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Filings

Overview​

The Filings page is the core of the filing process, providing comprehensive access to all filing records and their management. A Filing is the central concept in Abacus. It represents a single tax return for a specific entity, in a specific jurisdiction, for a specific time period (e.g., a monthly VAT return for a UK company). Each filing is a container for all the transaction data and actions related to a single tax return.

Core Concepts​

Filings and Filing Types​

There are different Filing Types, which define the kind of tax return being filed. Each filing type has its own set of rules and a specific workflow. The filing type determines the structure of the tax return, the data that needs to be collected, and the validation rules that are applied.

Available Filing Types
  • VAT Return
  • Intrastat
  • ECSL - EC Sales List
  • ECPL - EC Purchase List
  • ECSPL - EC Sales and Purchase List
  • Control Statement
  • SAF-T Report - Standard Audit File for Tax
  • APD
  • Annual Return
  • VAT Payment
  • Annual Recapitulative Statement
  • Spesometro
  • Mini One Stop Shop
  • Import One Stop Shop
  • One Stop Shop
  • SII
  • Form 394
  • RTIR
  • Sdl
  • Client Listing
  • GUI
  • Simplified VAT Return
  • E-Invoicing
  • Green Tax Return
  • Sales Tax Return
  • ES Form 036
  • ES Form 347
  • Digital Service Tax Return
  • Intrastat Services
  • Local Sales Tax Return
  • Lease Tax Return
  • SUTS Return
  • Sales Tax Prepayment
  • Property Lease Tax Return
  • Income Tax Return
  • Plastic Tax Return
  • SSUT Return
  • Financial Tax Filing
  • Excise Duty Filing
  • Lease Tax Prepayment

Filing types are highly configurable in Global Settings. Here are some of the key configuration options:

  • internal_review_check_required: If this is enabled, the filing must go through an internal review step before it can be sent to the client or filed.
  • payment_applicable: This determines whether a payment is expected for this type of filing.
  • draft_return_applicable: This indicates whether a draft return should be generated for this filing type.
  • correction_allowed: This flag controls whether filings of this type can be corrected after they have been filed.

Filings can also be categorized as:

  • Standard: A regular, periodic filing that is part of your normal compliance cycle (created via obligations).
  • Retrospective: A filing for a past period that was not filed on time. This allows you to catch up on your compliance obligations.
  • Correction: A filing that corrects a previously filed return. This is used to amend a return that has already been submitted to the tax authorities. See Correction Process for detailed information.

Filing Status and State Flow Versions​

Each filing moves through a series of statuses, from its creation to its submission. This lifecycle is called the Filing State Flow. Abacus has a default state flow, but it can be customized for different filing types and jurisdictions using a State Flow Version.

A State Flow Version is a configurable flow that defines the sequence of states a filing goes through. For example, a workflow can be configured to:

There are two main types of flows:

  • Processed Flows: In a processed flow, Abacus automatically processes your transaction data to generate the tax return using the Transaction Wizard.
  • Non-processed Flows: In a non-processed flow, the tax return is prepared manually, and Abacus is used to manage the workflow and submission.

Learn more about State Flow Versions and how they control filing workflows.

Tasks

Abacus uses a Task system to guide you through the compliance process on the filings. When a filing transitions to a new state, a set of tasks are created for the users who are responsible for that filing. These tasks tell you what you need to do next and are visible in the Filing Modal.

Examples of tasks include:

  • Review Draft Return: A task for a user to review the draft tax return that has been generated.
  • Approve Filing: A task for a client to approve a filing before it is submitted.
  • Make Payment: A task to remind a user to make a payment to the tax authorities.

When a filing moves to a new state, the tasks from the previous state are automatically cleared, and new tasks for the current state are created. This ensures that the task list is always up-to-date and relevant.