eFiling Clinic: How to Work Around System Issues
Presenters : Ayanda Takela
Overview
SARS eFiling remains a critical platform for running a professional and efficient tax practice in 2026. With continuous enhancements, phased modernisation, and new digital compliance requirements, practitioners often face system changes that disrupt existing workflows.
This practical, bi-monthly eFiling Clinic focuses on the latest 2026 updates, enhancements, and common system-related challenges. The session provides real-time, practice-driven solutions to navigating eFiling’s evolving environment. It also creates a forum where participant feedback, questions, and pain points are actively integrated into the discussion.
Current eFiling issues experienced by practitioners are unpacked, and step-by-step workarounds are provided to improve accuracy, efficiency, and client service.
Video Content
We cover the following in the February update:
- Biometric Verification Failure: Users report a specific error message: “unable to verify identity please try again” when attempting biometric verification for employees' tax.
- Dispute Button Malfunction: A practitioner reports a broken link where “clicking dispute doesn’t work” on the penalty statement screen.
- Data Validation Glitch: The system correctly identifies a person but erroneously flags that the “ID/Passport doesn’t match full names of director” during a registration or removal process.
- “AI” Document Glitches: eFiling users suspect an “AI glitch” is responsible for redundant or confusing requests for document uploads (specifically medical aid certificates) for previous tax years.
- Profile Visibility: A user reports that they “cannot see business returns on his own tax profile even though activated,” indicating a failure in the system’s linkage between users and their registered tax types.
- Login Failures: Explicit reports of users being unable to log in to eFiling (“I can’t log in to eFiling”).
- Password Reset Failure: Users experience issues where password reset emails are not sent. The identified workaround involves switching browsers, suggesting a browser compatibility issue with the reset function.
- International Access Lockout: Critical issues arise for taxpayers abroad who lose access to their registered contact methods (phone/email) and consequently cannot access their profiles to update them (“Urgently need profile access”).
- “Provisional” System Status: The eFiling system is reported to be in a “provisional” state during December, which disables the callback functionality (“Callbacks not offered when full allocation managed for the day”), leaving practitioners without support channels.
- General Offline Status: General complaints of the system being “not online” or down are noted, particularly during periods of high traffic or deadlines.
- SOQS (Support of Query System) Limitations: Uncertainty and potential system limitations regarding the uploading of partial documents versus full batches.
- Navigation Complexity: eFiling users struggle to locate specific functions, such as the “Financial Emigration” (now Ceasing of Tax Residency) options within the RAV01 forms, due to unintuitive menu structures.
Competencies Developed
After watching the 2026 eFiling Clinic video, participants are:
- Up to date with the latest 2026 enhancements and system changes.
- Equipped to avoid recurring pitfalls, delays, and errors on eFiling.
- Confident in applying workarounds for current system issues.
- Able to train staff on new eFiling processes and updates.
- Prepared to guide clients on the latest eFiling features, requirements, and troubleshooting steps.
Related Webinars
eFiling Discussion Forum: Troubleshooting & Enhancing Your eFiling Skill - May 2024
eFiling Discussion Forum: Troubleshooting & Enhancing Your eFiling Skills - September 2025