---
title: "Edit and Finalize Declaration"
source_url: https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/income-taxes/vat/value-added-tax/declaration-edit-finalise
language: en
last_updated: 2026-09-28
---
# Editing and Finalizing the Declaration in Lucanet VAT

## Overview of the 'Declaration' Workspace in VAT

The **Declaration** workspace in Lucanet VAT (Value Added Tax) shows the preliminary VAT return of the chosen company. The declaration form contains all relevant fields of the declaration. VAT automatically enters the field values based on the imported ERP reports and the configured tax code mapping. You can also adjust values manually, create offsetting entries, and create corrections.

Depending on the configuration of the company in the master data, there are two basic ways of creating the declaration in VAT:

- **With tax code mapping (ERP import or manual):** VAT enters the values of the declaration based on a configured tax code mapping. You do not enter values directly in the fields, but add them via entries with tax codes. This procedure is described in the sections [Displaying Field Entries](#displaying-field-entries-in-vat) and [Adding an Entry](#adding-an-entry-in-vat).
- **Without tax code mapping:** You enter the declaration values directly in the form fields. For more information, see the section [Declaration Without Tax Code Mapping](#declaration-without-tax-code-mapping-in-vat).

> **Note:** Some fields in the form are sum fields that VAT calculates automatically. You cannot edit these fields directly.

## Navigation to the 'Declaration' Workspace in VAT

The **Declaration** workspace can be found under **VAT | Value Added Tax | Declaration** and is displayed as follows, for example:

![Shows the 'Declaration' workspace in VAT for the company '1000 - Lucanet Holding GmbH (Organträger)' with the note 'SPP period for the year 2025 does not exist.', the declaration form 'VAT return December 2025' of the version 'DE-2025-01', the columns 'Kind of transactions', 'Basis of assessment EURO', and 'VAT/GST/Turnover tax EURO', and field values such as '150.000,00' and '28.500,00' in row 12 'Subject to a VAT rate of 19%', each with a triangle icon in front and a plus icon behind.](https://support.lucanet.com/assets/docs-images/income-taxes/vat/value-added-tax/declaration-edit-finalise/_images/en/declaration-overview.png)
'Declaration' workspace

## Structure of the Overview in VAT

The declaration form in VAT shows the preliminary VAT return with the following columns:

| Column | Description |
|---------|---------|
| Kind of transactions | Row number and name of the declaration field according to the official form |
| Basis of assessment EURO | Input field for the base of the respective VAT matter |
| VAT/GST/Turnover tax EURO | Input field for the related tax amount |

Rows without input fields are section headings or sum rows that are calculated automatically.

The small triangle icon in front of a field indicates that at least one tax code is mapped to this field.

If a field was changed in the current correction, it is highlighted in blue. Fields with a value other than **0,00 €** get a thick border when the declaration is opened again.

## Displaying Field Entries in VAT

In the declaration form in VAT, click the **plus icon** next to a field value to expand the individual entries and see which values with which tax codes flowed into the field.

![Shows the expanded field view of a field with the value '150.000,00' in the declaration in VAT with the columns 'Identifier', 'CC', 'Value', and 'Comment' and three entries of company code '1000' with the comment 'Import Report V00': 'A1 MWS 0' with '100.000,00', 'A2 MWS 1' with '25.000,00', and 'A3 MWS 2' with '25.000,00'. Next to each entry, the paper clip icon and the information icon are visible; the declaration is closed, so the X icon for offsetting entries is not displayed.](https://support.lucanet.com/assets/docs-images/income-taxes/vat/value-added-tax/declaration-edit-finalise/_images/en/field-symbols-triangle-plus.png)
Expanded field view after clicking the plus icon

The expanded view in VAT shows a table with all entries that contribute to the current field value:

| Column | Description |
|---------|---------|
| Identifier | Made up of the tax code, the tax code form, and a sequential number. The number **0** indicates a value from the imported report. |
| CC | Company code to which the entry is assigned. |
| Value | Amount of the base or the tax amount. Negative amounts are displayed with a minus sign. |
| Comment | Explanation of the origin of the entry. Automatic entries get, for example, the comment **Import Report V00**. |

The following actions are available next to each entry in the expanded field view in VAT:

| Icon | Action |
|---------|---------|
| X | Create an offsetting entry (see section below). Only available while the declaration is open. |
| Paper clip | Opens the **Save attachment and comment** dialog. There you can enter a **Comment** (max. 250 characters) and upload a file via **Choose File**. Attachments that have already been saved are displayed in a table with comment, file name, user, and change date. |
| Information icon | Display the compliance stamp: shows who made the entry when and in which correction. |

## Adding an Entry in VAT

Proceed as follows to add a manual entry to a field in VAT:

1. Click the **plus icon** next to the required field to expand it. The **Change** area is displayed below the field.

2. In the **Change** area, choose the tax code from the drop-down list.

3. Enter the amount.

4. In the **Comment** field, enter a meaningful text with at least five characters.

5. Click the **plus icon** to the right of the value field to add the entry.

The new entry is displayed in the table, and VAT updates the field value automatically. You can add as many entries to a field as you like. You cannot delete entries – use an offsetting entry instead.

> **Note:** You can only add an entry if a tax code is mapped to the required field. If a tax code is mapped to several fields, VAT automatically transfers the entry to all linked fields – depending on the country configuration.

## Creating an Offsetting Entry in VAT

An offsetting entry corrects or reverses an existing entry in the declaration in VAT.

Proceed as follows to create an offsetting entry in VAT:

1. Click the **plus icon** next to the field to expand the individual entries.

2. Click the X icon next to the entry that you want to offset. The confirmation dialog is displayed.

3. In the confirmation dialog, check the listed affected fields and offsetting entries.

4. Enter a comment.

5. Click **OK**.

## Managing Corrections in VAT

The **Declaration** workspace in VAT always shows only one correction of the declaration – by default the most recent one when you open it. Use a drop-down list to switch between the different corrections.

To compare two corrections directly with each other, switch to the [Comparison view of corrections](https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/income-taxes/vat/value-added-tax/comparison-corrections.md) workspace. There you choose two corrections via drop-down lists and can optionally display only the fields with differences.

## Finalizing the Declaration in VAT

Click **Finalise** in the top right corner to close the declaration in VAT.

Depending on the configuration, the button can be grayed out if certain prerequisites are not yet met – for example, if the reconciliations have not yet been performed or if mandatory reconciliations have errors. In this case, VAT displays the reason above the declaration form.

> **Note:** You can reopen a closed declaration in the **Declaration** workspace as long as the parent declaration has not been finalized yet. For standalone companies, reopening is always possible. Alternatively, reopen the declaration via the [Month overview](https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/income-taxes/vat/value-added-tax/monthly-overview.md).

## Declaration Without Tax Code Mapping in VAT

If a company in VAT is configured without tax code mapping, you enter the declaration values directly in the input fields of the form. In this case, the plus icon next to the fields is not present.

If there is a direct relationship between a base field and a tax field and a clear tax rate applies, VAT calculates the corresponding field automatically. For adjustments, you overwrite the existing values in the fields.

Via the paper clip icon, you can also add a file with a comment to a field in this mode.

## Non-Monthly Declarations in VAT

Not every company submits its declaration monthly. Depending on the country and sales, companies can also report quarterly or annually. For these companies, the following applies in VAT:

- The data is still imported monthly and accumulated in the reporting month.
- As soon as the previous months are closed, VAT automatically transfers their values to the reporting period. Each transferred entry gets the comment **Data transfer from previous period: *name of the period***.
- In the reporting month, VAT takes into account the values transferred from the previous months together with the values of the current month.

> **Note:** For parent companies of company subdivisions, VAT does not transfer any values from the previous months, because the company subdivisions already perform this transfer.

## Further Functions in the 'Declaration' Workspace in VAT

In addition to the [general functions](https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/income-taxes/vat/user-interface-general-functions.md), the following functions are available in the context menu of the three-dot icon (⋮) in the top right corner of the **Declaration** workspace in VAT:

| Function | Description |
|---------|---------|
| Import SPP value to declaration | Transfers the deduction amount of the special prepayment (SPP) to the current preliminary VAT return. This function is only available for Germany and is only displayed for standalone companies and representative VAT group members in monthly periods if a corresponding SPP period exists. |
| Info view | Shows technical details for each field, for example the field type, the mapping ID, and the calculation formula |
| Recalculation of sum values | Recalculates all sum values of the open declaration. Useful, for example, after changes to the rounding logic in the settings. |
| Declaration export (Pdf) | Exports the declaration as a PDF file |
| Declaration export (Excel) | Exports the declaration as an Excel file |
| Form language: DE/Form language: EN | Switches the display language of the declaration form, independently of the system language |