Interface exceptions
In my last email, I included a summary of the common problems experienced
with taxpayer registrations done using the new interface. These
exceptions are causing huge frustrations for firms and SARS e-Filing have
not responded with satisfactory explanations for some of the issues.
Alistair Schmahl and Liza Pretorius from ELB Group have conducted their own
investigations and provided the following explanations which they have
proven in their firm:
- 1. Tax Payer not submitted by this user
- SARS e-Filing indicated that the most likely cause for this exception is a problem with the Security Rights.
- The ELB team found that this was not the only cause as the error
also arises when there are differences in the taxpayer details between the SARS Web site
(Organisation details) and e-Tax (Client Maintenance). Check the
following details: Client Name, Surname, Initials, Title, ID or Co
Registration Number, Year End, Taxpayer Type.
- They successfully registered taxpayers that had this error once these key fields matched.
- 2. Invalid PTAXAreaID
- Compare the Tax Office number attached to the taxpayer on the Web
site to the Receiver code for the Tax Office attached to the Client in
e-Tax.
- Invalid e-Tax Receiver codes can be changed under e-Tax | Maintenance
| Receiver.
- 3. PTAXReferenceNum xxxxxxxxx already exists
- Check the Web Site to see if the taxpayer has been manually de-activated for the Provisional Tax Type. Tick the Provisional
Tax Type on the SARS website to re-activate.
- The Taxpayer could be in the "Transfer" process awaiting authorisation on the SARS Web site.
Deal with the transfer request.
- 4. Nil Returns not accepted by SARS e-Filing Interface
- The SARS e-Filing interface is responding with exceptions for certain
Nil returns whereas the same returns can be captured on the SARS web site.
- This matter has been reported to SARS e-Filing, but at the time of
sending this email, we have not received any indication if or when the
issue will be addressed.
- For Individuals, the IRP6 submission is rejected if the Paye amount
exceeds the Tax Due for the Period or if the Rebate Amount exceeds the Tax Payable
for the year.
- For any taxpayer having an assessed loss the SARS interface
responds with a message indicating: Server was unable to process
request ---> The ...ESTIMATE_TAX element has an invalid value according
to its data type... This indicates that a negative Taxable Income is not accepted by the interface.
A new option has been added on the IRP6 submission screen for Assessed
Losses as these are now excluded by default.
- 5. No Return received when Request Returns
- The Request Return function must complete successfully in order to update an electonic signature that will allow the submission of the IRP6 returns.
- Where a IRP6 Return (Estimate) has not been received for a Taxpayer
via the interface, the submission will need to be done manually or on
the SARS web site.
Analysis Letters and Cheque Payments
We have discovered that some taxpayers have attached the provisional tax
cheque to the Analysis letter and sent this off to their SARS office in the
post. In addition, certain SARS offices are requesting taxpayers to fill in
an IT42 Receipt form for the provisional tax payment.
We have made representations
to SARS to facilitate the handling of these payments and the outcome has
been positive. SARS head office has notified us that taxpayers
will not be turned away if they make their payment by cheque using the
Analysis letter or similar document containing the Payment Reference Number.
Consultants will be available so assist taxpayers to complete the IT42
Receipt Advice. Taxpayers
should be reminded that they can make tax payments using EFT or Deposits at their own banks.
As indicated in our n01 release, the analysis letter was developed to allow
firms to advise the taxpayers about their tax liability. I also mentioned
at our workshops that it is not a SARS sanctioned document. Please ensure
that taxpayers do not confuse this document with the IRP6 form.
Request Tax Types
Many firms are using the Request Tax Types function on the Organisations menu
to request other Tax Agents to release specific taxpayers. However,
firms are not responding to the many requests from other Tax Agents for them
to release taxpayers linked to their profiles.
Please note that the interface is not able to access the Transfer Tax Type requests
(to other tax agents) that appear on the SARS web site. These will
need to be printed from the web site and manually deactivated in e-Tax.
Note that the Termination status and e-Tax Services flag for the client may
need to be updated as well.
e-Filing Interface Build 2010.0.1.26 changes
| ID |
Change Details |
Build |
| 1 |
Added a change to limit the length of the
"Trading AS" field to 70 characters. When this field exceeded 70
characters it caused the failure of the taxpayer registration. |
2010.0.1.26 |
| 2 |
Made a change to the rounding
of Paye and Foreign tax to mitigate the IRP6 submission
rejections due to a rounding difference of 1 cent when compared to
the SARS calculations. SARS will also implement a change to
accept a rounding difference of up to 2 cents. |
2010.0.1.26 |
| 3 |
Fixed the error with the "Refresh Selection
List" action for IRP6 Submissions when the control setting for the
Tax Entries Validation for eFiling is activated. This
affected the IRP6 submission preview when the Payment Type "Electronic" is enabled. |
2010.0.1.26 |
| 4 |
Changed the menu description for "Resign
IRP6 Tax Type". This used to be called "Alter Tax Type".
Also added a warning to indicate that "This function will resign
Provisional Taxpayers from your e-Filing profile". |
2010.0.1.26 |
| 5 |
Exclude Provisional Returns having Assessed
Losses from the IRP6 Submission Preview list. A new option to
"Include Assessed Losses" has been added to include these records
which are now excluded by default. |
2010.0.1.26 |
e-Tax 7.03n06 changes
| |
n06 Change Details |
| 1 |
Fixed the printing of the Analysis Report from the
Efiling reports menu to remove the error with "ProvRatingInc". |
| 2 |
Enable the selection of the eFiling Method for the
function to "Flag Provisional Returns Ready for Submission". This
option was incorrectly disabled when Tax Entries validation is not
activated. The effect was to cause e-Filing records to be omitted
from the selection grid. |
| 3 |
Added a button under Client Maintenance | Efiling
tab to Deactivate a client for e-filing. This function must
only be used to update e-Tax for Tax Types transferred on the SARS
Web site.
Use the e-Filing interface
function to 'Resign IRP6 Tax Type' in order to initiate a
Deactivation from e-Tax to the SARS Web site. |
The following Guides are available in the e-Filing interface installation zip file:
- GreatSoft eFiling Interface Setup Guide - Release 2010.pdf
- GreatSoft eFiling Interface User Guide - Release 2010.pdf
- GreatSoft e-Filing Interface Profile Setup Guide.pdf
- GreatSoft IRP6 e-Filing Training Preparation.pdf
SARS introduced certain rule and procedural changes for this provisional tax period, and these changes have been adapted
in our software based on feedback from users. Unfortunately these changes have happened during the busy e-Filing season, and may have impacted your ability to register to e-File returns as easily as you would have liked.
The GreatSoft e-Filing interface works to the specifications and were passed by
the SARS quality assurance procedures. As the e-Filing season has progressed, more changes have been required to allow users of
new e-Filing interfaces to register and file returns. These have been done and delivered almost on
demand as the need arose.
SARS have committed to improve these processes for the next run in February. Until then GreatSoft assures you of our best support at all times and if you have any suggestions on how to improve the process please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
GreatSoft works within the framework and specifications provided by SARS, and can in no way be held responsible for non compliance in any way.
Compliance with the Tax laws and rules remains the responsibility of Accounting Firm.
Thank You
Imtiaz Lorgat
|
