VAT Return / VAT Report
Generate VAT return data for the UK, EU, and South Africa.
Anchor can generate VAT figures for the period from your ledger control accounts. Navigate to Tax → VAT Return (UK/EU) or Tax → VAT Report (South Africa).
ZA operators: Prefer Tax → VAT Report for filing prep (F4 / F14 / F20, exports, control accounts). Reports → Sales tax / VAT / GST return is a separate, simpler view and may not show the same PDF/CSV actions — a UX consolidation is tracked as GAP-VAT-10.
Disclaimer: VAT rules vary by country and change frequently. Always verify with a qualified tax professional before filing. Anchor does not submit returns to SARS, HMRC, or other authorities.
How it works
- Set up tax rates (ZA onboarding seeds Standard Rate 15%, zero, exempt, no VAT).
- Apply VAT rates on invoices (output) and bills/expenses (input). Journal automation posts VAT to control accounts 2200 (output) and 1500 (input).
- Open the VAT report and select the period and recognition basis.
- Anchor calculates the fields from posted journal movements (not only document lines).
South Africa (VAT Report)
For organisations with country ZA:
| Field | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| F4 | Output tax (VAT on supplies) | Movement on mapped Output VAT control (default 2200) |
| F14 | Input tax (VAT on purchases) | Movement on mapped Input VAT control (default 1500) |
| F20 | Net for the period | F4 − F14 (payable if positive, refundable if negative) |
| S1 / P1 | Supporting supplies / purchases ex-VAT | Invoice and bill subtotals only (not conversion journals) |
- Accrual (“when you record it”) or cash (“when money moves”) basis. Cash uses a ledger heuristic (payment/bank entries) — verify before filing.
- Drill-down on F4 and F14 to journal lines.
- Shows which control accounts are used (and links to Settings → Control Accounts).
- Warns when S1 is empty but F4 is not, or F14 is zero while F4 is not (common after conversion or missing input VAT postings).
- Date presets include This / Last 2 months (SA Category A style: Jan–Feb, Mar–Apr, …).
- Print, CSV, and Download PDF (multi-org safe).
- No HMRC boxes, no UK flat-rate scheme, no EU acquisition boxes.
- SARS disclaimer is always shown.
This is a simplified preparation report (see product ADR for SA VAT). It is not a full interactive VAT201 and does not eFile.
Conversion tip: Opening or conversion journals dated outside your tax period do not move F4/F14 for that period. Period VAT should come from posted detail (or period journals) inside the dates you select.
United Kingdom / EU (VAT Return)
For GB and EU organisations the report uses HMRC-style boxes 1–9, including optional flat-rate scheme, with drill-down on boxes 1 and 4.
Tips
- Reconcile and post documents before generating the report.
- Zero-rated and exempt supplies should not inflate F4 when rates post correctly (no VAT to 2200).
- Keep a copy of the export for your records.