RAMIS Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) Mahesh Ranawaka Deputy Commissioner Department of Inland Revenue 01 – 07 -2017

Revenue Administration and Management Information System What is RAMIS Revenue Administration and Management Information System RA + MIS 9/19/2018

RAMIS Objectives Taxpayer IRD Employee Less hassle to pay tax or handle tax matters Ability to access tax information IRD Increase tax compliance Increase revenue collection End to End tax system to serve taxpayer Employee Reduce the complexity during tax audits Ability to access taxpayer’s information Automation of Services Minimize the Cost of Tax Compliance Integration of Information within and outside IRD Implementation of Service delivery channels Creation of a Central Data Base for all taxpayers Improve Tax revenue through effective monitoring of compliance Data analysis and reporting – reports for KPI and Policy decisions

Phase 1 Phase 2 Implementation Approach Implementation by March 2016 Rollout Infrastructure, Helpdesk, Call Center Build and test RAMIS Implement RAMIS for 6 tax types(VAT, SVAT, CT, NBT, PAYE, WHT) Phase 2 Maintain Phase 1 Build and Test RAMIS for phase 2 Implement RAMIS for 4 more tax types(Non-Corporate tax, SD, ESC, BGL) Implementation by October 2016 (overlaps with Phase1) Started in July 2014 Phase 1 – by March 2016 Phase 2 – by Oct 2016 Maintenance up to 2020

RAMIS Overview External Interfaces Walk In Tax Functions Call In Registration & Cancellation Returns Generation Assessment Walk In Payments Refunds Appeals & Objections Taxpayer Services center External Interfaces Collections Clearance Directions Tax Functions Call In Taxpayer Call Center Increase font size Workflow Accounting Audit Rules Engine Notification E-Service Reporting Services Correspondence Management Support Functions Information & Transactional Services RAMIS Data Store Copyright 2016, Sri Lanka Inland Revenue

Introduction to e- services E-Filing available on the IRD portal (www.ird.gov.lk) Greater Convenience Easier and Simpler Tax Return Filing E-Filing at be performed anywhere, anytime as long as you have an Internet connection. This results in greater convenience for taxpayers Tax return filing is made easier and simpler with online validation checks and quick guides to help you to perform e-Filing

IRD NEW Portal

Where can I find help in authorizing my staff or tax agents for e-Filing? IRD has prepared a quick guide which shows how you can activate the SSIDs and authorize staff / tax agents to act on behalf of you. You can download the quick guide by following the steps below: Access the IRD portal (www.ird.gov.lk). Click Downloads  Quick Guides from the top menu Click “Detailed quick guide” under the “How to authorize staff or tax agents to act on your behalf” section

E-service access

More convenience for taxpayers Primary Registration Taxpayer More convenience for taxpayers Via e-services In person with TPSU [click] Before RAMIS, taxpayers had to come to the IRD office to register, wait in line, and present all documents in hand. If information was incomplete or incorrect, they had to come back and start again. Nobody likes paying taxes, but it’s worse if a complicated process is making it harder To offer convenience to our fellow citizens, we will be offering three options: [click] From home, through the e-registration service, taxpayers will be able to go through the registration process from their home or office, and upload the documents to the system. [click] If the information is incomplete or incorrect, the system will immediately point it out so that it can be corrected on the spot [click] In person, through the improved Taxpayer Services Unit. Taxpayers can be guided by an IRD officer. The reception area in IRD HQ will be transformed into the new TPSU, and there will be interview rooms available. Regional offices will progressively have their own TPSU [click] Via post office, taxpayers will be able to send their registration documents and forms. These will be received and processed in the processing center (which is explained later) By making life easier to the taxpayers when they interact with us, we hope to increase the number of compliant citizens For our reference: Pain points referred: “Registration is manual and requires providing the same information multiple times” In person, via TPSU Via post office Via Post office From home, via e-services

Registration Primary Registration Registration request can made by Online E-Service Post APPROVED ONHOLD REJECT

Registration PIN Request Registered tax payer can request PIN through e-service or online PIN number received within 7 to 14 days by mail Before the using PIN number have to be active within 45 days and change the password Tax payer can change the password and can request for the changes

Registration Tax Registration Request can made for the registration of the following tax type by online,e-service or post VAT and SVAT NBT Income Tax cooperate Paye WHT Non-Corporate tax, SD, ESC, BGL

Taxpayer Registration: Forced Registration Cross checking of tax information in RAMIS System Information NBT – IT Return / VAT Return VAT – IT Return/ NBT Informer Information Acknowledge On Hold Issue SMS Reject SMS or Email Register Reporting on tax evasion

Approver for all tax types An example of staff and tax agent authorization Preparer for VAT 1. Company A preparer staff prepares VAT 2. Tax Agent preparer staff prepares VAT for Company A Company A Approver for VAT Preparer for VAT 3. Company A approver staff submits VAT to IRD Staff of Company A Tax Agent Preparer for WHT IRD Staff of Tax Agent Preparer for NBT, SVAT Company B 4. Company B preparer staff prepares NBT and SVAT 6. Company B approver staff submits NBT, SVAT and WHT to IRD 2. Tax Agent preparer staff prepares WHT for Company B Approver for all tax types Staff of Company B

New e-services will be progressively rolled out to allow taxpayers to transact anytime, anywhere We know that the step from paper to electronic can be intimidating. This is why we have created a central place where you can easily find what you want, This one-stop page will be accessed from the IRD portal The page is organized in five sections: Direct links to the e-services An overview of the e-services covering the tax cycle, and a set of quick guides to help you use them A place to find the relevant forms you need based on the type of organization and the tax function, and the same to check which are the documents to be provided for each tax function (e.g. to register for VAT) A list of the help options available: call center, TPSU and IRD tax portal We are currently designing and developing the landing page, so what you see here is just the concept

New e-services will be progressively rolled out to allow taxpayers to transact anytime, anywhere Who can use these e-services? Taxpayers Appointed staff of corporate taxpayers Tax agents What do you need to do to use these e-services? Register as a taxpayer Obtain a PIN (Personal Identification Number) from IRD

One-stop page for all your e-services, forms and help The e-services landing page is a one-stop page where the taxpayer will find ALL necessary information and resources related to e-services Access to e-services Click here to register as a taxpayer, register for a tax type, request a PIN to use the e-services, and log in to access the different tax e-services Quick guides Click here for an overview of the tax processes, and to download the quick guides with step-by-step instructions on how to use the e-services Download of Forms Click here to check which documents are required, and to download the forms Help options Click here to check the different help options available: call center, Taxpayer Services Unit, IRD portal

One-stop page for all your e-services, forms and help Access to e-services Click here to register as a taxpayer, register for a tax type, request a PIN to use the e-services, and log in to access the different tax e-services Quick guides Click here for an overview of the tax processes, and to download the quick guides with step-by-step instructions on how to use the e-services Download of Forms Click here to check which documents are required, and to download the forms Help options Click here to check the different help options available: call center, Taxpayer Services Unit, IRD portal Finally, the help options will show you the different ways you can contact IRD for additional help

New Call Center 1944 Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Purpose of call center: To track all taxpayer queries coming into IRD To facilitate queries in 3 languages Supported by business consultation unit To route queries to the appropriate unit for resolution To provide better turnaround time for every taxpayer query callcentreservice@ird.gov.lk Through phone call, the taxpayers can contact the call center and they will be able to access self-help options through an integrated voice response system that supports 3 languages (Sinhala, Tamil, English). They can access frequently asked questions or connect to a call center agent who will be able to assist them with their tax enquiries. Once connected, the call center agent will have the taxpayers information on screen to assist them with general enquiries. A case will be created and the caller will receive the ticket number on his/her mobile For more complicated enquiries, the issue will be escalated to officers from the relevant IRD branch/unit. When the enquiry has been resolved, the case will be closed at IRD’s end and an acknowledgement SMS will be sent to the taxpayer.

Enhancements to the Taxpayer’s Services Unit (TPSU) Helps in Taxpayer registration Helps register for e-services Helps in request for refund/ clearance certificate/ direction Helps in making an appeal/ objection Primary Registration Unit Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Business Consultation Unit Provides tax specific advice (e.g. tax implications when starting a business) TPSU Taxpayers may also walk-in to receive face to face assistance at the Taxpayer Services Unit (TPSU). For collection of documents from the taxpayer, a specific officer will be there to assist For general queries and tax advice, taxpayers will be directed to the interview rooms opposite the reception area where they will be served face to face with an IRD officer. For complicated queries or transactions such as registration and appeals, they will be directed to the TPSU office where TPSU officers will assist them with their queries and transactions. Primary Registration Unit : Registration as a taxpayer and issuing of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Issuing of Personal Identification Number (PIN) to use the eServices Tax Registration Unit Registration for tax types (VAT, SVAT, WHT, PAYE or NBT) Customer Information Update Unit Updating of customer or tax type profile Business Consultation Unit Advice on tax responsibilities and obligations Customer Supporting and Promotion Unit Issuing of clearance certificates, credit vouchers, copies of returns, paying in slips etc. Central Document Management Unit Collection of returns and supporting documents Document Collection Unit Collects documents and issues acknowledgements Taxpayer

Reminders by SMS or email to avoid penalties Your request to change your taxpayer profile details is on hold. Please contact IRD Please submit your pending return corresponding to the period from [date1] to [date2] Please be reminded to file your return. The filing date will close on [date] The payment due date is on [date]. Please pay promptly to avoid penalties Reminders are sent to the taxpayers via SMS or email before the deadline for submission. As a result of these reminders, taxpayers are reminded to fulfil their tax obligations which translates into less risk of penalties for the taxpayer Note: these are for illustration purposes. The message does not correspond with the real one

IRD portal New design Content in 3 languages Better organization of the information New functionalities for easier navigation Download the quick guide

RAMIS- the new IRD Revenue Administration Management Information System Assessment / Refund Appeals & Objections Registration Returns Payment Clearance End to end support for all tax related functions For example: Automated matching of VAT input and output schedules Automating tax processing using business rules Workflow implementation to facilitate efficient tax administration Alerts and notifications to taxpayers to increase compliance Increased convenience for taxpayers to transact anytime, anywhere through e-services Reducing compliance costs The key addition is RAMIS, the new IRD Revenue Administration Management Information System It helps us automate all calculations and many decisions. It also provides us a common workplace where information can be shared and we are less dependent on paper files In the end, this is key to ensure a better, faster and accurate response to the taxpayers FASTER MORE EFFICIENT …resulting in a and service

Towards delivering excellent service to the taxpaying public Jaffna Anuradhapura Dambulla Kurunegala Kegalle Kandy Gampaha Batticalao Negombo Nuwara Eliya Colombo (IRD Headquarters) Badulla As all information is entered into RAMIS regardless whether the submission is from Colombo or the regional offices, RAMIS becomes the one stop portal for all tax information regarding taxpayers. This greatly simplifies and eases tax processing for IRD officers and results in quicker service to taxpayers. There will also be no more dependency on paper files as all information is already in the system. This means no more waiting for specific documents to be sent from the regional office to Colombo For instance, with RAMIS, all appeals regardless of where they are received (IRD head office or regional offices) will be registered inside the system. There will be no transfer of paper appeals Ratnapura Nawam Mawatha (4 branches) Galle Jawatta Road (3 branches) Maharagama (2 branches) Matara Kalutara