Integration questions
Will an ERP connect directly to SARS or through a service provider?
Where an ERP connector may sit in South Africa's proposed five-corner Digital VAT Model, and what remains undecided.
Direct answer
For most ERP teams, the sensible design assumption is an interface to a service provider rather than a hard-coded direct SARS connector. SARS's proposed five-corner model places providers between supplier and buyer systems, with a separate SARS role. That is an architecture to plan around, not proof that a specific production route or provider accreditation is available today.
Source: VAT Modernisation FAQ (South African Revenue Service).
What matters in practice
- Do not assume a direct production SARS API exists for every ERP.
- Keep the ERP contract separate from provider-specific transport and credentials.
- Record who owns invoice status, rejections and corrections.
Where the connection could sit
The five-corner proposal names a supplier, a supplier-side provider, a buyer-side provider, a buyer and SARS. An ERP creates or receives the commercial transaction; a provider can handle structured exchange and related reporting duties. The exact permitted routes depend on later rules.
A connector that can survive a policy change
Give each invoice a stable identifier, preserve the original tax calculation, and expose an explicit status history. Put format translation, network delivery and acknowledgements behind a separate integration boundary. If SARS changes a schema or provider rule, that layer can change without rewriting order entry.
- Inventory outbound invoices and inbound supplier documents.
- Test rejection and retry paths with synthetic data.
- Keep raw requests and responses for reconciliation, subject to retention and privacy requirements.
What not to promise a customer yet
A demo between an ERP and middleware is not a certified SARS integration. Ask any vendor which part is live today, which part is a prototype, and which claims depend on unpublished SARS specifications.
Questions for a provider shortlist
- Which invoice statuses return to the ERP?
- Who corrects rejected documents?
- Can the provider export an audit trail if we switch systems?
Questions teams ask
Is there a final SARS e-Invoicing API for ERP vendors?
The consultation describes a future model, but it is not a final production API specification. Check the latest SARS publications before committing to an endpoint.
Should we choose one service provider now?
You can evaluate providers and build a replaceable integration contract now. Treat accreditation and production interoperability as open questions until SARS publishes the applicable rules.
Sources: VAT Modernisation FAQVAT Modernisation consultation paper. Used for factual background only.