Stop losing your export VAT refund in scattered folders: documents and amounts in one file
In an export VAT refund, the money depends on bringing together every export transaction's documents and amounts, complete and consistent with the customs exit. Sighthem's VAT refund tracking software collects the export-linked invoice, the customs declaration, the shipment and the collection data into one file, and prepares it for clean handover to your accountant and certified public accountant (YMM). Sighthem does not provide accounting advisory; it feeds the file and lets you track the refund process on the same screen as the rest of your export operation.
Collecting export-linked documents and amounts
The foundation of an export VAT refund is bringing together the documents and amounts of each exit transaction; a single missing document delays the file. Sighthem centers this collection on a per-transaction basis.
- Collect the export invoice, the COMMERCIAL INVOICE output and the UBL-TR e-invoice record in the same file as the related shipment and order
- Match the customs declaration and GTIP details to the related invoice, and never lose which document belongs to which transaction
- Link shipment documents such as the packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin to the same transaction card, keeping the file pieces in one place
- Keep each transaction's refund-relevant amount in the record, getting a single per-transaction view instead of a scattered spreadsheet
Preparing the YMM file: complete handover to your accountant
Your accountant and certified public accountant prepare the refund file; your job is to hand over the raw documents complete, tidy and with the correct amount. Sighthem organizes this compilation before handover.
- Collect the export transactions that fall in the refund period into one list, seeing clearly which transactions enter the file per period
- Export each transaction's invoice, customs declaration and shipment document together, giving your accountant a tidy folder rather than scattered files
- Mark each document as missing, ready or revised, and see which one is incomplete before you hand over the file
- Feed export amounts and currency data from a single source, preventing the figure your accountant uses from conflicting with the figure on the document
Tracking the refund process: always know where each period stands
A refund does not finish in one go; it advances period by period, missing documents get completed and the process waits. Sighthem keeps which period is at which stage visible.
- Link each refund period to its export transactions, tracking whether the file is being compiled, handed over or waiting per period
- Update the transaction as missing documents are completed, seeing clearly which part of the period file is still open
- Tie refund amounts to the export transaction, keeping which collection belongs to which shipment and period in one place
- Get approaching handover and file-completion tasks as notifications, and do not leave a missing document to the last day
Documents consistent with the customs exit: no exit, no refund
The basis of the export exemption is the goods actually leaving the country; the invoice amount being consistent with the customs exit is a precondition for the refund. Sighthem preserves this consistency at the record level.
- Keep the export invoice in the same transaction as the customs declaration and GTIP, catching conflicts between an invoice line and a declaration line early
- Record shipment, package and pallet data together with the lot, ensuring the actual exit quantity matches the quantity on the document
- Keep the delivery terms and Incoterm in a single source fed from the order, preventing delivery-term inconsistency across documents
- Include transactions whose exit is complete in the refund file, and avoid mistakenly adding a shipment that has not yet left to the period
Collection and account visibility: refund and currency inflow on one screen
The refund process is not separate from collection; the export proceeds arriving and the refund being awaited are part of the same account picture. Sighthem links the refund status to the order and current account.
- Link the export proceeds collection to the related shipment and order, seeing which transaction's payment has arrived and which is waiting
- Track the expected refund amount per transaction, reading your total refund expectation for the period from one place
- Keep payment methods such as letter of credit, cash against documents and advance on the order, seeing the collection flow and the refund file in the same transaction
- Report every stage from lead to collection, and see which market and which buyer's turnaround affects the refund period
Documents fed from the previous step: copy errors disappear
A VAT refund file is not an isolated folder; it sits in the same flow as the quote, order, shipment and invoice. Once data is entered correctly, it carries cleanly into the following documents.
- Enter customer, product and amount data once at the proforma stage, carrying it into the order, shipment and invoice without retyping by hand
- Produce the export COMMERCIAL INVOICE and the UBL-TR e-invoice in line with the GIB schema, filling line-level GTIP and origin details according to the schema
- Feed shipment and lot data from a single source, keeping the quantity in the refund file consistent with the quantity on the shipment document
- Collect all correspondence, calls and documents on a single customer card, sparing you from hunting for a document the refund needs in your email archive
Access, mobile and team: the right person sees the right document
In the refund process, operations, accounting and the external advisor work together; not everyone needs to see every document. Sighthem brings the team onto the same data with role-based permissions and mobile access.
- Give operations, accounting and sales teams separate access with stackable permission presets, and control who sees which document
- Get an installable app experience on your phone with the mobile PWA, and see transaction and document status instantly while in the field
- Keep documents and amounts in a single workspace, with tenant isolation preserved so data never leaks across workspaces
- Turn a buyer you met at a fair directly into a Lead with business-card OCR, opening the customer record where the refund flow begins
In an export VAT refund, the most common causes of a delayed file are amount and quantity inconsistencies between the invoice and the customs declaration, a missing shipment document and adding a transaction whose exit is not yet complete to the period. Collect documents and amounts per transaction, consistent with the customs exit, and review missing documents with a checklist before handing over to your accountant.
When documents and amounts live in one file per transaction, the manual refund compilation your team kept in spreadsheets disappears; because a tidy set goes to your accountant rather than a scattered folder, returns caused by missing documents and file delays drop.
The refund file is built at the moment of shipment, not at handover. Link every export transaction to the same card with its invoice, declaration and shipment document at exit; by period-end the file is already compiled, and your work with your accountant goes into checking rather than hunting for documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does VAT refund tracking software track?
VAT refund tracking software collects the documents and amounts needed for an export VAT refund in one place, per transaction: the export invoice and COMMERCIAL INVOICE, the UBL-TR e-invoice record, the customs declaration and GTIP, shipment documents such as the packing list and bill of lading, the refund-relevant amount and the related period. Sighthem keeps this as part of the export operation, so you need no separate spreadsheet and you see a missing document before you hand over the file. Sighthem does not calculate the refund itself or make the official application; it feeds the file complete and tidy.
Does Sighthem provide accounting advisory or file the refund application itself?
No. Your accountant and certified public accountant (YMM) prepare the export VAT refund file and run the application. Sighthem does not provide accounting advisory and does not submit the official application; it makes your part easier, namely collecting the raw documents and amounts complete, tidy and consistent with the customs exit. It collects the period's export transactions into one list, exports each transaction's invoice and documents together, and shows missing documents. This way you hand your accountant a ready-to-work set rather than a scattered folder.
How are documents kept consistent with the customs declaration and invoice?
The basis of the export exemption is the goods actually leaving the country and the invoice amount being consistent with the customs exit. Sighthem keeps the export invoice in the same transaction as the customs declaration and GTIP, letting you catch conflicts between an invoice line and a declaration line early. Because shipment, package and pallet data are recorded together with the lot, the actual exit quantity stays consistent with the quantity on the document. You also avoid mistakenly adding a shipment whose exit is not complete to the period, because the transaction status is visible in the record.
Is the refund file connected to the rest of my order, shipment and invoice?
Yes, a VAT refund file is not an isolated folder. Customer, product and amount data are entered once at the proforma stage and carried into the order, shipment and invoice without retyping by hand. The export COMMERCIAL INVOICE and the UBL-TR e-invoice are produced in line with the GIB schema, with line-level GTIP and origin details filled according to the schema. Because shipment and lot data are fed from a single source, the quantity in the refund file does not conflict with the quantity on the shipment document. Since data is entered correctly once, copy errors between documents disappear.
How do I see where each period stands and which documents are missing?
Sighthem links each refund period to its export transactions, so you track whether the file is being compiled, handed over or waiting per period. Each document is marked as missing, ready or revised, so you see clearly which part of the period file is still open. Notifications fire for approaching handover and file-completion tasks, so you do not leave a missing document to the last day. You track the expected refund amount per transaction and read your total refund expectation for the period from one place.
Is Sighthem a separate VAT refund program, or part of the platform?
Collecting documents and amounts for an export VAT refund is part of Sighthem's foreign trade operations platform, not a bolted-on separate tool. The same platform also includes lead finding, proforma, orders, customs declaration and GTIP, shipment and multi-warehouse, lot traceability, letter of credit and document tracking, UBL e-invoice and reporting. So you do not have to move data into a separate application to compile the refund file; the whole flow runs on one screen. You can try the platform free for 14 days on the PRO plan and test it on a real flow without giving card details.
Manage the document and amount collection for your export VAT refund together with the rest of your foreign trade operation on one platform. Try Sighthem free for 14 days on the PRO plan, no card required.
Start a 14-day PRO trial · Export CRM · Best foreign trade software · See pricing