The short answer
Something recorded in one place has not appeared in another, usually because more than one device or channel is in use, or because connectivity came and went. Stop adding to it before you investigate.
What this usually means
Our reading, not a rule. Nothing below is a statement of what KRA requires.
Something was recorded in one place and has not appeared in another. The risk is not the delay itself but assuming it will resolve on its own while invoices keep being issued on top of it.
What to suspect first
Our reading, not a rule. Nothing below is a statement of what KRA requires.
- Connectivity that came and went during the period in question
- Two devices or channels in use, each holding part of the picture
- A local install that stopped being current
- Something that failed earlier and was never noticed, with everything after it stacked on top
What you can check yourself
Our reading, not a rule. Nothing below is a statement of what KRA requires.
- Establish what is missing and over what period. A specific gap is a solvable problem; "it seems wrong" is not.
- Check whether more than one device or channel is in use at the business. This is the usual answer.
- Stop adding to it. Continuing to issue while a gap is unexplained makes the reconciliation larger.
- Compare against your own records of sales, which exist independently of any of this.
When to stop and contact KRA. Where your records and what the system shows genuinely disagree, raise it with KRA with the dates and the specifics rather than waiting for it to settle.
What the rules say
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.
Common questions
Why is eTIMS not syncing?
Something recorded in one place has not appeared in another, usually because more than one device or channel is in use, or because connectivity came and went. Stop adding to it before you investigate.
What should I check first when etims is not syncing?
Establish what is missing and over what period. A specific gap is a solvable problem; "it seems wrong" is not.
Can you tell me the exact steps to fix it?
Not for anything inside KRA's own software, no. We do not publish click-paths through screens we have not seen documented, because a confident wrong instruction sends you to fix the wrong thing while you are already stuck. What we can do is narrow the cause and tell you when to contact KRA.
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.
Related problems
Sources
- officialeTIMS (Electronic Tax Invoice Management System) — Kenya Revenue Authority, checked 2026-09-18
- officialKenya Revenue Authority — Kenya Revenue Authority, checked 2026-09-18