Issue an EFD receipt (VEFD)

What this is and why it is required

In Tanzania, every sale must produce a TRA-registered EFD receipt. This is not optional — it is a legal requirement. Businesses that do not issue EFD receipts face TRA fines.

Traditionally, this required a physical EFD machine. VEFD (Virtual EFD) is the software alternative — instead of a device, you issue receipts through software that connects directly to TRA via the Simplify API. Amaniq handles this connection for you.

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Before you can issue EFD receipts

You need Simplify VEFD credentials. These are obtained by registering with Simplify at simplify.co.tz. Once registered, you receive a username and password which you enter in Amaniq under Settings → VEFD Settings.

Guide to setting up VEFD →

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How to issue an EFD receipt

1. Create a tax invoice and mark it as Paid. How to mark as paid →
2. From the invoice list, find the paid invoice and click Issue EFD Receipt (the button appears once the invoice is marked paid).
3. A confirmation dialog appears showing:
   • The invoice amount in TZS (if the invoice was in a foreign currency, you see the converted TZS amount)
   • The customer's TIN (if applicable)
   • The tax type (Standard VAT, Zero-Rated, Exempted, etc.)
4. Click Issue Receipt.
5. Amaniq sends the data to Simplify, which registers it with TRA and returns a verification code.
6. The invoice status changes to EFD Issued. The verification code and a link to TRA's portal appear on the invoice.

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What the invoice PDF shows after EFD issuance

Once an EFD receipt is issued, the invoice PDF is updated to include:

• The EFD verification code
• The TRA receipt number (Z-number)
• A QR code linking to TRA's verification portal
• The date and time the receipt was issued

This is the document you send to your client as their official receipt.

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Special case: foreign-currency invoices with VAT

If your invoice is in USD or EUR and includes standard VAT (18%), Amaniq will show a warning before submission:

"TRA may dispute VAT charged in a foreign currency. Please confirm that VAT applies to this transaction."

You must check a confirmation box before the Issue Receipt button becomes active. This is intentional — TRA sometimes questions VAT on foreign-currency transactions, and you should be aware before submitting.

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What happens if issuance fails

Simplify occasionally returns errors (network timeouts, server issues on TRA's side). Amaniq handles these cases:

• On a 5xx server error: Amaniq re-checks by your invoice reference to see if the receipt was actually issued despite the error. Sometimes TRA processes the request but returns an error message anyway.
• On a timeout: You see a clear error message. Wait a few minutes and try again.
• On a field rejection: Amaniq shows the specific field TRA rejected. Usually this means a TIN format issue or a missing field.

If issuance keeps failing, check Settings → VEFD Settings to see the last error and whether your credentials are still valid.

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What you cannot do

• You cannot issue an EFD receipt for a Draft or unpaid invoice. The invoice must be marked Paid first.
• You cannot re-issue an EFD receipt for an invoice that already has one (to prevent double-registration with TRA). If you made an error on a receipt, contact Simplify support.