KRA eTIMS Integration for Your Business System: What to Know

The Kenya Revenue Authority's eTIMS (electronic Tax Invoice Management System) changes how many businesses issue invoices. If you invoice manually through KRA's own tools, the change may be simple. But if your business generates invoices from its own system, such as a POS, an ERP, a school or hospital system, or an online store, those invoices need to work with eTIMS. Here is what business owners should understand before planning an integration.

What is eTIMS?

eTIMS is KRA's platform for generating, validating and transmitting tax invoices electronically. It is designed to improve tax compliance and make invoice data available to KRA in real time or near real time. Invoices issued through eTIMS carry details that allow verification.

Who needs to think about integration?

• Retailers and distributors issuing invoices from a POS or ERP.
• Online stores generating invoices automatically for each order.
• Schools, hospitals and service providers billing from their own management systems.
• Any business issuing large volumes of invoices where manual entry is impractical.

Small businesses issuing occasional invoices may use KRA's direct eTIMS tools instead of an integration. Check the current options and obligations for your business with KRA.

What integration options exist?

KRA provides options for businesses to connect their systems to eTIMS for system-to-system invoicing, including online and virtual sales control unit approaches designed for different types and volumes of business. The right option depends on your system, transaction volume and how invoices are issued. Requirements and technical specifications are set by KRA and can change, so always work from KRA's current documentation or with an approved third-party integrator where required.

What does an integration typically involve?

1. Assessment: how and where your business issues invoices today.
2. Choosing the integration route appropriate for your system and volume.
3. Registration and setup with KRA for the chosen route.
4. Development: connecting your billing system so each invoice is submitted and the response is stored.
5. Data mapping: customer PINs, item classifications, tax categories and amounts.
6. Testing in KRA's testing environment where available.
7. Go-live and monitoring for failed submissions.

Which data needs attention?

Data	Why it matters
Customer KRA PINs	Required on many business-to-business invoices
Item details and classification	Products and services must be described consistently
Tax categories	Correct VAT treatment for each item
Credit notes	Returns and corrections must be handled properly
Invoice references	Storing eTIMS response details for audit

What should happen when a submission fails?

Connectivity issues and data errors happen. A robust integration queues failed submissions, retries automatically, alerts staff to errors that need correction and keeps a log of every submission and response. Do not leave failed invoices unnoticed.

How does eTIMS affect online stores?

An online store that issues invoices or receipts automatically for each order needs those documents generated in line with eTIMS requirements. The store, payment confirmation (such as M-Pesa) and invoicing should be connected so a paid order produces a compliant invoice without manual steps. Read automating M-Pesa reconciliation.

How should you prepare before development starts?

Most integration delays come from data, not code. Before development, clean up your product and service list so each item has a consistent name and tax treatment, collect KRA PINs for business customers, and agree with your accountant how credit notes, discounts and partial payments should be handled. Decide who on your team will monitor failed submissions once the system is live. This preparation makes testing faster and reduces corrections after go-live.

What should you ask a developer or integrator?

• Which eTIMS integration route do you recommend for our system and why?
• Have you completed eTIMS integrations before?
• How will failed submissions be handled and monitored?
• How will credit notes and returns work?
• Do we need an approved integrator for our route?

Example: a distributor's billing system

A distributor issues hundreds of invoices a week from its custom ordering system. After reviewing KRA's integration options with its accountant, it connects the system so each invoice is submitted automatically, the response is stored with the invoice, failed submissions are retried and flagged, and credit notes follow the same flow. Staff no longer re-enter invoices manually, and records are ready for audit.

Plan your integration

Our software development team integrates billing, POS and ERP systems with external services, working with your accountant and KRA's current requirements. Read also API integrations explained.

This article is general information, not tax advice. Confirm obligations for your business with KRA or a qualified tax adviser.