The short answer
Your own software talks to eTIMS directly, so an invoice raised in the system the business already uses becomes an electronic tax invoice without anyone re-typing it.
What it actually is
An integration between a business's existing software and eTIMS, rather than a separate place to go and type. Runs on: Windows, a laptop, a desktop, a server. What it does during an outage depends on how it is set up, which is worth asking before you commit.
What the rules say
Stated by the publisher from the cited KRA material. Our reviewer has not yet re-checked it against the source, so confirm anything you are about to act on with KRA directly.
KRA identifies several categories of eTIMS solution, among them eTIMS Online, the eTIMS Client, eTIMS Lite, system-to-system integration, reverse invoicing and buyer-initiated invoicing. Which one suits a business depends on how it issues invoices rather than on what it sells.
Tax rules in Kenya change with each Finance Act and with regulations made during the year. Before acting on any figure, deadline or threshold, check the current position on KRA's own website.
This page explains how a requirement generally works. It is not tax advice, and it cannot account for the specifics of any one business. For a position you intend to rely on, confirm with KRA directly or with a registered tax agent.
When this is the right shape
Our reading, not a rule. Nothing below is a statement of what KRA requires.
- A business already running a POS, an accounting package or an ERP it trusts
- Invoice volume high enough that re-keying is a real cost rather than an annoyance
- Several tills or several branches that should behave identically
- A business that wants stock, sales and invoicing to be one record instead of three
Where it gets awkward
Our reading, not a rule. Nothing below is a statement of what KRA requires.
- A business with no existing system, where there is nothing to integrate
- Low volume, where the integration costs more than the typing it saves
- A setup nobody maintains, because an integration that silently stops is worse than a manual process
The invoicing pattern it assumes
Our reading, not a rule. Nothing below is a statement of what KRA requires.
Continuous and automatic. The invoice is a by-product of the sale rather than a separate task someone remembers to do.
What getting started involves
Our reading, not a rule. Nothing below is a statement of what KRA requires.
The most work up front and the least afterwards. It is a software project, not a download, and the question worth asking a vendor is what happens when the connection drops mid-sale.
System-to-system integration in specific trades
Common questions
What is System-to-system integration?
Your own software talks to eTIMS directly, so an invoice raised in the system the business already uses becomes an electronic tax invoice without anyone re-typing it.
What do I need to use System-to-system integration?
Its own description names these devices: windows, laptop, desktop, server. Confirm current requirements with KRA before buying anything on the strength of a summary.
When is System-to-system integration the wrong choice?
A business with no existing system, where there is nothing to integrate. That is our reading of how the channel behaves, not a rule.
How do I know this information is current?
Tax rules in Kenya change with each Finance Act and with regulations made during the year. Before acting on any figure, deadline or threshold, check the current position on KRA's own website.
Other eTIMS channels
Sources
- officialeTIMS (Electronic Tax Invoice Management System) — Kenya Revenue Authority, checked 2026-09-18
- officialKenya Revenue Authority — Kenya Revenue Authority, checked 2026-09-18