Tax year-end checklist

Payroll year end checklist for Sage Payroll Professional.

This checklist helps you keep track of your year end tasks. This covers all task ranging from your payroll until submission to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). 

Use the interactive boxes, or print the list. Check off the tasks as you go.

Payroll Tax Year End Checklist

Preparation

1. Prepare and review company details and setup

   • Review company details and dates on the Basic Company Information screen
   • Review company setup 
   •  NOTE: The setup review includes the taxability, IRP5 codes, inclusion for SDL on all definition screens. 

2. Prepare and review employee records

   • Review your employees’ Information screens
   • NOTE:

     The review includes personal details, addresses, tax status and directives, employment dates and Employment Tax Incentive details.

     Review travel allowance and/or company car values and taxability (if applicable)
   • Review the medical aid beneficiaries of each employee (if applicable)
   • Review the retirement fund values of your employees (if applicable)
   • Run IRP5/IT3a Validation Report to review any outstanding information or errors

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Reconciliation

1. Reconcile payroll values and declarations

   • Generate EMP501 Reconciliation report
   • Reconcile to payroll values (PAYE, UIF, SLD and ETI) with monthly EMP201 declarations 

1. Export and validate Test Run certificates

   • Generate the Test Run file (IRP5/IT3a Report) on your payroll
   • Import and validate certificates in SARS e@syFile™ Employer

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Submission

1. Export and validate Live Run certificates

   • Generate the Live Run file (IRP5/IT3a Report) on your payroll
   • Import and validate the Live Run file into SARS e@syFile™ Employer

1. Submit EMP501 declaration and certificates to SARS

   • Complete your EMP501 declaration SARS e@syFile™ Employer
   • File and submit your EMP501 declaration and certificate to SARS
     
   • Review successful submission status on EMP501 Reconciliation Status Dashboard
   • TIP:

     Review the latest SARS e@syFile™ Employer Guide for steps to complete the submission.

1. Print final reports and backup

   • Print final reports for audit purposes
   • Activate 'Stop Further Entry' and review Ta year-end instance Access Control
     
   • Back up your tax year-end system

1. Distribute tax certificates to employees

   • Distribute tax certificates to all employees
   • Upload tax certificates to InfoSlips (if applicable)