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Finalizing and Submitting a VAT Return

Step-by-step guide for finalizing a generated VAT return and recording submission details honestly in the current Beam Machine workflow.

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Finalizing and Submitting a VAT Return

This page shows you how to move a generated VAT return from draft to finalized, then record the submission reference without overstating the current Beam Machine flow.

Product: Beam Machine
Module: Tax / VAT Periods and VAT Returns
Role: Accountant, Tax Preparer, Finance Lead
Difficulty: Intermediate
Time: 5 to 10 minutes once the return is ready
Last Updated: 2026-03-10
Version: Current Beam Machine app build in this repo

Before You Start

  • You need access to Tax -> VAT Periods.
  • The VAT return must already be generated.
  • You should have completed your internal VAT review before finalizing.
  • Read 05-generating-a-vat201-return.md if the return does not exist yet.

Current build status: The Finalize and Submit actions live on VAT Periods. The VAT Returns route is still the place to review the generated VAT201 and later see the stored SARS reference.

What does finalizing and submitting mean here?

Finalizing means locking the return into a review-ready state inside Beam Machine. Submitting means recording the submission state and the SARS reference number after the real filing step has been handled through your actual SARS process.

When do you use this?

Use this after the VAT201 has been generated and reviewed, and when the return is ready for internal sign-off or filing-trail capture.

If you finalize too early, reviewers may treat unfinished numbers as ready. If you click submit without a real SARS reference, your tracking record becomes unreliable.

Where to find it

Primary path: Finance -> Tax -> VAT Periods
Review route: /dashboard/tax/vat-returns
Action route: /dashboard/tax/vat-periods

How to finalize a VAT return

  1. Open Tax.
  2. Click VAT Periods.
  3. Find the VAT period you want to finish.
  4. Check the action shown on that row.

āœ… Checkpoint: If the row still shows Generate, the return is not ready for this task yet.

  1. If the row still shows Generate, stop and complete 05-generating-a-vat201-return.md first.
  2. If the row shows Finalize, click Finalize.
  3. Wait for the page to refresh.
  4. Confirm the row now moves out of the draft state and offers Submit as the next action.

How to record submission

  1. Complete the actual SARS filing and internal approval steps outside Beam Machine.
  2. Return to Tax -> VAT Periods.
  3. Click Submit on the finalized row.
  4. In SARS Reference Number, enter the real reference exactly as received.
  5. Click Submit to SARS.
  6. Wait for the dialog to close and the page to refresh.

āœ… Checkpoint: The row should no longer be waiting for submission on the VAT Periods screen.

  1. Open Tax -> VAT Returns.
  2. Find the same period in VAT Periods & Returns.
  3. Confirm the Return Status and SARS Ref now reflect the recorded submission state.

What happens next: Beam Machine stores the return status and SARS reference in its VAT data. Treat the external filing proof and working papers as your primary evidence trail.

Common Questions & Issues

"I cannot see a Finalize button"

Why this happens: The period is either still open with no generated return, or it has already moved past draft.

Fix: Check the row status first. Generate the return if needed, or confirm whether it is already finalized.

"I clicked Submit to SARS, so BM filed it for me"

Why this happens: The button label sounds like direct filing.

Fix: In the current BM workflow, use this step as recorded submission tracking. Do not treat it as proof of a live SARS integration unless your environment has been separately verified.

"I submitted it, but I cannot see the SARS reference on VAT Periods"

Why this happens: The VAT Periods table does not show a SARS reference column.

Fix: Open Tax -> VAT Returns and check the SARS Ref column there.

What's Next

Related Pages

SA Compliance Reference

  • Use Beam Machine to support VAT control and tracking, but keep your filing proof, working papers, and formal sign-off in your normal tax record set.

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