Revenue & Debt
VAT Reconciliation Status
VAT input and output reconciliation against SARS submissions and refunds.
Keeping VAT defensible to SARS and the auditor
VAT is a material flow for most public institutions, and unreconciled input and output VAT exposes the entity to SARS penalties, lost refunds and audit findings on revenue and expenditure completeness. Tracking the reconciliation status of VAT against SARS submissions keeps both compliance and cash management under control. AuditPro Core reconciles VAT ledgers to declarations so differences are resolved before they become assessments.
The Numbers
AuditPro Core renders this view from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records. The figures below are illustrative sample data.
VAT Refund Due
R 24.6 m
from SARS
Unreconciled Periods
2
▼ Dec, Jan open
VAT Payable
R 11.2 m
next return
Reconciliation Differences
R 1.9 m
under investigation
Input vs Output VAT by Quarter (R m)
VAT201 Submission Log
| Period | Net VAT (R m) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Oct–Nov | -6.2 | Refund received |
| Dec–Jan | -8.1 | Unreconciled |
| Feb–Mar | 4.4 | Submitted |
| Apr–May | -3.7 | Submitted |
Figures shown are illustrative sample data for demonstration. AuditPro Core renders these views from your own tenant's live, tamper-evident records.
Input versus output VAT
Output VAT is charged on taxable supplies; input VAT is reclaimed on purchases. The net position determines whether the institution pays SARS or claims a refund, and both sides must reconcile to the ledger.
Reconciliation to submissions
Declared VAT must agree with the underlying accounting records. Differences between the VAT control account and the VAT201 returns indicate errors, timing differences or omissions that SARS may later assess.
Refund management
Where input exceeds output, the institution is owed a refund. Unreconciled or delayed claims tie up cash and may lapse, directly affecting liquidity.
Penalty and interest exposure
Under-declared output VAT or over-claimed input VAT attracts penalties and interest. Timely reconciliation is the control that keeps this exposure visible and small.
How AuditPro Core Bridges the Gap
- Ledger-to-return reconciliation: the VAT control account is reconciled to each VAT201 submission.
- Difference flags: unreconciled differences are flagged for investigation before the next return.
- Refund tracking: refund claims are monitored through to receipt so cash is not stranded.
- Traceability to source: declared figures link to the transactions that support them.
Key Takeaways
- The net of input and output VAT drives payment or refund to SARS.
- Ledger figures must reconcile to the VAT201 returns.
- Unreconciled refunds strand cash and can lapse.
- Timely reconciliation limits penalty and interest exposure.
See This on Your Own Data
AuditPro Core renders this dashboard from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records — every figure traceable to source.