Overview
Tab Path: Tax > Tax Code List / Tax Item List
Tax codes and tax items are different, and both matter. A tax code is the selection users place on transactions, while the linked tax items carry the real VAT setup used behind the scenes.
This guide is based on the actual QBM tax setup forms, including the required fields and the validation rules users meet when saving.
Tax CodeThe transaction-facing choice used on sales and purchase activity
Tax ItemThe rate, category, agency, and liability-account setup record
ResultCorrect setup makes VAT review, return preparation, and payment much easier
Important A tax code cannot be saved cleanly without its required code and linked sales and purchase tax items when those fields are active.
Good practice Create the tax item first, then create the tax code that points to it.
Main Screens
| Screen | Tab Path | Use It For |
|---|---|---|
| Tax Code List | Tax > Tax Code List | Review active tax codes and open the code record for editing. |
| Tax Code Details | Tax > Tax Code List > Open | Create or edit the actual tax code with its linked sales and purchase tax items. |
| Tax Item List | Tax > Tax Item List | Review the tax items that hold VAT setup details such as rate and category. |
| Tax Item Details | Tax > Tax Item List > Open | Create or edit the tax item that stores percentage, agency, category, and liability account. |
Important Fields And Controls
| Field Or Control | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Tax Code Name | Required. QBM checks that the tax code name is not blank and is not a duplicate of an existing tax code name. |
| Tax Code Description | A plain-language explanation of when the tax code should be used. |
| Tax Code | Required short code. The form limits it to a short code value and users should keep it meaningful. |
| Taxable | Shows whether the tax code is meant to be treated as taxable. |
| Inactive | Hides the code from normal use while preserving history. |
| Sales Tax Item | Required when the sales tax item selector is active. This links the tax code to the output-side tax item. |
| Purchase Tax Item | Required when the purchase tax item selector is active. This links the tax code to the input-side tax item. |
| Tax Item Name | Required. The tax item itself is saved as a dedicated tax-type product record in QBM. |
| Category | Required. QBM stores the tax category on the tax item and new records default to SR when first opened. |
| Percentage | The VAT percentage on the tax item. QBM allows a value from 0 to 100. |
| Agency | Required. This is the vendor or authority record used as the tax agency. |
| Liability Account | Required. QBM uses this account when the tax item posts VAT liability. |
| Inactive (Tax Item) | Prevents the tax item from being used in daily work while keeping older activity intact. |
How It Works
- QBM stores tax items separately from tax codes so the business can reuse the same underlying VAT setup with cleaner transaction-facing choices.
- When users choose a tax code on a transaction, QBM uses the linked sales tax item or purchase tax item to determine the real VAT behavior.
- The tax item also holds the UAE tax category, the percentage, the tax agency, and the liability account that feed later VAT review and reporting.
- QBM validates tax item setup strictly: the agency, category, and liability account are all required, and the system warns if the selected liability account is already used elsewhere.
Recommended Setup Order
- Create or confirm the tax agency vendor record first if it does not already exist.
- Create the tax item and choose the correct category, percentage, agency, and liability account.
- Create the tax code and link the correct purchase and sales tax items.
- Test the new tax code on a sample transaction before opening it to broad use.
Why this order matters If the tax item is not ready first, the later tax-code setup cannot point to the correct sales and purchase tax items.
Recommended Workflow
- Open Tax Item Details and create the underlying tax item first.
- Enter the tax item name and description, then confirm the category, percentage, agency, and liability account.
- Save the tax item and confirm it appears correctly in the Tax Item List.
- Open Tax Code Details and create the tax code that users will actually select in transactions.
- Enter the tax code name, code, taxable status, and linked sales and purchase tax items.
- Save the tax code and test it on a sample sales or purchase transaction before full rollout.
Best Practice
- Keep tax code names business-friendly so users understand when to use them.
- Do not reuse the wrong liability account just because the rate is similar.
- Inactivate retired codes and items instead of deleting historical structure.
- Review tax-code and tax-item setup before each reporting period if rates or treatment changed.