As the OSS submission deadline approaches, let's take a look at the most common errors encountered when creating an OSS return.
Basic checklist
In general, whenever you encounter any uncertainty, verify these two steps:
1) Is your OSS set up correctly?
You can check this by following the guide we published previously.
The video tutorial explains what the One Stop Shop scheme is, how to configure it in Flexi, and how to perform a check.
2) Are you running the latest version of Flexi?
The current latest version is 2021.8.1, which includes bug fixes related to the One Stop Shop return.
If you do not have the new version, you need to update by downloading the installation package here (if you have a cloud licence, please contact support to request a priority version deployment; for a local instance, download the universal package to your local instance or server).
Frequently asked questions and answers
Once you have verified both points above, you can proceed to the FAQ:
1) Why is an invoice not included in the OSS return?
The most common reason an invoice is not included in the return is that the invoice does not have the correct posting rule — the posting rule must contain the OSS fulfillment code:
OSS applies exclusively to invoices issued to customers who are NOT VAT payers (in the menu Business Partners - Company Addresses, the "VAT Payer" checkbox must not be selected, and the VAT number must not be filled in on the invoice!!) — if the customer is a VAT payer, this is not the OSS scheme but standard Reverse Charge.
2) XML export ends with an application error or cannot be uploaded to the portal
If you are unable to generate an XML OSS return, you are using an old version of Flexi and need to update to version 2021.8 or later.
The XML file suitable for submission must be generated exclusively via the menu Accounting - Accounting Outputs - OSS Tax Return, where in the final step you check the "Return in XML" checkbox.
If you generate the XML from the OSS return detail by clicking the "two arrows" icon and then selecting "Export to XML", it will not be possible to upload it to the OSS portal, because this output is not intended for that purpose!
3) Where can I find the OSS output in PDF format?
PDF outputs are not currently available in Flexi. At this time, return items and lines can only be exported to XLS format from the detail view via the "two arrows" icon — Export to Excel (see point 2 above).
4) I don't want to set up a special document type for OSS — what can I do?
The recommended approach is to distinguish the document type between OSS and other invoices (it is not necessary to have a separate document type for each country).
However, if you do not want to differentiate document types, you can use the standard invoice document type and add a posting rule with the OSS fulfillment code — this will cause the invoice to be included in the OSS return (provided that all conditions are met, such as the customer being from another country, not being a VAT payer, and the invoice being dated after 1 July 2021).
5) I don't register customers in the address book — can I still include an invoice in the OSS return?
Yes, however the VAT number field must not be filled in for the customer, and the VAT country must be different from the Czech Republic.
6) The OSS return wizard does not show the option to generate an XML file.
This means you are running an old version of Flexi and need to update to version 2021.8 or later — see the basic checklist above.
7) Where can I find the OSS settings and return in the web interface?
Currently, OSS settings and the OSS return are only available in the desktop application.
8) What period does the OSS return cover?
OSS returns are submitted quarterly under the export scheme, and monthly under the import scheme.