Construction Industry Scheme Online

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

Welcome to Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) Online - Electronic Data Interchange. More suitable for contractors with a high number of subcontractors, typically in the thousands.

What is EDI?

EDI is the transfer of data from an application running on the computer of one organisation to an application running on the computer of another organisation, with no manual intervention.

Who would be interested in CIS Online - EDI?

Any contractor with a high number of subcontractors, typically in the thousands.

Benefits of using CIS Online - EDI

Savings - can be found in areas such as: printing, paper storage and manpower (postroom, administration and data entry).

Flexibility - EDI allows the contractor to send data to HM Revenue & Customs at a time that suits them. There are no restrictions on the time when data can be sent. The usual deadline for submission of the contractor’s monthly return does however still apply.

Speed - by using EDI, the process of transferring data from one organisation to another takes hours or even minutes - not days. With data sent online the risk of unforeseen delays, which can occur with paper returns, is reduced dramatically. Filing online, unlike paper, does not depend on various handling parties along the way, which can potentially slow down the exchange of data.

Quality and Accuracy - primarily EDI improves the quality of service, since it enables information to go from one computer application to another with no manual intervention. This reduces the likelihood of errors that can be incurred as a result of re-keying data from paper returns. It is a known statistic that 2 per cent of all returns that are hand written have errors introduced when re-keyed. This finding is based on an experienced key operator carrying out the action. By using EDI the returns are processed with 100 per cent accuracy. More details about the benefits of using EDI can be obtained from case studies written by Standard Life, CMG UK Ltd (PDF 16K), and Enable or the article written by Suffolk County Council (PDF 24K).

CIS Online - EDI data flow

CIS Online - EDI currently supports the following data flows:

CIS Data flow

Direction

Description

CIS300 Contractors monthly return

Contractor to HM Revenue & Customs

Monthly return used to record payments made to subcontractors within CIS.

CIS Verification requests

Contractor to HM Revenue & Customs

Requests for verification of subcontractors prior to making first payment to them.

CIS Verification responses

HM Revenue & Customs to Contractor

Responses to contractors following requests for verification of subcontractors.

Interested - what do I do next?

To use CIS Online - EDI you must first register with Online Services.

You register using one of the following options:

Email - download the Registration Form (RTF 99K) and save it to your desktop before completion. After completing the registration form, return it as an email attachment to helpdesk@ir-efile.gov.uk

Fax - you can fax copies of the Registration Form (RTF 99K) to us on 01274 534792.

Post - return your completed Registration Form to us by post to:

Online Services
Crown House
Victoria Street
Shipley
West Yorkshire
BD17 7TW

Or you can contact the Online Services Helpdesk who will take the necessary information over the telephone.

Following registration, a representative of Online Services will contact you to discuss the way forward.

Further information

Further information is available from the following:

Any additional enquiries may be directed to our Online Services Helpdesk