---
title: "Review and Finalize VAT Group Return"
source_url: https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/income-taxes/vat/value-added-tax/vat-group-return
language: en
last_updated: 2026-09-28
---
# Reviewing and Finalizing the VAT Group Return in Lucanet VAT

## Overview of the 'VAT Group Return' Workspace in VAT

The **VAT Group Return** workspace in Lucanet VAT (Value Added Tax) shows the consolidated preliminary VAT return for the entire VAT group of a company. The workspace is only visible for companies with the VAT group member type **Representative VAT group member** or **Consolidated VAT group member**.

The field values of the VAT group return in VAT are made up of the declaration data of the chosen company itself and of all VAT group members directly below it, provided that the VAT group members have already finalized their declaration for the current period. Whether a VAT group member entered the values of its declaration manually or via a report import does not matter for the transfer.

## Navigation to the 'VAT Group Return' Workspace in VAT

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

![Shows the 'VAT Group Return' workspace in VAT for '1000 - Lucanet Holding GmbH (Organträger)' with the declaration form 'VAT group 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 green box behind it, and '0,00' in row 14 with a gray box. The 'Open VAT Return' button is visible in the top right corner, because the VAT group return is already closed.](https://support.lucanet.com/assets/docs-images/income-taxes/vat/value-added-tax/vat-group-return/_images/en/vat-group-return-overview.png)
'VAT Group Return' workspace

## Structure of the Overview in VAT

The structure of the **VAT Group Return** workspace in VAT is identical to the **Declaration** workspace. The form shows 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 | Consolidated value of the base of the respective VAT matter |
| VAT/GST/Turnover tax EURO | Consolidated value of the related tax amount |

If not all declarations of the VAT group members have been finalized when you open the workspace, the displayed values are provisional. In this case, VAT indicates this with a message.

> **Note:** Unlike in the regular declaration, you cannot add entries or create offsetting entries in the VAT group return in VAT. Adjustments are only possible in the respective company declarations.

## Origin of the Field Values in VAT

Colored indicators can appear behind the field amounts in the VAT group return in VAT. They provide information about the origin of the values:

| Indicator | Meaning |
|---------|---------|
| Green box | VAT transferred values from the declarations of the VAT group members. Move the mouse pointer over the box to see which companies the amounts come from. VAT only shows the level directly below. |
| Gray box | VAT did not find any entries for this field in the VAT group members. In this case, the displayed amount is always 0,00 EUR. |

## Finalizing the VAT Group Return in VAT

Click **Finalise** in the top right corner to close the declaration of the VAT group in VAT. The button is grayed out as long as not all VAT group members directly below have finalized their declaration.

If you still need to make adjustments before finalizing the VAT group return, reopen the declaration of the company concerned and make the changes there.

> **Note:** Use the **Open VAT Return** button in the top right corner to reopen a finalized VAT group return. You continue to make adjustments to the individual declarations of the VAT group members in the respective company declarations.

## Special Features for Consolidated VAT Group Members in VAT

If the chosen company is a **Consolidated VAT group member**, VAT automatically transmits the declaration of the intermediate VAT group to the parent company – a representative VAT group member or another consolidated VAT group member – after finalization and takes the values into account there in the **VAT Group Return**.

Only the representative VAT group member at the top of the VAT group can finally transmit the declaration to the tax office.

## Further Functions in the 'VAT Group Return' 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 **VAT Group Return** workspace in VAT:

| Function | Description |
|---------|---------|
| Info view | Shows technical details for each field, for example the field type, the mapping ID, and the calculation formula |
| Declaration export (Pdf) | Exports the VAT group return as a PDF file |
| Declaration export (Excel) | Exports the VAT group return as an Excel file |
| Form language: DE/Form language: EN | Switches the display language of the declaration form, independently of the system language |