The best time to fix VAT recovery is when the invoice is booked. Small habits in QuickBooks compound into either smooth refunds or expensive clean-up projects.
Vendor records
- Store the supplier’s VAT ID in the vendor profile or custom field when available.
- Use consistent vendor naming so the same hotel chain does not appear five different ways.
- Tag vendors by country even if your default reporting is US-centric.
Categories and tax codes
Separate travel, meals, events, and professional services. If you use tax codes, ensure EU purchases are distinguishable from domestic US spend so automated scanners can filter quickly.
Attachments
Attach PDFs or images to the QuickBooks transaction, not only to email threads. SOVAT reads from your ledger; orphaned invoices slow everything down.