Vendors describe eFiling support in language that covers a wide range of behaviour. It is worth being precise about what the options actually are, because the difference is measured in hours.
Three levels of support
Level one: a correct report
The system produces a VAT201 report with the right figures in fields that correspond to the return. Someone opens eFiling, types the figures in and submits. This is what Xero, QuickBooks Online, Zoho Books and most international packages do.
It is not a problem for a single company. It is roughly fifteen minutes a period, and the risk is transcription error rather than calculation error.
Level two: transfer
The system pushes figures into eFiling so the return is populated and you review and submit. This is what Sage Accounting and Sage 50cloud Pastel do for VAT201.
For an accounting practice this is the meaningful difference. Forty returns a period at fifteen minutes each is ten hours, six times a year.
Level three: full submission with acknowledgement
The system submits and stores the acknowledgement against the period. This exists in the payroll world, where e@syFile handles the employer submissions, but no small business accounting package we assess does it end to end for VAT.
Payroll is a different story
On the payroll side, the picture is better. e@syFile is SARS's own employer application, and every credible South African payroll produces an import file for it. SimplePay, PaySpace, Sage Pastel Payroll, Sage Business Cloud Payroll, PaySoft and Payroll Online all do.
The test worth applying is whether the file validates in e@syFile on the first attempt. Systems that produce files requiring correction turn a one hour job into a day, twice a year. Ask a vendor's existing customers about this specifically rather than asking the vendor.
What to ask a vendor
Use precise language, because "integrates with SARS" is a claim that covers all three levels above.
- Does the VAT201 transfer to eFiling, or is it captured manually?
- Does the IRP5 file validate in e@syFile without correction, and can you show me a recent one?
- Do you produce IT14SD supporting schedules?
- How quickly do you release compliance updates after a budget change to the VAT rate or tax tables?
That last question matters more than it sounds. When tax tables change, a payroll vendor that ships the update in the week is worth paying for. One that ships it a month later has cost you a correction run.
A practical recommendation
If you are a business filing your own returns, level one support is fine and you should choose your accounting package on other criteria. If you are a practice filing on behalf of clients, transfer capability is worth real money and it is a legitimate reason to standardise your client base on one system.