CIS setup page
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General
The general CIS/RCT information. Hover over a field to read a short description. Two fields are important when you create the retention periods.
- Starting date - specifies the date from which retension tax should be in effect ant the first tax retention period will be based on this field.
- Period No Series - Must be added to be able to create the tax periods.
Posting
When you select Tax Treatment Status on the Vendor card, these CIS Business posting groups apply: • Higher Rate – For vendors is subject to the higher deduction rate. • Standard Rate –For vendors with the standard deduction rate. • No Deduction – For vendors where no tax deduction applies.
HMRC data
In the HMRC Data fast tab you enter the data you should provide as a contractor.
Required fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Accounts Office Reference No. | This is 13 characters, like 123PX00123456 or 123PX0012345X. It will be on letters from HMRC about PAYE and when you registered as an employer. |
| Contractor UTR | This is 10 characters, like 1234567890. It might just be called ‘tax reference’. You can find your UTR number: in your Personal Tax Account, in the HMRC app, on previous tax returns and other documents from HMRC (for example, notices to file a return or payment reminders). |
| Tax Office Number | This is 3 characters, like 123. It is the first three digits of the Employer PAYE reference. If your Employer PAYE reference is 123/AB456 the Tax Office number is 123. |
| Tax Office Reference | This is 5 characters, like AB456. It is the last five digits of the Employer PAYE reference. If your Employer PAYE reference is 123/AB456 the Tax Office reference is AB456. |
| Sender ID | The user ID for the account used to log in to the HMRC online services. |
| Password Value | The password for the account used to log in to the HMRC online services. |
Field Format Definition
Use the Field Formats feature (found under the Related action group) to define and validate the structure of input fields required for CIS submissions. This helps ensure compliance with field requirements and prevents submission errors.
Each format is defined in the FormatStr field using symbolic characters and optional length rules.
Supported Symbols
| Symbol | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| # | A digit (0–9) | 123 |
| @ | A letter (A–Z, case-insensitive) | ABC |
| ? | Any alphanumeric character | A1, B7 |
Additional characters such as /, -, or space can be used as fixed separators and must match exactly in the input.
Fixed-Length Format
Each symbol corresponds to one required character. The input must match the pattern exactly in length and character type.
Examples:
- ### → Exactly 3 digits
- @@@ → Exactly 3 letters
- ?? → Exactly 2 alphanumeric characters
- ###/@@@ → 3 digits, slash, 3 letters (e.g., 123/ABC)
Variable-Length Format
To support variable lengths, add a range using curly braces {min,max} after a single symbol. This allows variation in the number of characters.
Examples:
- #{5,8} → 5 to 8 digits
- @{2,3} → 2 to 3 letters
- ?{1,10} → 1 to 10 alphanumeric characters
Tip
You can only use one symbol type within a{min,max} range. Mixed symbol blocks like @#{2,5} are not supported.Current Limitations
- Mixed type ranges @#{2,5} are not supported
- Concatenated variable blocks (e.g., @{2,3}-#{3,4}) are not supported
- Use fixed-length formats for strict pattern validation
- Use variable-length formats for more flexible input
Validation is applied automatically to the linked input fields, helping enforce data accuracy in CIS submissions.
Posting groups
Posting setup
The posting setup for all combination of what you buy and from whom, and the retention % for each combination. The combinations are contained of various CIS/RCT Business and CIS/RCT Product Posting Groups. They are crucial for accurate financial management, ensuring that deductions and settlements are appropriately recorded in the General Ledger.
Note
The field Exempt should only be selected if no retention tax is applied. No entries will be created, and the lines on this combination will be excluded from all reporting. Use with caution.Buisness posting groups
The code you select on the Vendor card for the use of retention tax, and for identifying each retention entry in the CIS/RCT Entries.
Product posting groups
The codes for CIS/RCT to be selected on item card, G/L account, resource, fixed asset card and directly on the purchase lines, for identifying each retention entry.
Categories
The codes for different tax categories of labour or materials. The categories can be set on each product posting group and will be saved on the entries for reporting purposes.
Reporting
Return periods
The Return periods work similarly to VAT periods. They define a structured timeline for calculating and managing retention taxes and are required for processing CIS/RCT postings. Tax periods are generated based on:
- Starting Date
- Period No. Series
- Period Calculation Type
Tax periods usually follow the accounting periods, but they may have different start dates. When you create a new fiscal year, Return periods will automatically be created. If you forget to create the tax periods, the system generates the period automatically.