During fieldwork we regularly compare sales per the general ledger to VAT returns filed with the National Taxation Bureau. Differences of a few days around month-end are normal. Persistent gaps of whole invoices usually mean the sales cut-off policy is unclear or that credit notes were booked late.
Input tax is the other common surprise. Purchases booked without a valid uniform invoice cannot support a claim, yet they may still sit in expense. An audit does not replace a tax examination, but it will ask whether material claims are supported.
Export traders should keep shipping documents with the VAT zero-rating file. When bills of lading arrive weeks after the shipment month, finance sometimes books revenue early and VAT late, creating a temporary mismatch that looks like an error.
A short monthly bridge between the sales ledger and the VAT return, reviewed by someone other than the preparer, prevents most of these findings from reaching the management letter.