ELSTER Experts in Germany
for secure tax filing workflows, matched in minutes with AIHire experts who configure ELSTER submissions, connect tax workflows with finance systems and resolve authentication or certificate issues. FRATCH matches you quickly and precisely with vetted, available freelancers who fit your project.
Meet FRATCH Experts in Germany, who have recently used ELSTER
Wolfgang T.
Last position:
Overall Project Manager at itzbund
Project overview: The use of “Generative Pretrained Transformer” (GPT) technologies will greatly change the world of work in the coming years. ITZBund is developing a basic service for this purpose, which can be used by its 200 customers. This basic service is offered both on-premises and in the cloud. Launched in 12/23, production systems (based on the MVP) had already been successfully rolled out and operated for several authorities and federal ministries by 05/24.
Project metrics:
- 2024 budget approx. 20 Mio €
- approx. 70 people directly involved in the project
- regular (indirect) contact with approx. 80 people in the wider project environment
My main responsibilities:
- Overall responsibility as external project manager
- Project definition phase/ Project setup and establishment of the project organization
- Strategic and operational project planning, as well as project design and ongoing adjustments
- Ongoing coordination with the project owner and stakeholders at ITZBund
- Ongoing coordination with sub-project managers, agile roles, and other project team members
- Responsibility for project controlling, quality management, risk management, and change management
- Responsibility for providing the basic service in on-premises and cloud environments and its ongoing development
- Planning and leading several hypercare phases
- Collaboration and ongoing coordination with a federal ministry partner project and delivery of an MVP
- Coordination with the agile teams
- Coordination with operations, release, and deployment
- Responsibility for delivering initial customer projects
- Responsibility for developing AI governance
- Ensuring accessibility (BITV)
- Responsibility for setting up a sub-project for marketing activities
- Support in setting up an efficient proposal process
- Stakeholder management
Approach:
- V-Modell XT ITZBund
- Scrum
Tools used:
- Microsoft Office, Skype, MS Project, Confluence, Jira, Sharepoint, Miro
David K.
Last position:
IT Business Analyst at REWE digital
LOIS is the central integration platform that enables the processes between all REWE applications across the entire supply chain. As an IT Business Engineer, I support the NEO program in renewing the logistics integration platform "LOIS" for REWE and Penny in Germany and Europe.
Steffen L.
Last position:
Consultant for BSI baseline protection and ISO 27701 at Society for International Cooperation
- Support in building and further developing the information security management system
- Cooperation with external consultants in the certification team for the support structure
- Involvement in project planning, identification, and implementation of the necessary measures according to BSI IT baseline protection
- Professional support for in-house subject matter experts in creating the documents required for certifications
- Carrying out the work according to BSI 200-2
Max L.
Last position:
Test Analyst (manual testing) – Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (Factoring) at ABC Finanz Bank Köln
- Planning, execution, and documentation of manual tests in the factoring module of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, supported by AI-based tools for structuring
- Working in an agile project environment with two-week sprint cycles, including sprint planning, review, and QA coordination
- Implementation of progressive and regression test scenarios to cover new and existing functionalities
- Management and tracking of test cases and defects with TestRail and Jira (BAM tickets)
- Test coverage of central factoring processes: contact management, contract card, debtors, limit processes, company groups; payment transactions incl. journal entries, rebooking logic, and comment fields; testing and parameterization of the IKV/WKV components incl. reporting; portal tests in the TAS system (login, user management, feedback functions)
- Support for special modules and interfaces: in-house tiles, factoring dashboard, risk evaluation
- Test status maintenance and retest planning (Passed / Blocked / Partially Passed) in close coordination with business departments
- Quality assurance as part of data migration, including validation, deviation analysis, and follow-up documentation
Olaf T.
Last position:
BI Architect in Kanban Team at Gulp / Randstad for HHLA
- Creation of automated tests.
- Extension of the functionality of the enterprise BI data warehouse.
- Design and development in SQL and PL/SQL.
- Data modeling as well as performance measurement and tuning.
- Creation of and contribution to user stories and concepts.
- Technical environment: Windows, Linux.
- Database: Oracle 19c incl. DWH, CDB, PDB.
- Tools: Confluence, CVS, Eclipse, Git, GitLab, Jira, N4, PL/SQL, SQL Developer, utPLSQL.
Andreas K.
Last position:
Senior Developer at ioki GmbH, a Deutsche Bahn AG company
- Fullstack development based on Next.js and TypeScript
- Development and optimization of geospatial database queries for PostgreSQL/PostGIS
- Visualization of geospatial data using Mapbox
- Design and execution of load tests and performance optimizations
- Code reviews and documentation tasks
- Technologies: JavaScript, TypeScript, Next.js, React, Zod, tRPC, Storybooks, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, MicroORM, Knex, Material UI, Mapbox, BullMQ, Jest, Playwright, Artillery.io, K6, Sentry, Figma, GitLab, Grafana, GTFS
Ali A.
Last position:
Intern Financial Accounting at VATAX GmbH
- Processing client accounting using DATEV, ELSTER, and Lexware
- Recording and reconciling financial transactions
- Supporting VAT and income tax calculations
- Preparing documents for audits and ensuring data quality
- Collaborating with tax advisors to optimize tax filings and maintain accounting standards and confidentiality
David V.
Last position:
Senior Full-Stack Developer at AL-KO Geräte GmbH
- Architected and executed complete enterprise migration of legacy hosting infrastructure to AWS Cloud platform for an international e-commerce network with 22 dedicated online shops.
- Optimized and improved existing OXID eShop platform across 22 country-specific domains, significantly improving load speeds and user experience through advanced performance optimization techniques.
- Implemented comprehensive AWS infrastructure with CloudFormation for automated deployments, RDS Aurora database clusters, OpenSearch analytics, Docker containerization, and auto-scaling mechanisms for traffic handling.
- Developed full-stack solutions with backend PIM/CRM integration for multilingual product management and frontend internationalization with country-specific routing, currency handling, and localized user experiences.
- Collaborated in a 6-developer team for an enterprise e-commerce platform serving 22 international markets.
- Technologies: AWS CloudFormation, OXID eShop, Docker, RDS Aurora, OpenSearch, Auto-Scaling, PIM/CRM Integration, Internationalization, Performance Optimization, E-Commerce.
- Achieved successful architecture and execution of complete enterprise migration and dramatic improvements in load speeds and user experience across all domains.
Ralf S.
Last position:
Senior Consultant / Developer at Überall Lokal
- Development of a marketplace for local retailers
- Technologies: Java, ORACLE, Ingres, REST, Spring Boot, Angular, nginx.
Hans-Peter M.
Last position:
Developer at IT Center of the Federal Employment Agency
- Developing event-driven microservices with REST controllers and services
- Mapping data with JSON models
- Producing and consuming Kafka streams
- Generating PDFs
- Developing smart components, services, guards
- Processing the REST stream using observables following the reactive programming paradigm
- Integrating web components
- Implementing user authentication using OIDC/OAuth2 and JWTs
- Integrating Keycloak for simplified identity provider connection and introducing two-factor authentication
- Creating mockups for planning, implementation analysis, and feasibility studies
- Analyzing and implementing business requirements
- Conducting code reviews
- Maintaining and updating CI/CD pipelines
- Performing refactorings
- Conducting sprint reviews
- Monitoring production applications via Kibana and Grafana
Sebastian K.
Last position:
Senior Lead Developer, System Architecture at AVL DITEST
- Redesign of a legacy Windows app for vehicle diagnostics as an AWS cloud application
- Creation of build pipelines and conducting code reviews with Kotlin, Spring Boot, Micronaut, Jenkins and GitHub
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Statistics of experts using ELSTER
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
26 years
Position duration
1.5 years
Positions per freelancer
18
Top business areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management
Top industries
Government and Administration, Information Technology, Banking and Finance
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management
Bachelor's degree or higher
83%
Master's degree or higher
83%
Doctorate
33%
Certifications per freelancer
3
Most common languages
German, English, Spanish
Speak two or more languages
91%
Based on our profile pool as of 29 Oct 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of experts in this technology in Germany are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows the share of experts charging within that range.
Average rates of experts in Germany using ELSTER
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 29 Oct 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
ELSTER experts industry focus
See which industries our matched freelancers work in most often — every figure is calculated live from the freelancers on FRATCH.
- Government and Administration (91%)
- Information Technology (82%)
- Banking and Finance (73%)
- Automotive (64%)
- Transportation (55%)
- Professional Services (55%)
- Telecommunication (45%)
- Healthcare (36%)
Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.
About the technology
What ELSTER does
ELSTER, short for Elektronische Steuererklärung, is Germany’s official electronic tax filing system. Companies, tax professionals and public bodies use it to submit tax returns, registrations, certificates and other forms to the tax authorities. The ELSTER Online portal supports secure digital communication instead of paper-based processes.
Core business processes
ELSTER expertise is relevant wherever tax data must move reliably between internal systems, accounting teams and German tax authorities. Typical assignments include:
- Configuring business tax submissions and electronic forms
- Managing Mein ELSTER accounts, certificates and permissions
- Preparing VAT, payroll tax and corporate tax workflows
- Supporting registrations, notifications and official correspondence
- Investigating rejected submissions and validation errors
Ecosystem and tooling
Strong professionals understand the ELSTER portal, Mein ELSTER and the ERiC integration library used for electronic tax data processing. They may also work with accounting and enterprise resource planning systems, payroll software, tax software and secure certificate storage. Knowledge of XML-based tax formats, authentication procedures, data validation and German tax terminology is often essential.
When companies need specialists
Companies commonly bring in freelance ELSTER specialists during accounting system changes, tax process automation or the rollout of new legal reporting requirements. They are also useful when internal teams face recurring submission errors, unclear certificate ownership or a difficult connection between finance software and ELSTER services. In Germany, collaboration may involve German-language documentation and direct coordination with tax or finance teams.
What strong professionals deliver
A capable ELSTER professional maps tax requirements to dependable workflows and documents each handover clearly. They protect certificates and sensitive financial data, distinguish a portal issue from a data-quality problem and test rejected cases before production submission. Relevant experience with accounting operations, tax compliance, APIs or enterprise integrations adds practical value.
Remote project fit
Much ELSTER work can be completed remotely because configuration, testing and documentation take place in controlled digital environments. On-site sessions can still help when a specialist must review local finance processes, access restricted systems or train a German-speaking team. Before engaging an expert, define the required forms, connected systems, certificate setup, security rules and responsibility for final tax review.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions that come up most around ELSTER.
ELSTER is used to send tax returns, registrations, certificates and other tax-related data electronically to German tax authorities. Companies may access it through Mein ELSTER or through connected accounting, payroll and tax software.
ELSTER is the official electronic channel for communicating with German tax authorities, while commercial tax software usually adds workflow features, calculation support and integrations. A specialist can help decide whether direct portal use, an ERiC-based connection or a broader finance system is the best fit.
An ELSTER specialist should often understand German tax processes, accounting data, XML validation, certificate management and secure system integration. Experience with payroll, enterprise resource planning or financial reporting can be valuable when submissions originate outside the ELSTER portal.
The right level of experience depends on the assignment. A portal configuration may need focused knowledge of Mein ELSTER and certificates, while an automated integration requires proven work with ERiC, tax data formats, error handling and the company’s finance systems.
Much ELSTER work can be handled remotely from Germany because specialists can configure workflows, test submissions and document procedures online. On-site work may be useful for restricted systems, process discovery or training, while German-language communication is important for many tax and finance teams.
Ask an ELSTER specialist to explain how they protect certificates, validate tax data, test rejected submissions and document responsibilities. Strong answers should cover auditability, data security, recovery procedures and coordination with the company’s tax advisers or finance team.
Common ELSTER problems include invalid tax data, expired or inaccessible certificates, incorrect permissions, format mismatches and unclear rejection messages. A capable professional isolates the source of the error, reproduces it safely and improves both the technical workflow and the surrounding data checks.
Working with ELSTER often involves confidential financial information, strict access controls and German tax terminology. Freelancers should clarify whether they are configuring the portal, supporting an ERiC integration, preparing data for submission or advising the technical team, while leaving tax decisions to the responsible company or adviser.
The average hourly rate of freelancers in Germany who have used ELSTER in their recent projects is 92 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 734 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers in Germany who have used ELSTER in their recent projects, 83% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 83% hold at least a Master's degree, and 33% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers in Germany who have used ELSTER in their recent projects have 26 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 1.5 years.
The most common languages among freelancers in Germany who have used ELSTER in their recent projects are German (100%), English (91%), and Spanish (18%).
The most common industries among freelancers in Germany who have used ELSTER in their recent projects are Government and Administration (91%), Information Technology (82%), and Banking and Finance (73%).
The most common business areas among freelancers in Germany who have used ELSTER in their recent projects are Information Technology (91%), Product Development (82%), and Project Management (73%).
Main locations of FRATCH Experts, who have recently used ELSTER
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg Request a free demo
Get in touch with the FRATCH team and we will get back to you within 4 hours.
Would you rather directly get in touch?
We always have the time for a call or email!
Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
