Generate and Reconcile the New Zealand GST Report

Use the New Zealand GST Report to prepare an invoice-basis GST return from submitted transactions, review the Inland Revenue boxes, resolve filing blockers, reconcile the result to the GST ledger, and record the final payment or refund.

NexWave calculates Boxes 5 to 15 in the order used by Inland Revenue. It also groups source-document warnings, identifies eligible Customs GST claims, and produces working papers for your filing review. Submitting the report in NexWave locks the reviewed figures, but does not send the return to Inland Revenue. You must still file the return in myIR.

New Zealand GST Report showing the filing status and statutory return fields

This guide explains how to prepare and review the report in NexWave. Confirm tax treatment and filing decisions with your accountant or tax adviser.

Before you start

Confirm that:

The company is configured with the correct GST templates and GST control accounts.
Sales Invoices, Purchase Invoices, Credit Notes, Debit Notes, and relevant Journal Entries for the period are submitted.
Source transactions use recognised GST classifications, such as standard-rated, zero-rated, exempt, export, import, or Customs GST.
Supporting evidence is available for Box 9 adjustments, manual Box 13 adjustments, and Customs GST claims.
The period does not overlap another active New Zealand GST Report for the same company.
You have Accounts User permission to prepare a draft. An Accounts Manager is required to submit, cancel, or amend the report.

The report currently supports the Invoice accounting basis only. Do not use it as the statutory return for a business that files on the payments or hybrid basis.

Understand how NexWave classifies transactions

NexWave builds the return from submitted source documents in the reporting period. It uses recognised GST templates and line classifications to place each amount in the correct statutory box.

A header-level standard-rated classification acts as a default. A recognised classification on an item row overrides that default for the row. This matters for mixed invoices containing standard-rated, zero-rated, exempt, export, import, or Customs lines.

The following situations need particular attention:

A standard-rated line without posted GST is a filing error.
A zero-value standard-rated invoice produces an advisory warning rather than a missing-GST error.
A standard-rated header with no posted GST is accepted only when recognised non-GST item classifications cover the full invoice base. Partial coverage remains a filing error.
Posted GST without a recognised classification is excluded from the statutory calculation and blocks submission.
An unclassified sale blocks submission. An unclassified purchase with no posted GST is a warning because it may affect the purchase totals.
Supported GST-treated Journal Entry rows can contribute to the return. Unsupported direct postings to GST control accounts block submission.
Credit Notes and returns reverse the relevant source amounts.

Correct source transactions where practical, then recalculate the report. Do not use a manual adjustment simply to force an unclassified transaction into the return.

Step 1: Create the report

Go to Accounting > New Zealand GST Report.
Click Add New Zealand GST Report.
Select Company.
Set Accounting Basis to Invoice.
Enter Period Start Date and Period End Date.
Save the report.

The first save calculates the report. After changing, submitting, or cancelling a source transaction, return to the draft and click Recalculate Report.

Step 2: Check filing readiness

Read the filing panel near the top of the report before reviewing the numbers.

Filing status	Meaning
Ready to file	No unresolved blocking errors remain. Complete the financial review before submitting.
Submission blocked	One or more source, evidence, classification, or reconciliation errors must be resolved.
Submitted	The reviewed report is locked in NexWave. Filing in myIR is still a separate action.
Submitted with filing override	An authorised user submitted with unresolved errors and recorded the reason and evidence.
Cancelled	The report no longer represents the active filing record.

When submission is blocked, click Review validation warnings or open the Validation Warnings tab. Warnings are grouped by source so that you can open the affected transaction, correct it, and recalculate once rather than working through repeated messages.

Validation Warnings grouped by source and issue type

Treat an error as a filing blocker. Treat a warning as a review item that may be acceptable when the source and evidence support it.

Step 3: Review Boxes 5 to 15

Review Statutory Return in Inland Revenue order.

Box	What NexWave reports	What to check
Total sales and income (BOX 5)	Recognised standard-rated sales plus recognised zero-rated and export sales.	Confirm the broad sales total is complete and excludes exempt activity.
Total zero rated supplies (BOX 6)	Recognised zero-rated and export sales.	Confirm valid zero-rated and export transactions use the correct classification.
Taxable sales and income (BOX 7)	Recognised standard-rated sales.	Review mixed invoices and Credit Notes for correct line treatment.
GST Collected (BOX 8)	Box 7 multiplied by 3 and divided by 23.	Compare with Posted Output GST in the ledger reconciliation.
Adjustments on GST collected (BOX 9)	Supported manual debit adjustments.	Enter only a non-negative supported adjustment and complete its type, explanation, and evidence reference.
Total GST collected on sales and income (BOX 10)	Box 8 plus Box 9.	Confirm manual adjustments were not already included in a source transaction.
Purchases and expenses (BOX 11)	Recognised eligible standard-rated purchases.	Confirm zero-rated, exempt, import, and Customs claim lines are excluded.
GST Credit (BOX 12)	Box 11 multiplied by 3 and divided by 23.	Compare with ordinary input GST in the ledger reconciliation.
Manual other credit adjustments (BOX 13)	Supported manual credit adjustments.	Enter only a non-negative supported adjustment and complete its type, explanation, and evidence reference.
Automatic Customs GST (BOX 13)	Eligible Customs GST identified from submitted source transactions.	Review the claim rows and provide the report-level evidence reference.
Total credit adjustments (BOX 13)	Automatic Customs GST plus supported manual Box 13 adjustments.	Check that a manual adjustment does not duplicate an automatic claim.
Total GST credit on purchases and expenses (BOX 14)	Box 12 plus Box 13.	Confirm ordinary input GST and adjustments are complete.
Net GST (BOX 15)	The absolute amount payable or refundable.	Use Box 15 Result to confirm Payable, Refund, or Nil.

Expand Supporting Breakdown to review informational totals for all sales, all purchases, exempt activity, zero-rated activity, exports, and imports. These totals help explain the statutory boxes, but are not extra boxes to file.

Step 4: Review source records and adjustments

Use the report tabs to trace the calculation:

Sales Records separates standard-rated, zero-rated, export, exempt, and unclassified sales.
Purchase Records separates standard-rated purchases, imports, zero-rated, exempt, and unclassified purchases.
Unclassified brings unclassified sales and purchases together for correction.
Validation Warnings groups errors and warnings by source.

Open a linked source document when an amount is unexpected. Check the document date, status, tax template, line classifications, net amount, GST amount, and whether it is a return.

For a Box 9 adjustment, enter Adjustments on GST collected (BOX 9) and complete Box 9 Adjustment Type, Box 9 Adjustment Explanation, and Box 9 Evidence Reference.

For a manual Box 13 adjustment, enter Manual other credit adjustments (BOX 13) and complete Manual Box 13 Adjustment Type, Manual Box 13 Adjustment Explanation, and Manual Box 13 Evidence Reference.

Both adjustments must be non-negative. If a transaction can be corrected at source, correct it there instead of using a manual adjustment.

Step 5: Review Customs GST claims

Positive eligible Customs GST lines flow automatically to Automatic Customs GST (BOX 13). They are excluded from Boxes 11 and 12 so that the credit is not counted twice.

Under Customs GST Support:

Enter Customs Claim Evidence Reference for the supporting import or Customs documents.
Review Customs GST Claims against the evidence.
Confirm each claim posts directly to a configured purchase GST control account.
Confirm the source does not also use an Actual GST tax row for the same claim.

A positive claim without evidence, an unsupported posting, or a negative Customs claim blocks submission. If automatic Customs GST and a manual Box 13 amount are both present, investigate the Possible Double Claim warning before filing.

Step 6: Reconcile the return to the GST ledger

Review GST Ledger Reconciliation after checking the statutory boxes.

Customs GST support, Box 15 result, and GST ledger reconciliation

Field	Review
Posted Output GST	GST posted to the configured output GST account during the period.
Box 8 to Posted Output Variance	Difference between statutory output GST and the posted output GST.
Posted Input GST	GST posted to the configured input GST account during the period.
Box 12 + Automatic Customs Box 13 to Posted Input Variance	Difference between the source-calculated input claim and posted input GST. Manual adjustments are excluded from this comparison.
Net GST Ledger Movement	Net movement across the configured GST accounts.
Net Source Return to Ledger Variance	Difference between the source return and the GST ledger movement.
Reconciliation Rounding Tolerance	Accepted source-document rounding range.

Resolve unexplained material variances before filing. A small source-document rounding difference within the configured tolerance may remain as a warning. Direct or unsupported GST account postings require investigation and normally block submission.

Step 7: Correct issues and recalculate

For each filing blocker:

Open the linked source transaction from Validation Warnings or the relevant records tab.
Correct, submit, cancel, or amend the source transaction as required.
Return to the GST report.
Click Recalculate Report.
Recheck the filing status, statutory boxes, record tabs, Customs support, and ledger reconciliation.

Recalculation rebuilds the derived report rows. This removes stale rows when a previously included source transaction has since been cancelled.

Step 8: Export working papers and submit

Before submitting, use Download to retain the review evidence you need:

Excel Workbook contains the statutory return, record details, validation results, evidence fields, reconciliation, and calculation methodology.
GST Records CSV exports the calculated transaction records.
Validation Warnings CSV exports the grouped review issues.

Complete the final review checklist below, then click Submit.

Submission is normally blocked while errors remain. Filing Override is an exceptional, manager-reviewed path for a filing that cannot wait. An authorised Accounts Manager or System Manager must tick Allow Submission With Unresolved Errors and record both Override Reason and Override Evidence Reference. The override is retained in the report and workbook.

Do not use the override as a substitute for correcting source data or completing the review.

Step 9: File in myIR

Submitting in NexWave does not transmit the return to Inland Revenue.

Open the submitted report and the saved working papers.
Sign in to myIR.
Enter Boxes 5 to 15 exactly as reviewed.
Use Box 15 Result to confirm whether the return is payable, refundable, or nil.
Complete the myIR declaration and filing process.
Retain the NexWave report, workbook, source evidence, and myIR confirmation according to your record-keeping policy.

Step 10: Record the payment or refund

For a submitted report with a non-nil Box 15, use Record Settlement.

Choose the settlement method:

Method	When to use it
Payment Entry	Use for a straightforward payment or refund involving one GST control account and one company bank or cash account.
Journal Entry	Use when the settlement must be allocated across more than one GST control account.

In the settlement dialog:

Confirm Posting Date is not before the report period end.
Select Bank or Cash Account.
Enter Amount. Partial settlements are allowed.
Enter Reference Number and Reference Date.
For a Journal Entry, review GST Account Allocations, including Debit and Credit.
Click Create Draft.
Open the generated draft, confirm the accounts, direction, amount, date, and reference, then submit it separately.

You can record more than one settlement, but the total of submitted settlements cannot exceed Box 15. Submitted settlements appear under Connections.

Correct, cancel, or amend a return

Use the path that matches the report status:

Situation	Safe correction path
A source transaction changes while the report is a draft	Correct the source, then click Recalculate Report and repeat the review.
A submitted historical report uses an earlier calculation method	Keep the submitted record as filed. Create an amendment when a correction is required.
The submitted return needs correction	Cancel or unlink submitted settlement documents first, cancel the report, then use Amend. Recalculate and review the amendment before submission.
A settlement is wrong	Cancel the submitted settlement or remove the incorrect draft, then create the correct settlement from the report.
myIR has already been filed	Complete the required correction in myIR as a separate step after the NexWave review.

NexWave prevents cancellation while submitted settlements remain linked. This protects the audit trail between the return and its payment or refund.

Final review checklist

Before filing, confirm that:

Accounting Basis is Invoice and the reporting period is correct.
The filing status is Ready to file, or an exceptional override has been independently approved and evidenced.
Boxes 5 to 15 agree with the reviewed source classifications.
Box 9 and manual Box 13 adjustments are supported and are not duplicates of source transactions.
Automatic Customs GST claims agree with supporting evidence and use the correct GST account.
Sales, purchase, unclassified, and validation tabs have been reviewed.
Material ledger reconciliation variances are resolved.
The workbook or other required working papers have been retained.
Box 15 Result agrees with the direction entered in myIR.
Any generated settlement draft has been reviewed and submitted separately.

Troubleshooting

Issue	What to check
The report cannot be saved	Confirm Company, Accounting Basis, dates, and that no active report overlaps the same company and period.
The report shows Submission blocked	Open Validation Warnings, correct the linked source issues, then click Recalculate Report.
A standard-rated invoice shows missing GST	Check the posted GST, header tax template, and item-level classifications. Full recognised non-GST line coverage can suppress the header warning; partial coverage cannot.
A transaction is missing from a statutory box	Confirm it is submitted, dated within the period, and uses a recognised classification. Review the relevant records tab and Unclassified.
Box 8 or Box 12 differs from posted invoice GST	These boxes use the statutory 3/23 calculation on the recognised standard-rated gross base. Review the ledger variance and source-document rounding warnings.
Customs GST is not included in Box 13	Check the Customs classification, positive amount, direct posting to the configured purchase GST control account, absence of an Actual GST tax row, and Customs Claim Evidence Reference.
A Possible Double Claim warning appears	Compare automatic Customs GST with the manual Box 13 adjustment. Remove any duplicated claim and retain the correct evidence.
A GST ledger variance remains	Check configured GST accounts, unsupported direct postings, Journal Entries, source classifications, and the rounding tolerance.
Corrected transactions do not appear	Click Recalculate Report. Recalculation replaces the derived rows from the current submitted sources.
The report cannot be cancelled	Cancel or unlink submitted settlements shown under Connections, then cancel the report.
Record Settlement is not available	The report must be submitted and Box 15 Result must not be Nil.
A settlement amount is rejected	The posting date cannot precede the period end, and total submitted settlements cannot exceed Box 15.