What Varial Software does

Varial Software is a German enterprise software brand, operating since 1991 as a product line of the international Infor Group, that develops and distributes modular ERP software for financial management (Finanzwesen) and human capital management/payroll (Personalwesen) primarily targeting the DACH mid-market and public administration. Its flagship product, Varial World Edition (VWE), is built on a Java/UML-based multi-tier architecture deployable on Windows, Linux, Solaris, and iSeries, with a Windows-native user interface, role-based access control, and deep modularity that allows step-wise deployment from core accounting modules (general ledger, accounts receivable/payable, cost accounting, fixed asset accounting, cash/liquidity management) through to a comprehensive HR/payroll suite covering statutory social security compliance, electronic reporting procedures (DEÜV, eAU, A1, rvBEA), eBilanz transmission, multi-currency consolidation, and public-sector tariff payroll (TVöD, ZVE/VBL). The company maintains system certifications with more than 20 archive/document management vendors and operates bi-directional integrations with Creditreform's debtor register (DRD) and Viatos travel expense software; it also extends VWE's reach into Switzerland via a dedicated country version supporting ISO 20022, CAMT, QR-bill, and Swiss VAT.

Varial has more than 5,000 customers in 10+ countries with 30,000+ active users and claims 40+ years of domain heritage in German financial and HR software — a continuity rooted in its 1991 management buy-out from Philips Kommunikations Industrie AG. The company has held the GKV (statutory health insurance) certification for its Personalwesen payroll module for 13+ consecutive years through ITSG GmbH audits and obtained an unrestricted Wirtschaftsprüfer-Testat (WP-Testat) for VWE Finanzwesen Release 2.91. The product has evolved through annual releases (2.91 in 2022, 2.92 in 2023, 2.93 in 2024, 2.94 in 2025) with feature additions including Varial Dashboards, Mitarbeiter Self Service, the EEL electronic replacement-benefits module, and DSGVO/GDPR functionality.

Varial makes money through enterprise software licensing and subscriptions, sold exclusively through a two-tier GTM model: a network of nine or more certified regional partners across Germany (including Balticom, conducting, EDV-Beratung Hartmann, hauser business consulting, Hetkamp, HS Varial, I-SOFT, and J.M. software solutions) plus direct enterprise sales through Infor Deutschland GmbH for multinational accounts. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with annual billing cycles. The customer base spans Mittelstand and large enterprises across multiple industries as well as municipalities and public institutions requiring tariff-compliant payroll and government financial reporting (HKR/DOPPIK/kameralistik).

Name

Varial Software

Legal name

Infor (Deutschland) GmbH

Website

https://varial.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Varial Software (an Infor Group brand) provides modular Varial World Edition ERP software for financial management and GKV-certified HR/payroll to 5,000+ businesses and public authorities across 10+ countries, sold through nine or more certified regional partners and Infor's direct enterprise sales force.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Enterprise Financial & HR Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Process & Case Management Low-Code Platforms (HDAEAKAE)

Keywords

• Enterprise financial software
• Human resources software
• Payroll management software
• Modular ERP software
• Regulatory compliance software

Headquarters

HQ city

Netphen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Enterprise Software Licenses and Subscriptions: Varial generates revenue through enterprise software licensing of the Varial World Edition suite, including base modules for financial management and human capital management, plus optional add-on modules. The software is sold and supported through a network of certified regional partners and directly by Infor's enterprise sales force.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Varial develops and sells the Varial World Edition, a modular enterprise software suite for financial management (Finanzwesen) covering financial accounting, cost accounting, fixed asset accounting, cash and liquidity management, consolidation, eBilanz reporting, and planning/budgeting, paired with a GKV-certified human resources/payroll module (Personalwesen) including a public-administration variant. The platform is extended through add-on modules such as Varial WIN (web information navigator), ReportFactory, REWO-Manager, Konsolidierung, Planung & Budgetierung, Skill Management, Sachmittelverwaltung, Mitarbeiter Self Service, Dashboards, Digitale Personalakte, and the EEL electronic benefits module, and is integrated with 20+ document management systems and the Creditreform debtor register.

Product overview

Varial Software offers a modular ERP software suite centered on the Varial World Edition flagship product for financial management (Finanzwesen) and human resources/payroll (Personalwesen). The core Varial World Edition platform includes modules for Financial Accounting (Finanzbuchführung), Cost Accounting (Kostenrechnung), Fixed Asset Management (Anlagenbuchführung), and Cash & Liquidity Management (Finanz- und Liquiditätsmanagement). The HR suite covers Payroll (Personalabrechnung) and Public Administration Payroll (ÖV). The modular architecture enables businesses to customize functionality through add-on modules including Varial WIN (web-based reporting), Varial ReportFactory (eBilanz), Varial REWO-Manager (invoice workflow), Varial Konsolidierung (consolidation), Planung & Budgetierung (planning), Skill Management, Sachmittelverwaltung (asset provisioning), Mitarbeiter Self Service (employee portal), Dashboards (KPIs), Digital Personnel File (Digital Personalakte), and EEL (electronic benefits certificates). An additional sub-brand, Varial Guide, also operates within the portfolio. The Infor Global Financials (IGF) product serves as an alternate brand name for the same software. The company emphasizes Windows-native user interface design, modular flexibility, and regulatory compliance for the German-speaking market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Varial World Edition: Flagship product line for financial and human resources management, offering modules for financial accounting, cost accounting, asset accounting, and personnel management.
• Varial WIN (Web-Informations-Navigator)
• Varial Guide
• Infor Global Financials (IGF)

Products and services

• Varial World Edition (VWE) Flagship modular ERP software suite for financial management (Finanzwesen) and human resources/payroll (Personalwesen), featuring Windows-native user interface with intuitive navigation and flexible module-based architecture supporting company-specific customization. Sold to enterprises, mid-market companies, and public administration authorities across the DACH region.
• Varial Finanzwesen (Financial Management Suite) Financial management suite covering general ledger (Sachbuch), accounts receivable/payable (Debitoren/Kreditoren), cost accounting (Kostenrechnung), fixed asset accounting (Anlagenbuchführung), and cash/liquidity management. Supports multi-level drill-down to document level across countries and branches with compliance features for German tax and commercial regulations.
• Varial Personalwesen (HR / Payroll Module) GKV-certified payroll and HR management module supporting legal compliance for social security, tax calculations, and electronic reporting procedures including DEÜV, eAU, A1, and ELStAM. Sold to enterprises and public authorities in Germany.
• Varial Personalabrechnung Öffentliche Verwaltung (ÖV) Specialized payroll solution for the German public administration sector; supports tariff-based salary calculation (TVöD etc.), public service pension contributions (ZVE/VBL), automated grade progression, civil servant payroll reporting, and integration with HKR (Haushalts-, Kassen- und Rechnungswesen) systems under DOPPIK or kameralistik.
• Varial WIN (Web-Informations-Navigator) Web-based information navigator enabling real-time access to financial and HR data from any location; role-based access control managed through Varial World Edition; provides cross-branch reporting, sales summaries, and HR metrics including age structure across branches.
• Varial ReportFactory Electronic financial statement module supporting XBRL taxonomy-based eBilanz transmission as required by German tax authorities; includes guided field completion, plausibility checks, tax office transmission via Elster Rich Client (ERIC), and optional external accountant access.
• Varial REWO-Manager Invoice receipt workflow manager automating invoice copying, stamping, distribution, and allocation; handles full approval workflows and meets all legal requirements for input tax deductibility.
• Varial Konsolidierung Financial consolidation module for combining separate financial statements from multiple subsidiaries; supports different chart of accounts and currencies with automated plausibility checks and automated consolidation steps based on master data mapping.
• Varial Planung und Budgetierung Planning and budgeting module providing flexible planning tools within the cost accounting section; supports multiple combinable planning strategies for cross-departmental budget planning processes.
• Varial Skill Management Skills management module enabling input, management, and evaluation of employee capabilities; supports identification of existing in-house expertise before external hiring or consultant engagement.
• Varial Sachmittelverwaltung Asset provisioning management module tracking company-issued equipment such as notebooks, phones, vehicles, and tablets; manages issuance, exchange, and return with full inventory control.
• Varial Mitarbeiter Self Service Web-based employee self-service portal integrated with Varial WIN; enables employees to access personal payroll data, reducing HR department inquiries.
• Varial Dashboards Dashboard visualization module displaying key performance indicators and metrics for optimal business steering; customizable widget selection and graphical display formats; works standalone or as extension to Varial WIN.
• Digitale Personalakte Digital personnel file module for digitizing and archiving all employee documents (applications, contracts, training certificates) in a revision-secure manner with customizable structure per company requirements.
• EEL-Modul (Elektronische Entgeltersatzleistungen) Electronic replacement benefits module for automated creation of employee certificates requested by social benefit providers; supports electronic queries to health insurance funds, automated employer supplement calculations, and certificate generation in seconds.
• Varial WIN Personalwesen HR-focused variant of Varial WIN providing access to HR metrics and payroll data for management, complementing the finance-focused WIN configuration.
• Varial Anbindung DRD-Pool Integration module for Debitorenregister-Pool (DRD) connection enabling credit information exchange and payment behavior analysis with Creditreform.
• Varial Guide Additional product variant within the Varial portfolio, also capable of working with Varial ReportFactory for eBilanz preparation.
• Varial Elektronische Bescheinigungen Module for handling electronic employee certificates and attestations for social security and other purposes, supporting compliance workflows.

Quantifiable outcome

• GKV certification renewed consecutively for 13+ years for payroll compliance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Starke-DMS-GruppecoreTechnology or Integration · 12 May 2022Joint system certification for interoperability between Varial World Edition/Infor Global Financials and Starke-DMS document management system. Varial data is archived in Starke-DMS and users can search documents directly from within Varial.
• CC e-gov GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 19 April 2022Joint system certification for VWE/IGF integration with CC e-gov document management system, enabling archival of Varial data in CC e-gov and cross-system document search functionality.
• PROXESS GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 5 June 2020System certification for integration between Varial World Edition/Infor Global Financials and PROXESS document management system. Varial financial and HR data is archived in PROXESS with bidirectional search capabilities.
• Infor Group / Infor Deutschland GmbHcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2014Varial is a brand and product line of the Infor Group. Since 2014, Varial has been an integral part of Infor's product portfolio, with Infor Deutschland GmbH managing sales and support of Varial products in Germany. The company traces its ownership through Infor GmbH (acquired by Agilisys in 2004) and subsequently into Infor Group.
• Creditreform (Debitorenregister DRD)coreTechnology or IntegrationBi-directional integration with Creditreform's debtor register (DRD) providing external payment experience data for customer credit risk assessment, early warning indicators for payment difficulties, and payment behavior benchmarking against industry norms. Infor/Varial is noted as one of few German financial software vendors with this integration, which includes a modern browser-based evaluation module.
• Balticom GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional certified Varial partner based in Wankendorf, Schleswig-Holstein, providing sales, implementation, and support services for Varial software in the region.
• conducting GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified regional partner in Siegen, North Rhine-Westphalia, providing Varial software implementation and consulting services.
• EDV-Beratung HartmannminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified regional partner in Limburg, Hesse, providing Varial sales, implementation, and IT consulting services.
• hauser business consulting GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified regional partner in Gera, Thuringia, offering Varial software implementation and business consulting services.
• Hetkamp GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified regional partner in Borken, North Rhine-Westphalia, providing Varial software sales, implementation, and complete business software and consulting solutions.
• HS Varial GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified regional partner in Kenzingen, Baden-Württemberg, specializing in Varial software implementation and support.
• I-SOFT GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified regional partner in Siegen, North Rhine-Westphalia, offering Varial software sales and implementation services.
• J.M. software solutions GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified regional partner in Brilon, North Rhine-Westphalia, providing Varial software sales, implementation, and consulting services.
• ITSG GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITSG GmbH (IT-Gesellschaft für die Soziale Sicherung) is the annual certification body that conducts the GKV quality control audit of Varial's Personalwesen module. Varial has maintained GKV certification through ITSG for over 13 consecutive years.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Diamant Software: Diamant Software provides German accounting, controlling, and financial management software (Diamant/3) targeted at the German Mittelstand and public administration. It is a directly comparable German competitor with overlapping financial management, consolidation, and public-sector customer bases.
• Agenda Software: Agenda Software offers financial accounting, payroll, and business software for the German Mittelstand and public administration. It is comparable as a directly competing German vendor with similar regulatory compliance focus (GoBD, eBilanz, GKV-equivalent certifications) and channel-based distribution.
• Lexware (Haufe Group): Lexware is a leading German SMB accounting, payroll, and tax software brand owned by Haufe Group. It is comparable as a direct competitor in the German financial and payroll software market, particularly for smaller Mittelstand customers and freelancer/sole-trader segments.
• Sage: Sage provides accounting, payroll, and ERP software (Sage 50, Sage HR, Sage Business Cloud) to small and mid-sized businesses across Europe, including a strong DACH presence. It is comparable as a direct competitor targeting the same Mittelstand finance and HR buyer with similar channel-based distribution.
• Simba (SNT Deutschland): Simba is a German accounting and payroll software suite (Simba HR, Simba Financial) developed by SNT, long-established in the German market. It is comparable as a direct competitor offering German-market financial accounting and payroll compliance with a similar regulatory focus.
• SoftTec (PSD Bank/Softec): SoftTec provides German HR/payroll and financial software solutions for small and mid-sized businesses and tax advisors. It is comparable as a directly competing German vendor in the payroll/financial compliance space with a similar customer profile.
• DATEV: DATEV is the dominant German cooperative-owned provider of accounting, tax, payroll, and ERP software to tax advisors and Mittelstand businesses. It is the most directly comparable peer given its parallel focus on German payroll/social security compliance, eBilanz reporting, and channel-based distribution through tax advisors.

Broad incumbents

• SAP: SAP is the global enterprise software incumbent offering S/4HANA Cloud and on-prem ERP suites including financial accounting (FI) and HR/payroll (SuccessFactors/HR Payroll). It is comparable as a broad incumbent serving overlapping finance and HR use cases, particularly in the upper mid-market where Infor/Varial also competes.
• Oracle (NetSuite): Oracle NetSuite is a cloud-native ERP suite (financial management, HR/payroll, consolidation) targeting the mid-market and upper mid-market. It is comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping financial management and HR use cases with cloud deployment economics that contrast with Varial's on-prem model.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365: Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Finance, Supply Chain, Business Central) is a broad enterprise ERP/financial management incumbent increasingly targeting the mid-market. It is comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping financial management and HR capabilities with stronger cloud-native economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/varial_germany
• Facebookfacebook.com/varial.germany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/varial-software-aktiengesellschaft

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Varial Software