KDV

What KDV does

KDV Kanne Datenverarbeitung GmbH is a German private limited company headquartered in Detmold, founded in 1970, that operates a service computing center (Service-Rechenzentrum) for Entgeltabrechnung and adjacent HR back-office functions. Its core product is KDV-Lohn, a payroll engine for German wage, tax, and social security processing, delivered through three commercial models: standalone software licensing, KDV-Lohn Teilservice (software plus data center support, partial outsourcing), and KDV-Lohn Fullservice (full payroll outsourcing handled by KDV staff). The platform is complemented by KDV-ZDE for time and attendance tracking, KDV-Web as an employee self-service portal accessible via internet or intranet, and KDV-Reise for travel expense management, forming a modular HR suite rather than a single-product offering.

The underlying technology is a hosted payroll and HR back-office stack operated from KDV's data center, with compliance validated through ITSG certification for statutory health insurance data exchange, VDS 10000 information security certification (first obtained 2025), and ISO 9001:2015 quality management. KDV serves German businesses nationwide on a horizontal basis, using direct sales across all three service tiers, supplemented by a customer login portal, a public Wiki with product documentation, and remote support tools (KDV-Fernwartung, KDV-Filesend) for in-house software customers. No public pricing is disclosed; revenue is generated through subscription-like recurring software and Teilservice contracts plus Fullservice professional services fees. There is no disclosed external investment, parent company, M&A activity, or geographic expansion beyond Germany.

Name

KDV

Legal name

KDV Kanne Datenverarbeitung GmbH

Website

https://kdv-dt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KDV Kanne Datenverarbeitung GmbH, founded 1970 in Detmold, Germany, is a private service data center providing payroll processing, time tracking, employee portal, and travel expense software and outsourcing to German businesses nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payroll Processing Services

NAICS

Payroll Services (541214), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Payroll Software & Payroll-as-a-Service (SaaS) (BPACAIAB)

Keywords

• Payroll processing services
• Payroll software
• Time management software
• Employee portal
• Travel expense management

Headquarters

HQ city

Detmold

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Payroll Software Licensing: KDV-Lohn software licensing for companies that want to process payroll themselves using KDV's specialized software.
2. Partial Service Payroll: KDV-Lohn Teilservice - software combined with data center support, where KDV assists the customer's HR department.
3. Full Service Payroll Processing: KDV-Lohn Fullservice - KDV staff handle the entire payroll processing for customers, fully outsourcing the function.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KDV operates a German service computing center (Service-Rechenzentrum) that delivers payroll processing (Entgeltabrechnung), time management, travel expense management, and employee information services to German businesses. Offerings are available as standalone software (KDV-Lohn, KDV-ZDE, KDV-Web, KDV-Reise), as partial outsourcing with data center support, or as full-service payroll outsourcing handled by KDV's own specialists.

Product overview

KDV operates as a service data center (Service-Rechenzentrum) for Entgeltabrechnung (payroll processing), offering a modular software portfolio centered on KDV-Lohn as the core payroll product. The offering follows a platform-plus-service model: KDV-Lohn serves as the central payroll engine, with KDV-ZDE (time management), KDV-Web (employee portal), and KDV-Reise (travel expenses) available as complementary modules. Service delivery options include KDV-Lohn Teilservice (partial outsourcing with client involvement) and KDV-Lohn Fullservice (complete outsourcing handled by KDV staff), allowing customers to choose the level of service that suits their HR function.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KDV-Lohn: Flexible and combinable software for payroll processing (Entgeltabrechnung).
• KDV-Lohn Teilservice
• KDV-Lohn Fullservice
• KDV-ZDE
• KDV-Web
• KDV-Reise

Products and services

• KDV-Lohn
• KDV-Lohn Teilservice
• KDV-Lohn Fullservice
• KDV-ZDE
• KDV-Web
• KDV-Reise

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ADP (Automatic Data Processing): ADP is a global payroll and HCM services company with operations in Germany through ADP Employer Services. Comparable as a payroll outsourcing provider with deep compliance expertise, though at vastly larger scale and targeting enterprise/multi-national customers.
• Sage HR (Sage Group): Sage offers Sage 50 Lohn, Sage HR, and cloud payroll products in Germany, serving SMBs with payroll, time tracking, and HR workflows. Comparable to KDV across both software and outsourced payroll services, with larger scale and broader European footprint.
• SAP SuccessFactors: SAP SuccessFactors is the enterprise HR/payroll suite from SAP, including Employee Central Payroll for German statutory compliance. Comparable in payroll and time management functionality, but targets large enterprises rather than KDV's SMB focus.
• DATEV: DATEV eG is Germany's dominant payroll and tax-software cooperative, serving tax advisors, auditors, and SMBs with Lohn, Rechnungswesen, and full-service payroll processing. Directly comparable to KDV as a German payroll software and data-center provider, though operating at far larger scale and with a broader accounting/tax portfolio.

Direct peers

• P&I Personal & Informatik (Persis),: P&I is a Wiesbaden-based HR and payroll software provider serving German and European enterprises with HRIS, time management, and payroll. Closely comparable to KDV's full HR module suite, particularly for mid-market and enterprise German customers.
• Haufe-Lexware: Haufe-Lexware offers Lexware Lohn software and Haufe Payroll/HCM for German SMBs, including payroll, time tracking, and travel expense modules. Highly comparable product set to KDV-Lohn, KDV-ZDE, and KDV-Reise, with similar mid-market German customer base.
• Loga (Lohn und Gehalt): Loga by Datac Dickfeld is a German tax-advisor payroll software suite comparable to KDV-Lohn, often bundled with DATEV-style accounting workflows. Overlaps KDV's SMB and tax-advisor customer base in payroll processing.

Regional players

• SD Worx: SD Worx is a European payroll and HR services provider with strong presence in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Comparable as a payroll outsourcing and software provider; though headquartered outside Germany, it competes directly for German cross-border payroll accounts.

Emerging players

• Personio: Personio is a Munich-based cloud-native HCM platform serving European SMBs with bundled HR, payroll, time tracking, and recruiting. A modern, venture-backed competitor that overlaps KDV's German SMB target market and increasingly bundles payroll directly.
• HRworks: HRworks is a German cloud-based HR and payroll platform serving SMBs with time tracking, payroll, and absence management. Comparable product bundle to KDV and increasingly competing for the same German SMB outsourcing customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KDV.DE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kdv-kanne-datenverarbeitung-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 KDV