1989 onwards, we have been updating Banana, by introducing many new features.

1989	First Banana Accounting 1 software for DOS	Domenico Zucchetti develops the accounting software inspired by the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet that runs on multi-company disk operating systems developed with Microsoft Visual Basic. Initially, Banana Accounting 1.0 for DOS is available in the multimedia department of a store in Lugano (Switzerland). A few days later, the shop manager calls Domenico Zucchetti announcing that all software copies have been sold.
1990	Founding of Parsec System SA	The interest in the software keeps growing. In 1990, Domenico Zucchetti creates a new company in order to sell the product. He decides to fully devote himself to Banana Accounting.
1994	Banana Accounting 2 for Windows	New graphic interface similar to Excel  Starting accounting from models Cancel and reset commands Select, copy and paste Find, replace and order lines Customisable chart of accounts and income statement structure Developed in C++ (OWL Borland libraries)
1997	Banana Accounting 3	More than one file open at the same time Fully parameterisable VAT management option
1999	Banana Accounting 4  Multi-languages software	The company is renamed in "Banana.ch SA" Possibility to manage accounting in different languages Possibility to store all accounting data in a single html file (audit file)
2000	Banana Accounting finalist at the SIIA Codie Awards (USA)	Banana Accounting is in the final of two SIIA Codie Awards categories (the "Oscars" of best software) Launch of the international version and online sales
2002	Data certification Blockchain	Introduction of the data certification system blockchain  US Patent pending (obtained US Patent 7,020,640)
2006	Banana Accounting 5	Possibility to enter links in digital documents  Income and expenses accounting based on double-entry accounting
2010	Banana Accounting 6	Creation of a single PDF file with the main printouts and all accounting data Multi-sized Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss printouts and segments Swiss VAT report already integrated in the programme  Banana Accounting also available for MAC via CrossOver
2012	Banana Accounting 7	Native version for Apple Mac  Customisable reports  Javascript extensions for importing data  Use of QT libraries for C++
2014	Banana Mobile Android	Banana Accounting for Android
2015	Banana Accounting 8	Control of customer and supplier invoices  Financial forecasts via budget entries  Possibility of colouring lines Extensions for reporting and with dialogues
2016	Banana Mobile for iOS	Banana Accounting is available on the Apple Store
2017	Banana Accounting 9	Charts linked to transactions Print invoice from the accounting transaction Entries with quantity and unit price Time Sheet application  Fixed Assets Register application  Single licence that can be used on Windows, Mac or Linux
2020	Banana Accounting Plus	Switching to a Subscription System New Warehouse Management Application New Estimates and Invoices Application as a simple substitute for Excel or Word  Extensions that can modify table data
2021	Banana Accounting Plus	Reverse charge of VAT in a single entry Banana Accounting for browser (webassembly) Creation of payment orders Creation of an accounting file from an Audit File
2022	New extensions for Banana Accounting+	Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Analysis Securities management with calculation of realised gain or loss at time of sale Constructions and renovations costs control
2023	Banana Accounting+ updates	Rules for completing imported records Calculation engine for other applications

Main Banana innovations

From the very beginning, Banana Accounting has focused and keeps focusing on innovation, looking for easy and intuitive solutions for business management, allowing users to stay up-to-date with the digital transformation. 

We have been pioneers in many areas by developing and providing innovative solutions for accounting:

First software with accounting spreadsheets

Based on Lotus 1-2-3 (one of the spreadsheet software of the 1980s), in 1989 Banana Accounting was the first software in the world to apply the spreadsheet approach to accounting, to simplify it. 
For the Windows version presented in 1994, we took Microsoft Excel as a reference. The user experience (table setting, mode of use, commands) of Banana Accounting still remains very familiar. Banana takes Excel's data entry concept, but then automates all the calculation and data presentation operations related to accounting.

Income and Expenses with the double-entry calculation engine

Banana Accounting offers a professional tool based on the double-entry method that generates balance sheets, income statements and all reports required for accounting. In order to help people with little accounting knowledge, Banana Accounting introduced a type of accounting based on the concept of Income and Expenses, which is simpler, more familiar, but just as professional. There are various features available, normally only found in high-end solutions.

The only software also designed to teaching accounting 

Financial skills are required in any business environment, whether it is public or private. Banana Accounting simplifies access to the accounting world, since users can familiarise with accounting operations and can quickly improve their skills.

It was immediately clear that Banana Accounting had a training and educational potential. In fact, due to its intuitive nature and similarity to Excel structure, it is used to teach accounting in schools. Through exchanges of views, knowledge and needs with our customers, we have constantly improved the educational aspect of the software. By doing so, we also increased its usefulness in learning accounting for any person with basic knowledge. 

For beginners, Banana offers easy-to-understand features, based on the double-entry system that includes a budget sheet, income and expenses. 

Banana Accounting's effectiveness in teaching accounting is seen in the various educational institutions that use it, from Swiss business schools to technical institutes in Congo.

Software designed for many different sectors and cultures

Banana.ch was born and operated in the multicultural context of Ticino, a region in the Southern Alps. This allowed the software to spread among people from different cultures and nations. Banana Accounting was conceived to satisfy the needs of small businesses from any financial or geographical background. By listening to our customers' needs, we are able to create templates and extensions that adapt to different countries and sectors. For example, Banana Accounting has introduced some pioneering features: 

• In 1994, it was the first entry-level management software to offer the possibility to create charts of accounts and reports adaptable to different country and industry settings. 
• In 1998, we introduced the option of multi-currency accounting and VAT management that meets different national parameters. 
• In 2012, we developed a system for coding extensions to import data, create reports and exports that meet national and sectoral tax requirements.

Blockchain for accounting data certification

In 2002, Banana.ch SA was the first company to introduce a certification system for accounting movements, based on concatenated cryptographic hashes (or blockchain). This innovative method is distinguished by an ease of use and immediacy, while keeping the highest level of security. The user can create a blockchain on the file or only to movements of a specific time, and thanks to it, the data will not be altered. The same technology was implemented, years later, for cryptocurrencies security.

Audit file for revision

In 1999, Banana Accounting became the first accounting software to offer the exporting of all accounting data, printouts and account sheets in an html format file. Auditors can finally check the accounts without downloading the software. Users can access all accounting data in the browser. In 2005, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Committee on Economic Affairs released the first version of the Standard Audit File for Taxation (SAF-T). Several countries made mandatory for companies to export data as Audit Files. For years, Banana Accounting has been offering extensions to export data in formats accepted in many countries. In 2010, we also added the possibility of exporting the whole accounting in PDF format.

Financial planning with double-entry system

Keeping accounts is very important for any activity. An essential aspect is having a view on how the accounts could possibly evolve to contain costs and avoid liquidity crises in the best way. In 2014, Banana Accounting was the first accounting software in the world to introduce a financial planning system based on the double-entry method. Anyone can easily prepare professional forecasts. By entering the budget data, users can automatically get the liquidity plan, balance sheet and profit & loss statement forecast. Thanks to this forecasts feature it is possible to easily create end of the year simulations, in order to avoid liquidity shortages and make stress-free operational business decisions.

First accounting software with a mobile version 

We anticipated the convergence of mobile and desktop. In 2014 we were the first company in the world to offer an accounting software for Android smartphones. In 2016, the iOS version followed. The programme automatically adapts to the screen size, so when the smartphone is connected to an external screen, it becomes like a computer. The users can get the immediacy of the desktop version. Entrepreneurs and accounting students around the world are able to use an accounting software on their smartphones, even without an internet connection.

Invoices from accounting transactions

In 2017, Banana Accounting introduced the possibility of creating invoices from accounting transactions. In each transaction, there is also the possibility of entering quantity price. By specifying the invoice number and the customer account, the programme generates the invoice, using the description, quantity and amount specified.
This new way of preparing invoices is ideal for property management or other areas where invoices contain only a few rows. The feature of creating invoices directly from accounting transactions is also very useful in teaching.

Creating an accounting from an Audit File

In 2021, Banana Accounting introduced the option to create a Banana accounting file from an audit file in the OECD SAF-T format with national specifications. Auditors can easily find the available accounting data in Banana Accounting. They can search specific entries, check the accounts, print out balance sheets and account cards and easily export the data to Excel for further analysis.

Banana Accounting for browser (Webassembly)

Banana Web Accounting is based on the innovative WebAssembly technology, which allows the application to run locally in browsers without installing anything. It is not even necessary to register or enter an email address, and therefore personal accounting data remains private. This is not the case with cloud-based software.

Banana Accounting as an "accounting engine" 

In 2022, Banana Accounting has established a few collaborations with research institutes and other entities to enable other software to integrate Banana's accounting calculation functionalities.