What CERFRANCE Poitou-Charentes does

CERFRANCE Poitou-Charentes (legal name Association de Gestion et de Comptabilité de Poitou-Charentes) is a French regional accounting and business advisory firm operating under a mutualist associative governance model, founded circa 1964 and headquartered in La Crèche (Niort). It is part of the national Cerfrance network (52 entities, 700+ agencies, 320,000 clients, 12,000 collaborators) and serves approximately 13,000 small-business clients (TPE/PME) across four departments — Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, and Vienne — through 32 local agencies and roughly 700 collaborators. Clients are member-adherents governed by 67 elected administrators, which differentiates the firm from traditional liberal accounting practices. Services span accounting and bookkeeping, fiscal and legal advisory, payroll and HR management, environmental and CAP advisory, IT and digital services, wealth management and transmission planning, professional training, and outsourced administrative support (Admineo 360°).

The firm operates an integrated digital ecosystem anchored by the Cerfrance Connect client portal, complemented by Ma Gestion By Cerfrance (mobile app for micro-entrepreneurs), Ma Caisse by Cerfrance (point-of-sale system), Devis Facturier Pro eXpert (quote/invoicing tool), and the Plateforme de Dématérialisation Partner — a DGFIP-authorized Factur-X electronic invoicing platform compliant with France's mandatory September 2026 reform. Sector specialization is delivered through dedicated networks: Equicer for equine businesses and Nautil for shellfish farming. Specialized verticals include agriculture (9,000+ clients), viticulture & Cognac (1,300+ clients), BTP trades (~500 clients), commerce/HCR/services, liberal professions/health, conchyliculture, and equine activities.

Revenue is generated primarily through quote-based, ongoing advisory retainers tailored to client size and complexity, billed annually, with training courses (€245–€7,500) and electronic invoicing services as discrete additional streams. Client retention is reinforced by the Cerfrance Avantages national benefits program (partnerships with Ford, Swile, Bruneau, MiiMOSA, Club Avantages). The go-to-market is relationship-led and proximity-driven, with free discovery meetings, dedicated accountant-advisor and business-advisor pairings, and a community-led component where elected client-administrators act as ambassadors. Regulatory credentials — Qualiopi certification, Agrément Conseil Stratégique Phytopharmaceutiques, and DGFIP PDP authorization — underpin the firm's position as an integrated advisory and compliance partner for SMBs across the region.

Name

CERFRANCE Poitou-Charentes

Legal name

Association de Gestion et de Comptabilité de Poitou-Charentes

Website

https://poitoucharentes.cerfrance.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

CERFRANCE Poitou-Charentes is a French mutualist accounting and business advisory firm serving approximately 13,000 SMB clients across 32 agencies in Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, and Vienne, specializing in agriculture, viticulture & Cognac, BTP trades, commerce/HCR, and liberal professions within the national Cerfrance network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting and Business Advisory Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Accounting Services (541219)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Tax Operations Support (Indirect Tax, Withholding, Compliance Admin) (BPAAAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting) (BPAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Accounting and bookkeeping
• Tax and legal advisory
• Payroll and HR services
• Agricultural advisory
• Business consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

La Crèche (Niort)

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices32 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accounting and Bookkeeping Services: Ongoing accounting services including bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, tax and social filings, and account review meetings. This is the core recurring revenue stream, billed on a subscription basis tailored to client size and complexity.
2. Fiscal and Legal Advisory Services: Corporate structuring, legal consulting, tax optimization, annual general meeting management, and contract drafting services provided by in-house jurists and tax specialists. Billed as part of ongoing advisory retainers or as discrete project engagements.
3. Payroll and HR Management Services: Payroll processing, social declarations, employment contract drafting, and HR advisory services. Typically bundled with accounting services or sold as standalone subscriptions.
4. IT and Digital Services: IT support, hardware and software sales, website creation (One Page & Conseil), social media management, and digital transformation consulting. Includes annual PC maintenance contracts and domain/hosting management.
5. Professional Training Courses: Instructor-led training courses for business leaders covering management, strategy, HR, environment, agronomy, and wealth management. Prices range from €245 to €7,500 per course. Some courses may be financed by OPCO or VIVEA (for agricultural clients). VAT-exempt under Article 261-4-4°-a of the CGI.
6. Environmental and PAC Advisory Services: CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) declaration services, environmental certification support (HVE, organic), carbon footprint diagnosis, and agronomic advisory. Includes regulatory compliance services such as traceability documentation and ICPE (installations classified for environmental protection) management.
7. Electronic Invoicing Platform Services: Revenue from the Cerfrance electronic invoicing platform (Factur-X PDP), which includes invoice payment services, user role management, and international invoice handling, all integrated into the Cerfrance Connect ecosystem.
8. Client Benefits and Partnership Programs (Cerfrance Avantages): Cerfrance Avantages provides negotiated discounts and benefits to 320,000 client-adherents across the national network through partnerships with Ford (vehicle purchases), Swile (meal vouchers), Bruneau (office supplies), and MiiMOSA (crowdfunding). Revenue is indirect, generated through member retention and network growth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cerfrance Poitou-Charentes provides accounting, tax, legal, payroll, HR, environmental, and digital advisory services to 13,000 small and mid-sized business clients across Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, and Vienne. Each client is assigned a dedicated accountant-advisor and business advisor, supported by specialists in fiscal, legal, social, environmental, IT, and wealth management domains. The firm also operates a DGFIP-approved electronic invoicing platform (Factur-X PDP) and offers a professional training catalogue.

Product overview

CERFRANCE Poitou-Charentes is a regional accounting and business advisory firm operating within the national Cerfrance network (52 entities, 700 agencies, 320,000 clients). Rather than a single software product, it offers a comprehensive service portfolio organized around accounting and management consulting, tax and legal advisory, payroll and HR services, administrative support, environmental and agricultural consulting, IT and digital services, business development, and professional training. The core client-facing digital infrastructure is Cerfrance Connect, a unified portal providing access to accounting documents, electronic invoicing via the Factur-X compliant platform, and integrated tools including Scan by Cerfrance, online payroll entry, cash books, and Devis Facturier Pro eXpert for quote/invoice creation. Specialized digital tools include Ma Gestion By Cerfrance for micro-entrepreneurs, Ma caisse by Cerfrance for point-of-sale operations, and Admineo 360° for administrative assistance. The company serves seven industry verticals: construction/artisan BTP, commerce/HCR, liberal professions/health, viticulture/Cognac, agriculture, oyster farming/conchyliculture, and equine activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comptabilité & Conseil en gestion (Accounting and Management Advisory) Ongoing bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, account review meetings, and activity management/piloting for SMB clients across all sectors.
• Conseil fiscal & Juridique (Tax and Legal Advisory) Corporate structuring, legal consulting, tax optimization, annual general meeting management, contract drafting, and transmission planning delivered by in-house jurists and tax specialists.
• Fiche de paie & Conseil RH (Payroll and HR Advisory) Payroll processing, social declarations, employment contract drafting, HR diagnostics, social audits, and HR advisory for client companies.
• Création & Reprise (Business Creation and Takeover) Support for business creation and takeover including choice of legal and fiscal status, financial forecasting (prévisionnel), financing aid, and founder status advisory.
• PAC & Conseil environnemental (CAP and Environmental Advisory) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP/PAC) declaration services, environmental diagnostic, agro-economic advice, organic conversion support, HVE certification assistance, and carbon footprint analysis.
• Informatique & Conseil digital (IT and Digital Advisory) IT audit, website creation, social media management, hardware/software sales, annual maintenance contracts, and digital transformation consulting.
• Gestion de patrimoine & Transmission (Wealth Management and Transmission) Wealth structuring, legal acts, and tax planning for business owner transmission and estate planning.
• Développement d'activité (Business Development Advisory) Project consulting, strategic development guidance, and growth advisory for SMB clients.
• Relations Humaines & Coaching (HR Relations and Coaching) Human resources relations, leadership coaching, and team management support for business leaders.
• Admineo 360° (Administrative Assistance Service) A polyvalent administrative assistant (employed by Cerfrance) deployed at client premises or remotely to manage digital invoice platforms, document scanning/archiving, billing and quotes, client file updates, payment tracking, and general administrative tasks. Engagement ranges from 8 hours/year to 8 hours/week.
• Formations du dirigeant (Business Leader Training) Instructor-led professional training courses for business leaders covering management, strategy, HR, environment, agronomy, and wealth management. Prices range from €245 to €7,500 per course. Qualiopi-certified and partially financed by OPCO or VIVEA.
• Plateforme de Facturation Électronique Cerfrance (Factur-X PDP) DGFIP-authorized Partner Dematerialization Platform (PDP) for electronic invoice emission, reception, and archiving in Factur-X/UBL/CII structured formats, compliant with French e-invoicing reform effective 1 September 2026. Includes payment services, user permission management, international invoice handling, and client reminder management.
• Veille Économique & Prospective (Economic Intelligence and Forecasting) An economic intelligence cell that produces sector-specific performance studies and trend analyses based on financial and economic data from agricultural client-adherents combined with external indicators (DRAAF, INSEE). Provides specialized reports in formats such as PDF guides and video indicators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97 out of 100 on the 2025 Gender Equality Index (Index Egalité Femmes-Hommes)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FordminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCerfrance has a national partnership with Ford through the Cerfrance Avantages program, offering client-adherents a complementary bonus of up to €1,000 HT per vehicle purchased, in addition to any dealer discount already applied, across the Ford dealer network of 800 concessions.
• SwileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough the Cerfrance Avantages program, Swile provides meal voucher services (titres restaurant) with card fees waived for client-adherents and their employees. This is offered as a client benefit through the national Cerfrance network.
• BruneauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCerfrance Avantages offers clients favorable commercial terms as major accounts — including a 14% discount across Bruneau's catalogue of 30,000 office supply references — through the national Cerfrance partnership.
• MiiMOSAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMiiMOSA provides participatory financing (crowdfunding) services for agricultural and food projects through Cerfrance Avantages, offering loans ranging from €15,000 to €200,000 for eligible projects in agriculture and food.
• Club Avantages (CSE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Club Cerfrance Avantages program gives member-adherents and their employees access to a network of 5,500+ partner merchants and 1,000,000+ CSE-style offers in leisure, travel, and daily life — functioning as a bundled employee benefits program for SMEs.
• DGFIP (Direction Générale des Finances Publiques)coreTechnology or IntegrationCerfrance operates a DGFIP-authorized Plateforme de Dématérialisation Partner (PDP) for electronic invoicing under the French mandatory e-invoicing reform (effective 1 September 2026). The platform handles Factur-X formatted invoices and is registered with DGFIP, constituting a core regulatory partnership.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCerfrance Poitou-Charentes has been recognized as a laureate of the ADEME program in 2025, supporting the company's capacity to advise clients on ecological transition, carbon footprint reduction, and sustainable agriculture practices.
• Réseau EquicercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCerfrance Poitou-Charentes participates in the Equicer network, a national specialized network of advisors for the equine sector. Equicer provides sector-specific benchmarking data (economic observatory), specialized methodologies, and peer networks for equine business advisors.
• Réseau NautilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCerfrance Poitou-Charentes works with the Nautil network of specialized advisors for shellfish farming (conchyliculture). Nautil provides specialized sector benchmarking (economic observatory), installation and subsidy guidance, and methodologies for oyster/mussel farming advisory.
• VIVEAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVIVEA is the French professional development fund for agricultural operators. Cerfrance training courses can be partially financed by VIVEA for agricultural clients, making training more accessible to farmer-adherents.
• OPCO (Opérateurs de Compétences)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOPCO are the French skills development operators that can finance training courses for employer-adherents. Cerfrance training catalogue explicitly notes that OPCO financing is possible for employers, reducing out-of-pocket training costs for business clients.
• DRAAF / INSEEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Veille Économique & Prospective cell at Cerfrance Poitou-Charentes uses data from DRAAF (regional agricultural directorate) and INSEE (national statistics institute) to supplement its own client data for sector benchmarking studies and economic trend analysis.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cerfrance (National Network): The parent associative network of 52 entities, 700 agencies, and 320,000 clients; Poitou-Charentes operates as one of its regional franchises, sharing brand, products (Cerfrance Connect, Factur-X PDP), and governance standards.
• Fiducial: Large French multi-disciplinary firm providing accounting, payroll, legal, and IT services to SMBs across France; comparable client profile, multi-office distribution model, and broad service portfolio.
• InExtenso: Major French accounting and advisory network (~250 agencies, 6,000+ collaborators) serving SMEs, artisans, farmers, and associations — a directly comparable mutualist-style competitor with strong agricultural exposure.
• Cogedis: French agricultural and viticulture-focused accounting network serving wine producers and farmers; directly comparable sector specialization and AGC-like structure in the rural advisory space.
• AS 64 (Association de Gestion et de Comptabilité des Pyrénées-Atlantiques): Sibling AGC-type accounting association serving agricultural and SME clients in southwest France; mirrors the AGC mutualist model, Ordre des Experts-Comptables registration, and sector specialization in farming and viticulture.

Emerging players

• Indy: French digital accounting platform for freelancers and very small businesses; overlaps with Cerfrance's micro-enterprise segment through automated bookkeeping and tax filing at a low monthly subscription price.
• Pennylane: French cloud-native accounting and financial management platform for SMBs and accountants; competes for the same micro/SME client base with a subscription SaaS model, automated bookkeeping, and modern UX.
• Dougs: French online accounting and financial management service for SMBs and self-employed; positioned as a digital alternative to traditional cabinets, with overlapping micro/SME target market.

Broad incumbents

• BDO France: Top-tier mid-market accounting and advisory network in France; comparable accounting, tax, and payroll service offering to mid-sized French SMEs across multiple regions.
• KPMG France: Big Four professional services firm in France; broad incumbent with audit, tax, and advisory capabilities serving mid-market and large enterprises — overlaps with Cerfrance's advisory services but at a different client scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/reseaux-sociaux
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cerfrance-poitou-charentes
• Xpoitoucharentes.cerfrance.fr/reseaux-sociaux

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 CERFRANCE Poitou-Charentes