Index
Why generalist accounting software does not suit a dealership
The common problem with Holded, Sage and A3 regarding REBU
What kind of alternative a dealership needs based on its size
Specific DMS for the automotive industry: what they are and what they include
Accounting software with adapted REBU module
When it makes sense to continue using Holded, Sage or A3
Dealcar as an all-in-one alternative for dealerships
Frequently Asked Questions
Why generalist accounting software does not suit a dealership
Holded, Sage and A3 share the same origin: they are programs designed to manage accounting and invoicing for any company. Their logic is built around the concept of a standard item or product: stock comes in, stock goes out, the customer is invoiced, and the payment is recorded.
A second-hand car dealership has a different set of circumstances. Each vehicle is unique, with its own purchase price, reconditioning costs, tax regime (REBU or general VAT depending on the source of purchase), days in stock and its individual net margin. Invoicing is not a standard product sales operation: it is the closure of a file that accumulates information from the moment the car was purchased.
None of the three programs has this concept of a vehicle file natively. All three can be used to issue invoices for buying and selling cars, but none manages REBU automatically, none calculates the margin per vehicle without manual intervention, and none generates the REBU registry book.
Read also the accounting obligations of a second-hand dealership.
The common problem with Holded, Sage and A3 regarding REBU
REBU requires three things that generalist software does not solve natively.
The first is the correctly issued invoice: total price without VAT breakdown, with explicit mention of the Special Regime for Used Goods. In Holded, Sage and A3 this requires manual configuration of the invoice type that the user has to consciously apply to each transaction.
The second is the calculation of the margin. To calculate the REBU VAT correctly, the software needs to know how much the vehicle cost when purchased. None of the three programs automatically links the purchase price to the sales transaction, because they do not have a vehicle file.
Check the full analysis of Holded for car dealerships and its management of REBU.
The third is the REBU registry book, mandatory by law. None of the three generates it automatically. The consequence is that the dealership using any of these programs keeps the registry book in Excel or builds it manually every quarter to submit to the accountant.
Check what the REBU registry book must include and how to organise it.
In all three cases, the level of tax risk is the same: it depends on the user's discipline and the supervision of the accountant, not on the software managing the REBU correctly and automatically.
What kind of alternative a dealership needs based on its size
The most suitable type of tool depends on the volume of transactions and the operational complexity of the business.
For a dealership selling between 5 and 10 cars a month, the priority is to have correct REBU invoicing and an updated registry book. A specific invoicing program for dealerships that manages REBU natively and exports the data to the accountant may be sufficient.
For a dealership selling between 10 and 30 cars a month, in addition to REBU invoicing, they need stock control per vehicle, calculation of margin per transaction and portal publishing. In this range, an automotive-specific DMS that integrates everything into a single system starts to be more efficient than maintaining several separate programs.
For a dealership with more than 30 cars a month or with multiple sites, lead management, integrated agency services and profitability reports by vehicle type are features that justify a complete management platform.
Specific DMS for the automotive industry: what they are and what they include
A DMS (Dealer Management System) is software designed specifically for the comprehensive management of a dealership. Unlike generalist accounting software, a DMS has the vehicle as the business unit from the ground up: each car has its own file with the purchase price, reconditioning costs, days in stock, tax regime applied and sales price.
The features included in a DMS for dealerships are: inventory management with cost control and margin per vehicle, correct REBU invoicing generated automatically from the file, REBU registry book updated with each transaction, multi-posting to car portals from the same system, centralised lead CRM and integrated transfer agency services.
Read also what a DMS is in the automotive sector and how it differs from accounting software.
The difference with Holded, Sage or A3 is not just invoicing: it is that the DMS understands the business model of a dealership and automates tasks that require manual work in a generalist program.
Accounting software with adapted REBU module
There is an intermediate category: generalist accounting programs that have added a specific module for REBU. Holded, Sage and Contasimple have functionalities in this area, although with different levels of integration.
The problem with these modules is that they still do not solve the vehicle file or the automatic calculation of the margin. They are improvements over the base program that reduce manual work in REBU invoicing, but they do not eliminate the need to keep stock control and margins in a separate system.
For a low-volume dealership that already uses one of these programs and has their accountant actively managing the REBU, the adapted module may be sufficient in the short term. For higher volumes, the accumulation of manual processes means the opportunity cost outweighs that of migrating to a specific DMS.
Check what a REBU invoicing program for dealerships must comply with.
When it makes sense to continue using Holded, Sage or A3
There are situations where maintaining the generalist software is reasonable.
If volume is very low (less than 5 cars a month) and the accountant actively manages the REBU, changing tools may not be justified due to the cost and time of migration.
If the software is already integrated into the accountant's workflows and the dealership does not want to disrupt that relationship, they can continue using the generalist program for general accounting and add a specific tool only for stock management and REBU.
If the business has additional activities to car sales (workshop, spare parts, rentals) and those activities are in the same accounting program, it may make sense to keep Holded, Sage or A3 for the whole business and manage the REBU part with a connected tool.
Dealcar as an all-in-one alternative for dealerships
Dealcar is the alternative designed specifically for independent dealerships that want to solve in a single system what generalist programs do not: stock with a vehicle file, automatic REBU invoicing, updated registry book, portal multi-posting, lead CRM and integrated agency services.
Migration from Holded, Sage or A3 is included in the onboarding: active stock and contacts are migrated without the dealership having to do the work manually. The accountant can continue using their usual program for general accounting based on data exported from Dealcar. Dealcar is approved for Verifactu.
Visit dealcar.io/software-concesionario or request a demo at dealcar.io.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of the three programs manages REBU best: Holded, Sage or A3?
All three have similar limitations with REBU because none of them are designed for it natively. Sage has more history in the Spanish accounting sector and more specialised integrators, which can give access to customisations for REBU, but at an additional cost. Holded has a more modern interface and a shorter learning curve. A3 is highly oriented towards accounting firms and its direct use by dealerships is less common. None of them solves the REBU registry book automatically.
Does a DMS also cover the general accounting of the company?
A DMS covers invoicing, the REBU registry book and the necessary data for the dealership's tax returns. The company's general accounting (balance sheet, profit and loss account, annual closing) is usually managed by the accountant using their own accounting software based on data exported from the DMS.
Can I use A3 for accounting and Dealcar for dealership management?
Yes. This is the usual model when the accountant already works with A3 and does not want to change their workflow. Dealcar manages the daily operations of the dealership (stock, REBU invoicing, leads, transfers) and exports the data to the accountant in a format compatible with A3.
What happens to the invoice history if I change programs?
The history of invoices issued in the previous program does not need to be migrated to Dealcar. Previous invoices are kept in the original program for historical reference. Dealcar starts managing transactions from the activation date.
Index
Why generalist accounting software does not suit a dealership
The common problem with Holded, Sage and A3 regarding REBU
What kind of alternative a dealership needs based on its size
Specific DMS for the automotive industry: what they are and what they include
Accounting software with adapted REBU module
When it makes sense to continue using Holded, Sage or A3
Dealcar as an all-in-one alternative for dealerships
Frequently Asked Questions
Why generalist accounting software does not suit a dealership
Holded, Sage and A3 share the same origin: they are programs designed to manage accounting and invoicing for any company. Their logic is built around the concept of a standard item or product: stock comes in, stock goes out, the customer is invoiced, and the payment is recorded.
A second-hand car dealership has a different set of circumstances. Each vehicle is unique, with its own purchase price, reconditioning costs, tax regime (REBU or general VAT depending on the source of purchase), days in stock and its individual net margin. Invoicing is not a standard product sales operation: it is the closure of a file that accumulates information from the moment the car was purchased.
None of the three programs has this concept of a vehicle file natively. All three can be used to issue invoices for buying and selling cars, but none manages REBU automatically, none calculates the margin per vehicle without manual intervention, and none generates the REBU registry book.
Read also the accounting obligations of a second-hand dealership.
The common problem with Holded, Sage and A3 regarding REBU
REBU requires three things that generalist software does not solve natively.
The first is the correctly issued invoice: total price without VAT breakdown, with explicit mention of the Special Regime for Used Goods. In Holded, Sage and A3 this requires manual configuration of the invoice type that the user has to consciously apply to each transaction.
The second is the calculation of the margin. To calculate the REBU VAT correctly, the software needs to know how much the vehicle cost when purchased. None of the three programs automatically links the purchase price to the sales transaction, because they do not have a vehicle file.
Check the full analysis of Holded for car dealerships and its management of REBU.
The third is the REBU registry book, mandatory by law. None of the three generates it automatically. The consequence is that the dealership using any of these programs keeps the registry book in Excel or builds it manually every quarter to submit to the accountant.
Check what the REBU registry book must include and how to organise it.
In all three cases, the level of tax risk is the same: it depends on the user's discipline and the supervision of the accountant, not on the software managing the REBU correctly and automatically.
What kind of alternative a dealership needs based on its size
The most suitable type of tool depends on the volume of transactions and the operational complexity of the business.
For a dealership selling between 5 and 10 cars a month, the priority is to have correct REBU invoicing and an updated registry book. A specific invoicing program for dealerships that manages REBU natively and exports the data to the accountant may be sufficient.
For a dealership selling between 10 and 30 cars a month, in addition to REBU invoicing, they need stock control per vehicle, calculation of margin per transaction and portal publishing. In this range, an automotive-specific DMS that integrates everything into a single system starts to be more efficient than maintaining several separate programs.
For a dealership with more than 30 cars a month or with multiple sites, lead management, integrated agency services and profitability reports by vehicle type are features that justify a complete management platform.
Specific DMS for the automotive industry: what they are and what they include
A DMS (Dealer Management System) is software designed specifically for the comprehensive management of a dealership. Unlike generalist accounting software, a DMS has the vehicle as the business unit from the ground up: each car has its own file with the purchase price, reconditioning costs, days in stock, tax regime applied and sales price.
The features included in a DMS for dealerships are: inventory management with cost control and margin per vehicle, correct REBU invoicing generated automatically from the file, REBU registry book updated with each transaction, multi-posting to car portals from the same system, centralised lead CRM and integrated transfer agency services.
Read also what a DMS is in the automotive sector and how it differs from accounting software.
The difference with Holded, Sage or A3 is not just invoicing: it is that the DMS understands the business model of a dealership and automates tasks that require manual work in a generalist program.
Accounting software with adapted REBU module
There is an intermediate category: generalist accounting programs that have added a specific module for REBU. Holded, Sage and Contasimple have functionalities in this area, although with different levels of integration.
The problem with these modules is that they still do not solve the vehicle file or the automatic calculation of the margin. They are improvements over the base program that reduce manual work in REBU invoicing, but they do not eliminate the need to keep stock control and margins in a separate system.
For a low-volume dealership that already uses one of these programs and has their accountant actively managing the REBU, the adapted module may be sufficient in the short term. For higher volumes, the accumulation of manual processes means the opportunity cost outweighs that of migrating to a specific DMS.
Check what a REBU invoicing program for dealerships must comply with.
When it makes sense to continue using Holded, Sage or A3
There are situations where maintaining the generalist software is reasonable.
If volume is very low (less than 5 cars a month) and the accountant actively manages the REBU, changing tools may not be justified due to the cost and time of migration.
If the software is already integrated into the accountant's workflows and the dealership does not want to disrupt that relationship, they can continue using the generalist program for general accounting and add a specific tool only for stock management and REBU.
If the business has additional activities to car sales (workshop, spare parts, rentals) and those activities are in the same accounting program, it may make sense to keep Holded, Sage or A3 for the whole business and manage the REBU part with a connected tool.
Dealcar as an all-in-one alternative for dealerships
Dealcar is the alternative designed specifically for independent dealerships that want to solve in a single system what generalist programs do not: stock with a vehicle file, automatic REBU invoicing, updated registry book, portal multi-posting, lead CRM and integrated agency services.
Migration from Holded, Sage or A3 is included in the onboarding: active stock and contacts are migrated without the dealership having to do the work manually. The accountant can continue using their usual program for general accounting based on data exported from Dealcar. Dealcar is approved for Verifactu.
Visit dealcar.io/software-concesionario or request a demo at dealcar.io.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of the three programs manages REBU best: Holded, Sage or A3?
All three have similar limitations with REBU because none of them are designed for it natively. Sage has more history in the Spanish accounting sector and more specialised integrators, which can give access to customisations for REBU, but at an additional cost. Holded has a more modern interface and a shorter learning curve. A3 is highly oriented towards accounting firms and its direct use by dealerships is less common. None of them solves the REBU registry book automatically.
Does a DMS also cover the general accounting of the company?
A DMS covers invoicing, the REBU registry book and the necessary data for the dealership's tax returns. The company's general accounting (balance sheet, profit and loss account, annual closing) is usually managed by the accountant using their own accounting software based on data exported from the DMS.
Can I use A3 for accounting and Dealcar for dealership management?
Yes. This is the usual model when the accountant already works with A3 and does not want to change their workflow. Dealcar manages the daily operations of the dealership (stock, REBU invoicing, leads, transfers) and exports the data to the accountant in a format compatible with A3.
What happens to the invoice history if I change programs?
The history of invoices issued in the previous program does not need to be migrated to Dealcar. Previous invoices are kept in the original program for historical reference. Dealcar starts managing transactions from the activation date.
