How to set up your primary username on eFiling and manage your portfolios

Follow these easy steps to set up your primary username. It will also show you how to manage your associated portfolios.   The steps below will cover:  

  • Set-up your Primary Username
  • Linking a Portfolio
  • Adding a Portfolio
  • Adding clients to a Portfolio
  • Adding users to a Portfolio

A Primary User is a default username that is selected by the user to access eFiling.

To setup your primary username, follow the guide below:
 
Go to www.sars.gov.za and click on ‘Login’ under SARS eFiling.
 
 Screenshot of eFiling login screen

 
If you are logging in using a username that is not associated with your individual tax type, the following screen will appear:
 
Screenshot of eFiling login screen with message

 
Enter your password associated with the displayed username and click ‘Login’.  You will now be routed to the Primary Login Credential Screen:
 
Screenshot of Primary Login Credentials screen
Select your default or primary username that you will be using in future. eFiling will only allow you to use one username in future.
 
If that primary username is different from what you have just used to log in, then you will have to capture the password associated with that username. 
 
Click ‘Done’.
 
You will now be routed to the Welcome to eFiling page where you will be prompted to select your preferred method of communication.
 
Screenshot of Welcome to SARS eFiling screen with Preferred Method of communication fields highlighted

Click ‘Continue’.
  
You will receive a ‘One Time Pin’ (OTP) via the preferred method.
 
Enter the last six digits of the OTP and click ‘Submit’:
 
Screenshot of OTP screen

 
You will then be required to accept the Terms and Conditions.
What is a portfolio and what are the different types?

A registered eFiler can act in different “roles” on eFiling (e.g. tax administrator). These “roles” are referred to as Portfolio Types. For example:
  • Individual – a person acting as himself/herself to administer his/her own individual taxes.
  • Tax Practitioner – a person registered with SARS and a Recognised Controlling Body (RCB) and has a signed power of attorney to act on behalf of another taxpayer.
  • Organisation – a representative of a tax paying entity acting either as the representative taxpayer (e.g. Public Officer, Executor of an estate, etc.) or an appointed representative with a signed Power of Attorney in place.
To link portfolio(s), follow the guide below:
After accepting the Terms and Conditions, the next screen will define various portfolios.
 
Screenshot of Portfolio definition screen

 
Click ‘Continue’.
 
The next screen shows you all the portfolios that are linked to your ID number.
 
You will see that the username that you chose earlier as your primary username will be displayed as a linked portfolio.
 
Other portfolio(s) will be listed under Unlinked Portfolio(s).
 
You may choose to link one or all of these portfolios now or later using the associated passwords.
 
Click Link to link the portfolios and enter the password associated with the portfolio.
 
Screenshot of Portfolio Management screen with Link Portfolio popup

Screenshot of Message 'Portfolio JOHN29487 linked.' with OK button
 
Screenshot of Linked Portfolios screen

Please note that the same rights that were allocated to the portfolios by the administrator will still apply.
You can now access any linked portfolio and the clients listed under the portfolio by clicking the ‘Go to Portfolio’ button which takes you to the landing page for the selected portfolio.
 
To navigate between your various portfolios or link additional portfolios you will need to go to the ‘Portfolio Management’ Page. 
 
To get to your portfolio management page, go to the eFiling Landing Page.  Then click on My Profile and on the Portfolio Management sub-menu which will take you to the Portfolio Management Page.

Follow these easy steps to add a portfolio to your eFiling profile.

From your eFiling landing page, go to your ‘Portfolio Management’ page by selecting ‘My Profile’ on the Portfolio Management sub menu.
 
Click on ‘Add Portfolio’ on the top right hand side of your screen: 

Screenshot of the Portfolio Management screen

Screenshot of Portfolio Management screen with Add Portfolio popup


You will get a pop-up message where you must enter the Portfolio Name and select a Portfolio type from a dropdown menu.

Screenshot of Portfolio Management screen with Add Portfolio popup

Then click Add Portfolio.

Screenshot of Portfolio Management screen with Add Portfolio popup

message will indicate that your portfolio has been added successfully.

Screenshot of Message 'Your portfolio has been added successfully.' with OK button

The added portfolio will be displayed under Linked Portfolios.


Screenshot of Portfolio Management screen with added portfolio highlighted
You are now able to add a client or clients to the portfolio that you have just added.

To add a new client, click the Go To Portfolio button associated with the new portfolio you have added.
 
Click Organisations, on the top of your screen.
 
Then Click Organisation on the left hand side of your screen.
 
Select the sub menu Register New to register your new client.
 
Complete all the fields, then click Continue.

Screenshot of Register New Organisation screen


Tick the group applicable to the taxpayer, then click Continue.

Screenshot of Add Tax Payer to Groups dialog


Check the information on the summary screen and click Continue.

Screenshot of Summary dialog

 

On the next screen, select the tax types you want to register for by ticking the appropriate box. Then add the tax reference number.

Screenshot of Tax Types to register for

When you are done, click Register.
 
If you get a message to set up banking details, then first set up banking details by Clicking Change Details on the left hand side and completing the bank details section. You can then select your tax types. 

Screenshot of Error message 'Please ensure that the correct verification bank details are captured for this taxpayer and then try again.

Go to Organisation and then select the sub menu, Change Details.


Update bank details.

Screenshot of Update Details screen with bank details part highlighted

Click Update Details. 
 
If you have followed all the steps correctly, you will get a message indicating that your tax types have been successfully updated.

Screenshot of Message Tax Types successfully updated.

You could get a message that your tax type is awaiting verification. In this case SARS will send you correspondence via eFiling to upload supporting documents.
 
The correspondence will give you a case number and a link to upload the supporting documents.

To view the SARS correspondence, go to Pending Registration under Organisation. Then click on Open to view the notice from SARS.

If your case has been approved by SARS, you will be able to continue transacting.

Go to My Profile and select the Portfolio Management sub menu.

Select the portfolio under which you wish to invite a user, by clicking on Go To Portfolio.

On the top of your screen, select User.

Then on the left hand side of your screen, select User again.

Then select Invite a User.

Select Identity Type and make the applicable selection in the drop down.

Complete all the fields and click Invite .



The following page will display the roles one can assign to the user invited.

The invite will be sent to the user. You will be notified via email or SMS once the user accepts the invite.

Need help?

If you need help on how to add a new portfolio on SARS eFiling, watch our helpful tutorial video on the SARS YouTube channel by clicking on the image below.

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