Check a changed or deviating VAT rate
Updated
The task "VAT rate changed" (MwSt.-Satz geändert) comes in two variants. Both report a change or a deviation in VAT rates that you should check. On the dashboard both appear as "Tax rate: shop deviates from the confirmed matrix".
- TriggerEU rate changed or shop deviatesmonthly TEDB sync or a new document
- You check"Check product", "View invoice", "Tax rates"prices, category, tax class in the shop
- Then"Mark as done"never closes on its own
What happened
| Variant | Meaning | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| "EU VAT rates changed (TEDB): …" | The monthly sync with the EU database found a rate that moved. Rechnungskit has already applied it in your matrix. | Check prices and product categories in the countries listed |
| "Your shop charges … %, the confirmed tax matrix … %" | For a category and a country you set a rate yourself, but your shop charges a different one. | Decide whether the matrix or the shop is right, and fix the wrong side |
Variant 1: an EU rate has changed. Once a month, Rechnungskit compares the VAT rates with the European Commission's official database (Taxes in Europe Database, TEDB). If a rate has changed, Rechnungskit writes the new rate into your matrix automatically. Rates you set yourself stay unchanged. The task lists the old and the new rate per country and category. In the "To review" tab it appears as "Review task". The account owners also get an email.
Variant 2: your shop deviates from the confirmed matrix. You set a rate yourself for a category and a country, but your shop charges a different one. Rechnungskit issues the documents with your confirmed rate. The task counts how many documents are affected, names the most recent one and up to eight products. There is one open task per combination of category and country.
Why Rechnungskit stops here
Rechnungskit never silently takes over a rate from your shop. If you confirmed a rate yourself, that rate applies. Your shop may then show customers a different price or tax amount than the invoice.
After a change in the TEDB, new documents use the new rate automatically. Prices calculated gross may no longer be right, and your shop may still charge the old rate.
How to resolve it
- Open the task from the dashboard or under Invoices in the "To review" tab.
- After a TEDB change, check whether your prices in the countries listed need adjusting and whether the products sit in the right category. You see the new rates under Settings → Tax rates. If your shop also switches to the new rate, adjust the tax class there.
- If the shop deviates, decide who is right. If the matrix is right, correct the tax class in the shop. If the shop is right, change the product's category ("Check product") or the rate under "Tax rates". "View invoice" opens the most recent affected document. These three buttons are in the "To review" tab. The dashboard shows only one of them: "Check product", or "View invoice" when no products are named.
- Documents already issued stay as they are.
- Once everything is checked, click "Mark as done" in the "To review" tab. Closing the task counts as your acknowledgement.
When the task closes on its own
Never. While variant 2 is open, it counts up with every further deviating document. After you close it, the next deviation opens a new task.
Related settings
- Settings → Tax rates: matrix of category × country, TEDB refresh
- Products → All products: tax category per product
Where to find it in the app
Rechnungskit is not a tax advisory or law firm. This article explains general principles and does not replace advice from a tax advisor (Steuerberater, § 5 StBerG) or a lawyer (§ 3 RDG). Rechnungskit is built for businesses based in Germany and prepares documents, tax rates and bookings automatically. How your specific case is treated remains your decision, ideally together with your tax advisor or a lawyer.