Create a VAT Return

This explains how to create your VAT return, check the return is correct and ready for you submit to the Revenue.

Once you submit a VAT Return, you cannot make any changes. If you need to make adjustments, you must do this on the next VAT Return.

Create a VAT Return

  1. Go to Reporting, then click VAT Returns.
  2. Select Create VAT Return.
  3. Check the From and To dates are correct. Edit if required.
  4. Select Calculate.

  5. Choose whether to include transactions from an earlier period that weren't included in a previous VAT return.

    To check these transactions, select View Previous Transactions.

    Choose whether to include them on your VAT Return…

    Now - Include them on this return.

    Later - Ask me again when I run my next return.

    Never - Exclude them from all future returns. Choose this if the transactions have already been submitted to the Revenue. This could be from a return submitted from a different system.

  1. Check the values on the VAT Return are correct.

To check which transactions the VAT Return includes, click Detailed Report. The report shows the transactions included in each box on the VAT return. If you want to know more about how the values in each box are calculated, please see our How the VAT Return calculates article.

  1. If you want to adjust any values on the return, click Adjust next to the relevant box, then enter the amount you want to change the value by.

Enter a reason for the change, then click Save.

  1. To print the return, click *Print *, then choose to print or save the report from your browser menu.
  2. To print the detailed report, then click Detailed Report then click PDF.

Once the file has downloaded, from the menu bar, choose the relevant report.

You can then print the report from your browser menu.

  1. Select one of the following options:
  • Submit to Revenue by other means – If your values are correct and you’re ready to submit your return to Revenue, select this option. For more information about how to submit your return, please visit www.ros.ie
  • Save this return and submit it later – If you don’t want to complete the VAT Return yet, for example, because you want to check your values are correct, select this option. You can then return to the saved return at a later time to complete it.

You’ve successfully created your VAT Return. You can view the status of the return from the VAT Return list. Once you’re ready to do so, you can record a payment or refund of VAT from Revenue as appropriate.

The VAT Return status

The following table explains the different statuses that may appear against a VAT Return and what actions you can take for each one.

Status Recalculate Submit Delete Submit Later Pay
New Y Y N Y N
Submitted Manually N N N N Y
Draft – for submission later Y Y Y Y N
Paid N N N N N
Part paid N N N N Y

View an existing VAT Return

  1. Go to Reporting, then click VAT Returns.
  2. Click the VAT Return you want to view.

From here you can print the return and view the detailed report to see how the values on the return were calculated. Depending on the status, you can also recalculate the values and submit it to Revenue.

Recalculate a VAT Return

Provided you haven’t submitted the VAT Return to Revenue, you can recalculate the values on the return. For example, because you had to check the values on the VAT Return so you saved it for later, or perhaps you’ve entered additional transactions you need to include on the return.

  1. Go to Reporting, then click VAT Returns.
  2. Click the VAT Return you want to amend.
  3. If you’ve entered additional transactions or have changed the dates of the return, click Calculate.

Delete a draft VAT Return

If you need to delete a VAT Return, for example because you entered it in error and want to start again, you can do so as long as it's a draft VAT Return.

  1. Go to Reporting, then click VAT Returns.
  2. Click the delete button next to the relevant VAT Return, then click Yes when prompted.

The VAT Return is now deleted and if necessary you can calculate it again.