Glossary

Definitions of terms used throughout VasBox and ZIMRA documentation.

Terms A-Z

Complete list of glossary terms.

A

Active (Status)
A device or user that is currently enabled and can perform operations in the system.
Audit Log
A chronological record of all system activities for compliance and security purposes. Shows who did what and when.
See also:Audit Trail
Audit Trail
See Audit Log. A record of all changes and actions in the system for accountability.
See also:Audit Log
Authenticator App
A mobile application that generates time-based codes for two-factor authentication. Examples include Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator.
See also:Two-Factor Authentication

B

Branch
A physical or logical location of your business. Each branch can have its own fiscal device and staff assignments.
Business Owner
The primary account holder with full system access, billing responsibility, and ability to manage all users and settings.
See also:Owner, Manager, Cashier

C

Cancelled (Invoice)
An invoice that has been voided after finalization. The original record is preserved for audit purposes.
Cashier
A user role with permissions limited to creating receipts and basic operations. Assigned to a single branch.
See also:Owner, Manager, Role
Certificate
A digital credential issued by ZIMRA that enables a device to sign and submit receipts. Requires 4 hours to propagate after activation.
See also:Device, Propagation
Credit Note
A document issued to reduce the amount a customer owes, often for returns, refunds, or price adjustments.
See also:Debit Note

D

Dashboard
The main overview screen showing key business metrics, recent activity, and quick access to common actions.
Debit Note
A document issued to increase the amount a customer owes, often for additional charges or corrections.
See also:Credit Note
Device
A fiscal device registered with ZIMRA for submitting receipts. Each device has a unique serial number and certificate.
See also:Device Serial, Certificate
Device Serial
The unique identifier assigned to a fiscal device, used for registration and tracking with ZIMRA.
Draft (Invoice)
An invoice that is being created and can still be edited. It has not been finalized or assigned an invoice number.
See also:Finalized

E

Exchange Rate
The conversion rate between currencies (e.g., USD to ZWL). Used for multi-currency transactions and reporting.

F

FDMS
Fiscal Device Management System - ZIMRA's system for managing fiscal devices and receiving receipt submissions.
Finalized (Invoice)
An invoice that has been locked and assigned an invoice number. It cannot be edited and is ready for fiscalization.
See also:Draft, Fiscalized
Fiscal Day
A business day for recording transactions. Must be opened before creating receipts and closed at end of day.
See also:Receipt
Fiscalization
The process of submitting receipts to ZIMRA for official recording and tax compliance.
See also:ZIMRA, Receipt
Fiscalized (Status)
A receipt that has been successfully submitted to and acknowledged by ZIMRA. It has a verification code.
See also:Fiscalization, Verification Code

G

Global Number
A sequential number assigned to each receipt across the entire business, used for tracking.
Grace Period
A period after subscription expiry during which limited access is maintained before full suspension.

H

Headquarters
The primary branch of a business, automatically created during onboarding.
See also:Branch
HS Code
Harmonized System code used for product classification in international trade and customs.

I

Invoice
A document requesting payment for goods or services provided. Can be draft, finalized, or fiscalized.
See also:Draft, Finalized, Fiscalized
Invoice Number
A unique sequential identifier assigned when an invoice is finalized. Format may vary by business.

L

Line Item
An individual product or service entry on an invoice or receipt, including quantity, price, and tax.

M

Manager
A user role with operational access to a specific branch or all branches. Can manage daily operations and view reports.
See also:Owner, Cashier, Role

O

Offline Mode
A state where receipts are queued locally when ZIMRA connectivity is unavailable. Receipts sync automatically when connection is restored.
Onboarding
The process of setting up a new business account in VasBox, including business details, branch setup, and device registration.
Owner
See Business Owner. The primary account holder with full system access.
See also:Business Owner

P

Paynow
The payment gateway used for processing subscription payments in Zimbabwe. Supports mobile money and card payments.
Pending (Status)
A state indicating an operation is awaiting completion or processing. Often used for device registration or receipt submission.
Permission
A specific capability granted to a user role, controlling what actions they can perform.
See also:Role
Poll Interval
How frequently a device checks for updates from ZIMRA. Configured automatically.
Propagation
The time needed for a certificate to become active after generation, typically 4 hours. A ZIMRA requirement.
See also:Certificate

Q

QR Code
A machine-readable code on fiscalized receipts that can be scanned to verify authenticity with ZIMRA.
See also:Verification Code

R

Receipt
A fiscalized record of a sale submitted to ZIMRA. Contains transaction details, tax information, and verification code.
See also:Fiscalization
Receipt Counter
A sequential number tracking receipts within a single fiscal day.
See also:Fiscal Day, Global Number
Recovery Codes
Backup codes used to access an account when the authenticator app is unavailable. Should be stored securely.
See also:Two-Factor Authentication
Refund
A receipt type used when returning money to a customer. Requires a reference to the original receipt.
See also:Credit Note
Role
A collection of permissions assigned to a user. VasBox has three roles: Owner, Manager, and Cashier.
See also:Owner, Manager, Cashier, Permission

S

SKU
Stock Keeping Unit - a unique identifier for a product in your inventory system.
Station
A ZIMRA tax station assigned to your business location for tax administration purposes.
Subscription
Your paid plan that enables VasBox features for your business. Requires periodic renewal.

T

Tax Category
A classification that determines the tax rate applied to products. Categories A, B, C, D represent different VAT rates.
See also:VAT
Tax Configuration
Settings that define available tax rates and categories for a device.
TIN
Taxpayer Identification Number - your unique identifier with ZIMRA for tax purposes.
Two-Factor Authentication
An extra security layer requiring both password and a code from your phone. Also called 2FA.
See also:Authenticator App, Recovery Codes

U

Unit of Measure
How a product is sold (each, kg, liter, etc.). Must be configured when adding products.
User
An individual with access to VasBox, assigned to your business with a specific role.
See also:Role

V

VAT
Value Added Tax - the primary sales tax in Zimbabwe. Different rates apply to different product categories.
See also:Tax Category
Verification Code
A unique code on fiscalized receipts for validation with ZIMRA. Can be used to verify receipt authenticity.
See also:QR Code, Fiscalized

W

Walk-in Customer
A customer making a purchase without a registered customer record. Used for anonymous sales.

Z

ZIMRA
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority - the government body overseeing tax compliance. VasBox connects to ZIMRA's FDMS for fiscalization.
See also:FDMS, Fiscalization
ZWL
Zimbabwe Dollar - one of the currencies supported in VasBox for multi-currency transactions.
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