Fixing IT3(d) submission errors¶
In short: Open the submission in IT3(d) Submissions and check the Rejected and Warnings tabs — each flags the field SARS objected to. Correct the donor/certificate detail, then use the resubmit link. Rejected certificates weren't recorded and must be resubmitted; warnings were accepted but should be cleaned up.
Overview¶
When you submit an IT3(d) file to SARS (the file declaring your issued Section 18A certificates), SARS may reject some certificates or accept them with warnings. ActiveDonor records exactly which certificates and which fields were flagged, so you can correct them and resubmit. This article explains how to find the errors, fix them, and resubmit. For the meaning of each submission status, see Tracking IT3(d) submissions.
Finding the errors¶
Step 1: Open the submission¶
Open IT3D Management and the IT3(d) Submissions tab, then open the submission that came back with rejections or warnings. Inside it, three tabs split the certificates: Rejected (N), Warnings (N) and Success (N).
Step 2: Read the Rejected tab¶
On the Rejected tab you see "Please note that all certificates below have been rejected by SARS." Each row lists the certificate, the donor, the amount, and the errors — each error shows the field name that was flagged and SARS's message.
Step 3: Read the Warnings tab¶
On the Warnings tab you see "Please note all certificates below have been accepted by SARS with warning(s)." These certificates were accepted, but SARS wants the flagged fields corrected for next time. A warning can be marked Resolved once you've fixed it.
What the field names refer to¶
Each error names the field SARS objected to. Common ones map to certificate/donor fields such as the donor's surname or registered name, initials, first names, trading name, identity type, ID/registration number, country of issue, tax number, date of birth, donor type, address lines, post code, phone, email, and the donation's nature, date and amount. Use the field name to know which detail to correct on the certificate or donor record.
Rejected vs Warning — what to do¶
| Rejected | Warning | |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded by SARS? | 🔴 No | 🟡 Yes |
| Action needed | Fix and resubmit so they count | Fix the detail and mark the warning Resolved |
Fixing the details¶
Most errors come from missing or invalid donor details. To correct them:
Step 1: Open the donor or certificate¶
Open the donor (or the certificate) named in the error.
Step 2: Correct the flagged field¶
Correct the flagged field — for example a missing tax number, an invalid ID/registration number, a malformed post code, or an unrecognised donor type (see Section 18A eligibility and required donor tax details).
Step 3: Regenerate or revoke¶
- If the certificate hasn't been locked by an accepted submission, edit and regenerate it. If correcting the donor affects several of their certificates, re-sync all of them — see Regenerating certificates after changing details.
- If a certificate is already accepted/locked and was genuinely wrong, revoke it and issue a new one — see Section 18A issued and revoked reports.
Resubmitting the corrected certificates¶
From the Rejected tab the page tells you: "Click on this link to resubmit to SARS." This takes you back to the IT3(d) generation flow with the rejected certificates ready to resubmit. ActiveDonor runs the compliance check again; once the certificates pass, submit them. They then appear as a new submission you can track (a correction/resubmission file is labelled CORRECTION when accepted).
Whole-file failures¶
If the entire file failed (Structure Failure, response codes 002 or 005), no individual certificate errors are listed — the message is "File Invalid Structure — Please resubmit all certificates - contact support if you need assistance." Resubmit all certificates; if it fails again, contact support, since this usually points to a settings or file-format problem rather than one donor's details.
Common issues & solutions¶
| What you see | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| A certificate keeps getting rejected on the same field. | The underlying donor detail is still wrong. | Re-read the SARS message for that field, correct the donor detail (not just the certificate), regenerate, and resubmit. |
| I fixed the donor but the certificate still shows the old value. | The PDF wasn't regenerated. | Regenerate the certificate, or re-sync all of the donor's certificates — see Regenerating certificates after changing details. |
| The certificate is locked and can't be edited. | It's in an accepted submission. | Revoke it and issue a new, corrected one. |
| The whole file failed (Structure Failure). | A structural/settings problem, not one donor. | Resubmit all certificates; contact support if it recurs. |
| A warning won't clear. | The flagged field is still uncorrected. | Fix the field and mark the warning Resolved; warnings don't block acceptance but should be cleaned up. |
FAQ¶
A certificate was rejected — does it still count with SARS? No. Rejected certificates weren't recorded. Fix them and resubmit so they count.
My certificate was "accepted with warnings" — do I need to do anything? It was recorded, but correct the flagged field and mark the warning resolved so it's clean next time.
How do I resubmit just the rejected ones? Use the "Click on this link to resubmit to SARS" link on the Rejected tab — it loads those certificates back into the submission flow.
SARS rejected the whole file (Structure Failure) — what now? Resubmit all certificates. If it fails again it's usually a settings/format issue — contact support.
The certificate is locked so I can't fix it. It's already accepted by SARS. Revoke it and issue a corrected new one.
Related¶
- Tracking IT3(d) submissions
- Generating the IT3(d) file for SARS
- Regenerating certificates after changing details
- Section 18A eligibility and required donor tax details
- Section 18A issued and revoked reports