Tax refund claim tracker

What the tax refund claim tracker does

Refunds can take months, and months are easy to lose track of. This tracker lists each refund claim by tax head and period with the amount claimed, filing date, KRA reference, approval and the amount actually received, then shows what is outstanding and how long each claim has waited.

Who it is for

Exporters, VAT-registered businesses and employees who have overpaid tax and are waiting for refunds, and the accountants who chase them.

How to use the workbook

1. Enter each claim with its tax head, period and amount.
2. Record the date filed and the reference you were given.
3. Update the approval and amount received as they happen.
4. Read the balance still owed and the status of each claim.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Claim, filing, approval and payment on one row
• Balance still owed per claim
• Status that updates from the data
• Total claimed, received and outstanding
• Space for 100 claims

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Claims. The main table has the columns Tax head; Period; Amount claimed; Date filed; Reference; Date approved; Amount received; Still owed. Yellow cells are for you to fill in and grey cells calculate by themselves, so leave the grey cells alone. The example rows show how it works; type over them with your own entries.

Tips for getting it right

• File the claim within the time allowed for that tax.
• Keep every supporting invoice and statement with the claim.
• Follow up in writing and note each contact.
• Record offsets against other tax debts when KRA applies them.

Why keep this record

Most tax trouble comes from late or missing records rather than from the tax itself. When the figures are collected as they happen, preparing a return becomes a matter of copying totals, not of searching for receipts. A workbook that follows the same layout as the return also makes it easier to spot a number that looks wrong before KRA does, and to explain it if asked.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know Excel formulas? No. Type into the yellow cells and the rest is worked out for you. The formulas are visible if you want to see how a figure is reached.

Can I add rows or change the layout? You can add your own columns to the right and your own notes. If you insert rows inside a table, copy the grey formula cells down so the new rows calculate too.

Will it work on my phone or in Google Sheets? Yes for viewing and typing, but dropdown lists and the charts look best in desktop Excel or LibreOffice.

Keeping it safe and up to date

Tax figures change with each Finance Act, so check the Rates sheet against KRA's current guidance before you file. Keep the supporting documents with the workbook, and keep each year's copy for at least five years in case KRA asks for proof.

Read the KRA filing calendar for small businesses for the wider picture. See more tax templates or ask us for a custom one.

The workbook works in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. It is a tool to help you work out and record figures, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Guide: The KRA filing calendar for small businesses: every monthly and yearly deadline
• Guide: KRA penalties and interest explained: what late filing and payment cost
• Guide: How to keep business records for KRA: what to save and for how long
• Another template: Annual income tax estimator
• Another template: Capital gains computation sheet
• Another template: Corporation tax computation workbook

Need something different? Request a custom template, browse all guides or see every Excel template.