KRA tax automation
Tax reporting and KRA workflows for Kenyan businesses
Prepare VAT, PAYE and withholding tax records from the transactions your team already manages in VisionONE. Review the supporting reports, reconcile differences and give the authorised filer a clear set of records for iTax.
New to electronic invoicing? Read what KRA eTIMS is and how it works and the eTIMS and ERP integration checklist.
VAT records & reports
Review sales and purchase tax records, relevant credit notes and the invoices supporting each reporting period.
PAYE & payroll outputs
Connect payroll tax summaries to the approved payroll records and employee details your reviewer needs.
Withholding tax tracking
Review tax deducted against supplier payments, with remittance references and certificate records kept in view.
eTIMS reconciliation
Compare ERP invoice records with available eTIMS information. Investigate missing or mismatched documents before filing.
Period review & exceptions
Keep the reporting period, source totals, adjustments and unresolved differences together for your finance team.
Evidence & filing hand-off
Prepare supporting reports for review. Your authorised team confirms the figures and submits the return on iTax.
Tax reporting connected to VisionONE ERP
Discuss your tax reporting workflowOn this page
Part of VisionONE ERP
From source transaction to tax report
From the transaction
to a reviewed filing pack.
Follow one fictional reporting period through source records, separate tax schedules, review and the iTax hand-off. Keep responsibility visible at every stage.
Stage 1 of 4 · Source
Start with the period and its source documents.
The fictional September review pack has KES 16,000 of sales VAT recorded and KES 6,000 of purchase VAT recorded. These are invented report entries, not amounts calculated from statutory rates. Keep the invoices behind the figures.
Illustrative record
- Review pack
- TAX-DEMO-010
- Period
- September 2026
- Recorded sales VAT
- KES 16,000
- Recorded purchase VAT
- KES 6,000
Stage 2 of 4 · Group
Keep each tax type with its own records.
Group VAT invoice records, payroll PAYE and withholding deductions separately. The example also records KES 14,500 of PAYE and KES 6,000 of withholding income tax. These amounts belong to different review schedules and are not added into one tax liability.
Illustrative record
- VAT schedule
- Invoice records
- PAYE recorded
- KES 14,500
- Withholding recorded
- KES 6,000
- Combined tax liability
- Not calculated
Stage 3 of 4 · Review
Review the schedules before accepting a total.
Compare the ERP period records with their supporting invoices, payroll and remittance evidence. The VAT entries have an arithmetic difference of KES 10,000. Input-tax eligibility, adjustments and other return items still need a separate reviewer decision.
Illustrative record
- Sales less purchase VAT
- KES 10,000
- Reviewer
- Named finance owner
- Supporting records
- Review required
- Return amount due
- Not established
Stage 4 of 4 · Hand-off
Give the filer the reports and the decisions.
The finance reviewer resolves the differences and approves the supporting schedules. The authorised filer then confirms the current iTax return, submits it and retains the acknowledgement and relevant payment evidence. Preparing a report does not complete filing.
Illustrative record
- Prepared reports
- VAT · PAYE · withholding
- Review owner
- Your finance team
- Submission owner
- Authorised filer
- Filing evidence
- Not generated here
Fictional figures illustrate report review, not a statutory calculation, tax liability, product screenshot or filed return. No tax rates, taxpayer PINs, certificates or filing acknowledgements are invented.
VAT, PAYE and withholding tax reports
Know what sits
behind each period’s figures.
Tax reporting software in Kenya should help the reviewer trace figures to their source records. Keep VAT, payroll and withholding schedules distinct, with the decisions behind each total.
Explain the invoice records behind the schedule.
The example records KES 16,000 of sales VAT and KES 6,000 of purchase VAT. Their KES 10,000 arithmetic difference is a review figure. It does not establish allowable input tax or the amount payable on a return.
- Recorded VAT difference
- KES 10,000Illustration only · eligibility and adjustments not modelled
| Record to review | Amount |
|---|---|
| Recorded sales VATSource invoice schedule | 16,000 |
| Recorded purchase VATEligibility still needs review | 6,000 |
| Arithmetic differenceNot the final return liability | 10,000 |
Confirm source invoices, credit notes, reporting periods and relevant eTIMS information. The reviewer determines which inputs and adjustments belong in the actual return.
Trace payroll tax back to the approved payroll.
PAYE reports from payroll software should be reviewed with the relevant employee and payroll records. This fictional schedule contains two payroll groups whose recorded deductions total KES 14,500; it does not apply tax bands or employee reliefs.
- Recorded PAYE total
- KES 14,500Two fictional payroll groups
| Payroll group | Recorded PAYE |
|---|---|
| Group AAnonymised payroll sample | 8,000 |
| Group BAnonymised payroll sample | 6,500 |
| Schedule total | 14,500 |
Review employee details, the payroll period, deductions and authorised changes before filing. Ask to see the actual supported payroll tax outputs during the demo.
Keep the deduction and certificate trail together.
The fictional withholding income tax schedule records KES 6,000 deducted: KES 3,000 has a certificate record in the review pack and KES 3,000 still needs certificate or remittance follow-up. Certificate status does not recalculate the deducted amount.
- Recorded withholding
- KES 6,000Certificate follow-up: KES 3,000
| Payment record | Deducted | Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| PAY-DEMO-ASupplier record A | 3,000 | Recorded |
| PAY-DEMO-BSupplier record B | 3,000 | Follow-up |
| Deduction total | 6,000 |
Match each record to the payer, payee, relevant obligation, period and remittance evidence. Keep withholding VAT and withholding income tax in their appropriate schedules.
The figures are invented educational records. These panels are not an iTax export or a VisionONE report screenshot. Ask to see an anonymised supported report, its source transactions and the review process your team will use.
VAT and invoice reconciliation
A report total needs
the right invoice evidence.
Bring sales, purchase and credit-note records into the same period review. KRA’s auto-populated VAT return guidance requires taxpayers to verify the figures; reconcile the available return data with your own records before filing.
- Match invoices and credit notes to the correct source record and reporting period.
- Compare ERP records with available eTIMS information and the current VAT return data.
- Review purchase eligibility and document support before accepting an input-tax figure.
A recorded purchase is not automatically an allowed claim.
Invoice support, relevant buyer details and applicable eligibility conditions need review. Keep missing or mismatched records with an owner and a documented next step rather than assuming the ERP total is the final return figure.
Compare source invoices and relevant returned details with the records used to prepare the tax review.
Confirm the current reporting requirements using official guidance for the obligation and period being reviewed.
Review the current return, confirm the figures and submit on iTax. Retain the filing acknowledgement and payment evidence separately.
The software prepares and supports the review. Filing and approval responsibilities remain with your authorised team.
Review responsibilities and iTax hand-off
Keep the preparer,
the reviewer and the filer clear.
VisionONE prepares the tax figures and supporting reports. Your team reviews the records and files the return on iTax. Agree the people responsible for each step, so a prepared schedule is not mistaken for a completed submission.
Prepare the period’s supporting pack
Bring the relevant invoices, approved payroll outputs, supplier deduction records and available certificates together. Identify unresolved differences and the source of each report.
Name the reviewer and record decisions
Assign a finance or tax reviewer to confirm the obligation, reporting period, applicable treatment and adjustments. Record why a figure changes and who approved it.
Confirm filing and retain the evidence
The authorised filer reviews the current iTax return and submits it. Keep the acknowledgement, remittance records and supporting schedules with the period’s review pack.
Statutory update process
Make every change
worth checking.
Tax rules and report requirements can change. Agree how your team verifies official guidance, updates configuration and checks the affected outputs before they are used.
Effective dates and reporting period
Use the applicable rule and configuration for the period under review. Record the effective date of a change before it reaches the tax calculations.
Official reference and review owner
Assign a named tax-content reviewer. Keep the official KRA reference or relevant rule with the decision and configuration change.
Configuration and sample testing
Review tax codes, payroll settings and report mappings. Test a permitted sample and investigate unexpected results before approving a configuration change.
Invoice and ledger reconciliation
Compare the tax schedules with the underlying source documents and relevant ledger balances. Explain period cut-offs, credit notes and adjustments.
Withholding certificate follow-up
Track the deduction, remittance evidence and certificate against the relevant supplier record. Keep missing references available for follow-up.
Release, training and support scope
Agree who applies updates, how the affected reports are checked and who receives support questions. Confirm the update process in your implementation scope.
Connected tax and ERP records
Keep the source,
the ledger and the report together.
Choose the invoice, payroll and finance workflows around the reporting records your team needs to review.
Start with your reporting responsibilities. Agree which reports the software prepares and which people review and file them. If you also need professional accounting support, discuss the service scope alongside the software requirements.
Scope, data and setup
Reports, configuration
and rollout.
Agree the reports, connected modules, data preparation and responsibilities first. Use a reconciled period to review the setup before your team relies on the outputs.
Prepare the records and report list
Bring the tax obligations, relevant chart of accounts, invoice samples, payroll outputs and supplier deduction records. List the reports and reconciliation checks your team needs.
Agree mappings and review roles
Confirm the reporting period, tax-code mappings, certificate references and named reviewers. Review actual supported outputs using an anonymised sample.
Reconcile a pilot period
Compare the prepared reports with source documents and ledger records. Resolve exceptions and confirm the human review, filing and evidence-retention process before wider use.
VAT, eTIMS & iTax
Input and output VAT, eTIMS records and iTax
VisionONE helps finance teams reconcile VAT, revenue, and expenses against eTIMS records and investigate discrepancies. VisionONE connects to KRA through GavaConnect APIs to bring in iTax VAT data and withholding tax certificates (paid and received) for reconciliation. GavaConnect is KRA's official Enterprise API platform (developer portal: developer.go.ke).
Use the period review to compare:
- Output VAT (sales) in VisionONE with eTIMS revenue for the same period
- Input VAT (purchases) in VisionONE with eTIMS expenditure (supplier invoices that carry your PIN)
- Those figures with the iTax VAT data brought in through GavaConnect, and with the auto-populated VAT information in iTax, which your authorised team must still verify before filing
A difference is a prompt for review, not a filed return. VisionONE does not file iTax returns automatically.
Withholding certificates paid and received
VisionONE connects to KRA through GavaConnect APIs to bring in withholding tax certificates (paid and received) for reconciliation. Review certificates you have paid (issued when you withheld tax) and certificates you have received, together with the supplier or customer, period, amount and remittance evidence. A software record does not replace a KRA-issued certificate.
Related guides
Read how to reconcile VAT, eTIMS and iTax, or review invoice submission on KRA eTIMS integration. These controls also sit in internal controls in VisionONE.
Questions, answered
Before your
tax reporting demo.
Bring the reports you prepare today and one difference you need to explain. Confirm the source records, outputs, review responsibilities and support your team needs.
How does VisionONE help reconcile input and output VAT with eTIMS and iTax?
VisionONE helps finance teams reconcile VAT, revenue, and expenses against eTIMS records and investigate discrepancies. VisionONE connects to KRA through GavaConnect APIs to bring in iTax VAT data and withholding tax certificates (paid and received) for reconciliation. Compare output VAT with eTIMS revenue and input VAT with eTIMS expenditure, then review the iTax VAT data. Your authorised team files the return. VisionONE does not file iTax returns automatically.
Can VisionONE help with eTIMS revenue and eTIMS expenditure?
Yes. In this context eTIMS revenue means your sales invoices and credit notes in eTIMS, and eTIMS expenditure means supplier eTIMS invoices against your PIN. VisionONE helps you compare those records with the VAT figures in the ERP and investigate differences.
Does VisionONE bring in withholding certificates from iTax?
Yes. VisionONE connects to KRA through GavaConnect APIs to bring in withholding tax certificates (paid and received) for reconciliation. A software record does not replace a KRA-issued certificate. Your authorised team still reviews the figures and files returns on iTax.
Does VisionONE file iTax returns automatically?
No. VisionONE’s published scope says it prepares the tax figures and reports. Your authorised team reviews the information and files the return on iTax. Report preparation does not by itself submit a return or generate a filing acknowledgement.
Which reports does the system prepare?
The published scope includes VAT records and summaries, PAYE and payroll tax outputs, withholding records and certificates, and period reconciliation and exception reports. Confirm the actual supported report fields and output formats against your requirements during the demo.
Who reviews and submits returns?
Agree a named finance or tax reviewer and an authorised filer within your team or an explicitly scoped professional service. The reviewer resolves treatment and reconciliation questions; the filer confirms the current return and submits on iTax.
How are withholding certificates tracked?
VisionONE describes certificate tracking against recorded withholding deductions. Review the relevant supplier or payee, obligation, period, deduction and remittance reference together. Follow up missing certificates; a software record does not replace an actual KRA-issued certificate.
How do VAT figures relate to eTIMS?
Reconcile the source invoices and credit notes with the relevant eTIMS information and the available VAT return data. KRA’s auto-populated return guidance requires the taxpayer to verify the figures. Input-tax eligibility and any missing or mismatched records need review before filing.
How are statutory changes handled?
Confirm the update process in your proposal. Name the person who reviews official guidance, records effective dates and approves configuration changes. Agree sample testing, affected-report checks and support responsibilities rather than assuming an unattended update process.
What should we bring to a tax reporting demo?
Bring an anonymised period’s invoice records, approved payroll summary, withholding schedule and sample certificates. Include one reconciliation difference and the reports you need to prepare, so the demo can show both routine review and exception follow-up.
See it with your records
Bring one period.
Follow the figures to their source.
Review your invoice, payroll and withholding records alongside the reports you need. Include one exception so the demo covers the decisions behind a reviewed filing pack.
A focused demo around your reporting work, with no obligation.