A foreign parent company may need your accounts, an investor may want to understand your equity, or a lender may ask about provisions. For these discussions, you usually need a readable working translation. noll translates the whole document and returns it as an editable file of the same kind (an older .xls comes back as .xlsx), so you can share both versions. Check the recipient's requirements before using it for a formal submission.
Prepare your German annual accounts
- Use the digital PDF, Word file or Excel export from your accountant, for example a DATEV export. A PDF needs selectable text; a scanned paper statement is not supported.
- Excel formulas are not rewritten. If a formula compares text against a label that is translated, check the comparison and its result before sharing the workbook.
- Include the notes and any accompanying management or auditor's report your reader needs. Check that every file covers the intended entity and reporting period.
Give overseas readers the context behind the accounts
An HGB Jahresabschluss reflects German commercial accounting rules. Tell your reader which entity and financial year it covers, whether it is an individual or consolidated statement, and which currency and unit the tables use.
The English file provides a reference for questions about assets, liabilities and results. Send the relevant notes too: a balance-sheet heading alone rarely explains the accounting policy or what a provision covers.
Tables stay in place; numbers keep their German format
Text is replaced in place. In a PDF, including an export from DATEV, headings, columns, tables, page breaks and images stay where they were. Word and Excel files keep their tables and structure, but Word reflows the translated text, so page breaks can move. Compare amounts and dates with the source, including values written as 1.234.567,89. noll does not change decimal separators, convert currencies or rewrite dates into US format.
Check unit labels such as T€ and TEUR against the source. Add a note for English readers, for example: Figures retain German number formatting: dots separate thousands and commas mark decimals; T€ and TEUR mean thousands of euros. Check that this unit matches each table. Do not assume every schedule uses the same scale.
HGB glossary: German terms and usual English wording
These are common working equivalents, not instructions applied by noll. There is no glossary or term lock, so check these terms in the translated output and use consistent wording for your reader.
| German term | Usual English term | What to bear in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Jahresabschluss | Annual financial statements | The accounts as a whole, not simply an annual report. |
| Bilanz | Balance sheet | Shows the financial position at the reporting date. |
| Aktiva / Passiva | Assets / equity and liabilities | Passiva includes equity; translating it only as liabilities can mislead. |
| Anlagevermögen | Fixed assets | Read this within the HGB classification, not as an IFRS reclassification. |
| Umlaufvermögen | Current assets | Check the items grouped under this heading. |
| Eigenkapital | Equity | Distinguish total equity from subscribed capital alone. |
| Rückstellungen | Provisions | Not reserves; inspect the notes for their purpose. |
| Verbindlichkeiten | Liabilities | Check maturity and creditor categories in the schedules. |
| Gewinn- und Verlustrechnung (GuV) | Income statement / profit and loss account | Choose consistent wording throughout the document. |
| Umsatzerlöse | Revenue / sales revenue | Do not confuse revenue with profit. |
| Jahresüberschuss / Jahresfehlbetrag | Net income / net loss for the year | Retain the distinction between profit and loss. |
| Anhang | Notes to the financial statements | Accounting explanations, not merely a generic attachment. |
| Lagebericht | Management report | An accompanying report, distinct from the financial statements themselves. |
| Bestätigungsvermerk | Independent auditor's report | Check the actual opinion; this is not certification of the translation. |
An English HGB statement is still an HGB statement
HGB is not IFRS. Translation does not convert recognition rules, measurement, presentation or disclosures to IFRS or US GAAP. If your parent company needs another accounting standard, agree the adjustments separately with your accountant.
Keep the accounting framework visible when sharing the translation. Familiar English headings do not mean the figures follow the reader's usual framework. If a term could suggest different accounting treatment, add an explanation outside the translated accounts after checking it with your adviser.
Check the English version before sending it
Compare the output with the German original, concentrating on what your recipient needs. Keep both files together so questions can refer to the original page and line item.
- Confirm the company, reporting date and financial year, including any shortened financial year.
- Check the current-year and prior-year column headings, negative signs and unit labels against the original.
- Review recurring HGB terms manually. noll cannot lock a preferred translation across the document.
- Check references to the notes and accompanying reports. Words inside images, stamps or signatures are not translated.
German to English
German packs meaning into long compound words and puts verbs at the end of the sentence, so a good German to English translation reorders sentences rather than translating word by word. English text is usually 10 to 20 % shorter, so the translated layout has room to spare.
How it works
- 1
Drop the file
Upload the digital original in a supported format. For PDFs, use selectable text; scanned PDFs are not supported. The source language is detected automatically.
- 2
Pick English
Choose English as the target. Sign in and check your available page allowance before starting the translation. You can add more target languages.
- 3
Download the same file type
Start the translation, then download the result in the source file type. Compare the layout, numbers, dates and important wording with the original before using it.
What happens to your file
noll is built for documents you would not paste into a free online translator. Files are processed in EU data centres and never used to train models. Automatic file deletion is scheduled 30 minutes after successful translation in the standard document workflow. The separate single-PDF purchase flow allows 2 hours after successful translation for checkout and download. Download promptly; see our data-handling information for details.
How your data is handledMachine translation, not a certified translation
noll provides a machine-translated draft for understanding and review. If an authority, court or university requires a certified or sworn translation, ask which qualifications and format it accepts. noll does not certify translations.
Pricing
The standard document workflow requires an account and an available translation page allowance. Translation is billed by the page. Check current plans and your allowance before starting.
See pricingFrequently asked questions
Do I need a certified translation of German annual accounts?
For internal review or a discussion with an investor, a working translation is usually sufficient. Foreign authorities, courts and some banks usually require a certified or sworn translation. Check with the recipient first. noll does not provide certification; its output can serve as a draft for a sworn translator.
Does translation convert HGB accounts to IFRS or US GAAP?
No. noll translates the wording of the German financial statements. It does not change accounting policies or make the adjustments required for IFRS or US GAAP. Arrange any accounting conversion separately.
Will German numbers and T€ labels become English?
No automatic localisation is provided. Check numbers such as 1.234.567,89 and labels such as T€ or TEUR against the source. Add a note explaining German decimal and thousands separators and the units to your English reader.
Can I translate an Excel export from DATEV?
Yes, supported Excel files can be translated with their tables in place. Formulas are not rewritten. Check formulas that compare translated text labels, as the unchanged formula may no longer match the translated cell.
Does an English translation replace the official German publication?
No. Accounts filed for publication in Germany, in the Unternehmensregister (formerly the Bundesanzeiger), stay in German. Use the English translation as an additional reading copy for overseas recipients.
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