Peace of mind restored… and an unexpected finding
After the collapse of Credit Suisse, many customers turned to other Swiss institutions to secure their assets.
One of them chose Compagnie Bancaire Helvétique (CBH). Confidence is certainly there in terms of financial strength and prestige. But accounting connectivity remains blocked:
- EBICS (the European standard): not supported
- Open Banking (PSD2): not offered
- CSV export: absent
- Bank statement in PDF format: available, but only in that form
A PDF may be enough for an archive. But to automate accounting and manage cash flow, it no longer meets the needs of a modern business.
The expected standards
Companies do not need exotic innovations, but reliable standards. At a minimum:
- Open Banking (PSD2): automated, secure, real-time access to bank transactions.
- EBICS: the proven European protocol, robust and widely adopted.
- CSV: as a last resort, a structured, usable export.
All modern bank APIs rely on EBICS or Open Banking (PSD2).
Not offering at least one of these two standards forces customers to handle essential flows manually.
Comparison of bank formats
| Format | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Human-readable, archiving | Unusable for automation | |
| CSV | Simple, universal | Variable quality, frequent reprocessing |
| EBICS | Secure, proven European standard | Less flexible than PSD2 |
| Open Banking (PSD2) | Direct, real-time connection to ERPs | Rollout still uneven across banks |
Odoo, an ERP that is already ready
Odoo can already connect to most banks thanks to these standards.
And when connectivity is missing, add-on modules exist. This is the case of EBICS banking protocol (Noviat), which automates exchanges and ensures reliable reconciliations.
Tradition and modernity: a necessary alliance
Private banks stand out for their elegance and tailored support. Adopting modern standards takes nothing away from this tradition: it enriches their image and strengthens their role with customers.
A bank must be an ally of its customers.
This means:
- a usable ISO 20022 statement,
- support for EBICS or Open Banking (PSD2),
- and, failing that, a clear, structured CSV.
And tomorrow?
At Auguria, we believe Odoo must stay connected to the real world.
If a bank still offers only PDF, we can help it find the right bridge to take that step.
Banks that move toward Open Banking will not just add a technical option: they will become true allies of their customers in the day-to-day management of their business.