What is the "Upload – Check – Send" method in VAT GPT?
"Upload – Check – Send" is the flow VAT GPT uses to build your returns. You upload receipts, check the values the AI read and only then send the return through ELSTER to the tax office.
Last updated: 29 October 2026
In brief
- Upload: Invoices (PDF, photo, XML; up to 100 AI invoices per month in the Free plan) and Amazon and eBay reports go into the "Income & OSS" and "Expenses" menus.
- Check: You review the values receipt by receipt and then the summary; nothing is sent until you trigger it.
- Send: With VAT GPT Pro you send through ELSTER and save the transfer ticket as proof.
How does "Upload – Check – Send" work step by step?
- Upload: In the "Income & OSS" or "Expenses" menu, choose the reporting period and drop invoices and tables into the field.
- Check: Review the values the AI read, correct flagged receipts and look at the summary in the "Taxes" menu.
- Send: In "Taxes" open the return with "Review & Submit", test it with "Validate" and click "Send to Finanzamt".
- Keep the proof: Save the transfer ticket that appears after sending.
What this means for you: The order is fixed; you never send anything you have not seen in the summary first.
What happens in the "Upload" step?
You upload your documents in the "Income & OSS" and "Expenses" menus, split into "Germany" and "EU & Non-EU". VAT GPT accepts PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, WebP, TIFF and XML; the AI reads date, amounts, tax rate and country. You process Amazon and eBay transaction reports already in the Free plan; the guide is Upload Amazon and eBay reports to VAT GPT.
What this means for you: You do not type receipts in; you choose the period and drop the files.
What do I check in the "Check" step?
- Status per receipt: VAT GPT shows "Successful", "Needs Review" or "Failed"; open the "Needs Review" receipts first.
- Values in the "Edit Invoice" window: date, amounts, tax rate, country and category; you correct deviations and click "Save Changes".
- Summary: the VAT summary and the country breakdown for the period.
- Return before sending: The "Review & Submit" window shows the details of the return; "Validate" tests the file without sending it.
- Tax number: Without a tax number in your details, "Send to Finanzamt" cannot be clicked.
What this means for you: The AI reads, you decide; the responsibility for the details stays with you.
Which returns does the method cover?
| Return | What you upload or enter | Sending through ELSTER |
|---|---|---|
| VAT return (Umsatzsteuer-Voranmeldung, § 18 UStG) | Income and expenses of the period | Pro |
| OSS return | Amazon and eBay reports, income from the EU | Pro |
| Annual VAT return | Income and expenses of the year | Pro |
| EÜR (profit and loss) | Income and expenses of the year | Pro |
| Trade tax (Gewerbesteuer) | Details from the "Taxes" menu | Pro |
| Income tax | Entries in the "Income tax" menu | Pro |
VAT GPT does not have a recapitulative statement (Zusammenfassende Meldung) as its own return. In the Free plan you calculate VAT for Germany and OSS and download the ELSTER file to upload it yourself in Mein ELSTER.
What this means for you: The same three steps apply to all six returns; only the upload differs per return.
Which plan includes which step?
| Plan | Upload and check | Sending through ELSTER |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Up to 100 AI invoices per month, Amazon and eBay reports, calculation for Germany and OSS | No; download the file and upload it in Mein ELSTER |
| Go | 30 days free with all Pro features | Yes |
| Pro | Unlimited AI invoices and data history | Yes |
Plans as of 29 October 2026.
What this means for you: You can use upload and check for free and switch to Pro only for sending.
Where do I find the rules for the submission?
The advance VAT return is governed by § 18 UStG (German); the electronic submission runs through ELSTER.
What this means for you: The tax office receives the data by the electronic route that Mein ELSTER also uses.
How VAT GPT helps
- Upload: You drop receipts and reports, VAT GPT reads the values.
- Check: You confirm or correct the values and the summary.
- Send: You send the return through ELSTER and get a transfer ticket.
Try it for free. More on the first step: AI invoice processing.
No tax advice: This content does not replace individual advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does VAT GPT send anything without my action? No. Nothing is sent until you click "Send to Finanzamt" in the "Review & Submit" window; the app tour explicitly sends nothing.
Can I test the return before sending? Yes, with "Validate"; on success it shows "Validation passed. Ready to submit to Finanzamt."
What is the transfer ticket? The number shown after sending; VAT GPT recommends saving it as proof of your submission.
Can I work in VAT GPT without sending? Yes. You can download the ELSTER file and upload it yourself in Mein ELSTER.