Using NShine ERP in Africa
You will know how to set up a transport company in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania or a neighbouring market: the VAT rate as a Tax Rate, your currency and the currencies you quote in, and the cross-border documents to map.
Transport across Africa means many tax authorities, many currencies and border crossings with their own paperwork. NShine ERP does not hard-code any of it. You create the rates, currencies and document types your routes need, and the same bookings, invoices and reports work in every country.
VAT Through Tax Rates
- Create one Tax Rate under Settings › Tax Rates for your country’s standard VAT percentage, named with the rate, and a zero rate for exempt or zero-rated transport.
- Enter your VAT registration number in the TRN field under Settings › Company, and your customers’ numbers on their records; both print on tax invoices.
- If cross-border transport is zero-rated where you are registered, use the zero rate on those invoices and keep the standard rate for domestic legs.
- Reverse charge on imported services, where it applies, uses RCM Applicable on the supplier and Apply RCM on the invoice.
- The Customer TAX Report and Supplier TAX Report give the invoice-level figures for your return.
Currency And Cross-Border Loads
- Set the company Currency under Settings › Company to your local currency (for example ZAR, KES, ZMW or TZS) and No. of Decimal to 2.
- Add the currencies your customers invoice goods in, such as USD, under Settings › Currencies. They appear in the currency picker on Goods Invoice Value on bookings.
- Your freight, invoices and ledgers stay in the company currency. The goods value in another currency is information on the booking for customs and insurance, not a second set of books.
- Fuel bought across the border is recorded in Fuel Tracking in the company currency at the amount actually paid; put the station as a supplier so station-wise totals work.
Documents To Map
Add these under Settings › Document Mapping so every vehicle and driver profile shows the row with its expiry and reminder.
Entity | Document types common across the region | Note |
|---|---|---|
Vehicle | Registration, Insurance, Roadworthiness or fitness certificate, Cross-border permit (per corridor), Carrier licence or operator permit, Third-party insurance for transit countries | Set Remind Before to cover the border office turnaround |
Employee | Driving License, identity documents, Passport, Health Insurance | Passports matter for drivers on transit routes |
Customer / Supplier | Tax registration certificate, Trade or business licence | Keep the TRN on the record as well |
Bookings And Border Crossings
- Use the Container Nos, Material, Goods Invoice No and Goods Invoice Value fields for the consignment detail border agents ask for.
- Tenant custom fields on bookings can hold a transit document reference or seal number; they appear in booking reports.
- Set up Trip journey steps with an Arrive step so waiting time at borders is captured through the Job clock.
- Drivers can send PODs and fuel receipts on WhatsApp to the AI Inbox when they are away for days.
Year And Payroll
- Financial years differ by country; create the one your tax authority uses under Settings › Financial Year and Set Active.
- Trip-based pay for long-haul drivers uses the Trip Based Salary Type and Trip Based Salary Amount on the driver record; payroll nets advances and trip pay already paid.
Need Help?
Chat with the NShine ERP support team on WhatsApp at +91 79950 87755, or ask from inside the app. Last checked 9 November 2026 against app.nshineerp.com.