Tax Invoices, Credit & Debit Notes
Tax Invoices, Credit & Debit Notes
Goal: issue the correct SARS-compliant document for a sale, and handle returns and corrections with credit/debit notes.
Issuing a tax invoice
- Open the submitted Sales Invoice.
- Click Print (or Print → preview).
- Choose the print format:
- SA Full Tax Invoice — shows the recipient's name, address and VAT number. Use this above the prescribed threshold, or whenever the customer is a VAT vendor who needs to claim input tax.
- SA Abridged Tax Invoice — for smaller supplies below the threshold.
- Download as PDF or print, and send to the customer.
The words "Tax Invoice", your VAT number, the customer details (for a full invoice), and VAT shown separately at 15% must all appear. If the customer's VAT number is missing on a full tax invoice, capture it on the customer master and reprint.
Full vs abridged — which to use
| Use… | When |
|---|---|
| SA Full Tax Invoice | Consideration above the full-tax-invoice threshold, or customer is a registered VAT vendor. |
| SA Abridged Tax Invoice | Smaller supplies below the threshold. |
Credit notes (sales returns / corrections)
To reverse or reduce a sale, raise a credit note rather than deleting the invoice:
- Open the original Sales Invoice → Create → Return / Credit Note (or create a Sales Invoice marked as a return).
- Confirm the (negative) amounts and VAT.
- Submit, then print using SA Credit Note.
The credit note carries negative VAT, which the VAT201 nets off in the period it falls in.
Debit notes (purchase side)
To adjust a supplier purchase upward (or record a supplier debit), use the purchase debit note flow and print SA Debit Note. See Purchase Invoices & Input VAT.
Why you can't delete documents
Submitted sales and purchase documents cannot be deleted — this protects the SARS audit trail. Always cancel and amend, or issue a credit/debit note, to correct something. This is intentional.
Next
Capture the buying side: Purchase Invoices & Input VAT.