Category Analytics
Category Analytics gives you a breakdown of your transactions by VAT category, helping you spot classification trends, validate your VAT rate assignments, and ensure your returns accurately reflect your business activity.
Accessing Category Analytics
Navigate to VAT Management → Category Analytics in the sidebar.
Overview Panel
The top of the page shows summary statistics across all categories:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Transactions | Count of all transactions in the selected period |
| Total Net Value | Combined net amount across all categories |
| Total VAT | Total VAT collected or paid |
| Categories Used | Number of distinct VAT categories present in your data |
Category Breakdown Table
The main table lists each VAT category with the following columns:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Category | VAT rate or exempt category name |
| Transaction Count | Number of transactions assigned to this category |
| Net Amount | Total net value of transactions in the category |
| VAT Amount | Total VAT amount for the category |
| % of Total | Share of total transactions this category represents |
Click any row to drill into the individual transactions for that category.
Filtering and Date Range
Use the controls at the top of the page to narrow the analysis:
- Date range — Select a preset (current month, last quarter, last year) or enter a custom start and end date
- Transaction type — Filter to Sales, Purchases, Imports, Exports, or All
- Search — Find a specific category by name
Interpreting the Data
VAT Rate Classification Accuracy
A healthy dataset should match your known business mix. Red flags to investigate:
- A large spike in Exempt transactions for a business that typically sells standard-rated goods may indicate mis-categorization.
- Unexpectedly high 0% (Zero-Rated) volume should correlate with documented export activity.
- Significant 5% (Reduced Rate) transactions should match your expected breadbasket activity; see the VAT Categorization page for eligible items and conditions.
Trend Comparison
If you have prior period data, a Period-over-Period toggle appears when two comparable date ranges are available. Use this to detect sudden shifts in category mix that may warrant review before generating a return.
Exporting Analytics Data
Click Export CSV to download the category summary table for the selected date range. The export includes all columns visible in the table.