Overview
The TIMs INCOTEX integration is a Frappe/ERPNext application that connects ERPNext with the INCOTEX Tax Invoice Management System (TIMs) device, enabling businesses in Kenya to electronically submit tax invoices to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in full compliance with eTIMs regulations.
The integration sits as a bridge: every Sales Invoice created and submitted in ERPNext is automatically forwarded to the INCOTEX device via its REST API. INCOTEX then transmits the invoice data to KRA, receives an acknowledgment, and returns a Control Unit (CU) Invoice Number and a Verification URL back to ERPNext. The invoice is then stamped, marked as filed, and a QR code is generated for the printed copy and all without the user needing to leave ERPNext.
This app is built by Navari Limited, a Kenyan Frappe partner with a track record of KRA compliance integrations including the Kenya Compliance (OSCU) and Kenya Compliance via Slade360 apps.
Background & Regulatory Context
Kenya's Tax Invoice Management System (TIMs) is a KRA initiative requiring VAT-registered businesses to use certified electronic Tax Register (ETR) devices or virtual control units to generate and transmit tax invoices in real time. INCOTEX is one of the KRA-approved hardware device manufacturers providing such ETR/TIMs solutions.
When a business issues a taxable sale, they are legally required to:
- Generate an invoice through a certified device or middleware
- Transmit the invoice data to KRA's servers
- Receive a CU Invoice Number that must appear on the customer's copy
- Display a QR code on the invoice linking to KRA's verification portal
This integration automates that entire obligation from within ERPNext, removing the need for a separate workflow or manual double-entry.