Beginner’s Guide to TCS in TallyPrime: From Basics to Setup

Published on: 30-05-2025

Beginner’s Guide to TCS in TallyPrime: From Basics to Setup

With the introduction of stricter tax regulations and digital tax compliance, Tax Collected at Source (TCS) has become a vital part of many business transactions in India. TallyPrime, a leading accounting software, simplifies the process of managing TCS, making tax collection, tracking, and reporting easy and compliant with Indian statutory laws.

This guide will help you understand what TCS is, when it applies, and how to enable and use it effectively in TallyPrime.

What is TCS?

TCS (Tax Collected at Source) refers to the tax collected by a seller (collector) from the buyer (collectee) at the time of sale of specified goods or services. The seller is then responsible for depositing this tax with the government on behalf of the buyer.

TCS is governed by Section 206C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and applies only to certain types of goods and transactions as notified by the government. Failure to collect or deposit TCS can result in penalties.

Examples of Transactions Where TCS is Applicable

TCS is applicable to the sale of:

• Alcoholic liquor for human consumption
• Forest produce like tendu leaves and timber
• Scrap
• Minerals (like lignite, coal, iron ore)
• Sale of goods exceeding ₹50 lakhs in a financial year (as per Section 206C(1H))
• Lease or license of parking lots, toll plazas, and mining/quarrying rights

The applicable TCS rate may vary depending on the nature of the transaction and whether the buyer has provided a valid PAN or Aadhaar.

TCS in TallyPrime: Overview

TallyPrime allows businesses to:

• Enable TCS features
• Set up tax rates and nature of goods
• Automatically calculate TCS in sales vouchers
• Assign PAN/Aadhaar to parties for compliance
• Generate reports and returns for statutory filing

With these features, businesses can remain compliant while reducing manual effort and errors in TCS management.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up TCS in TallyPrime

Step 1: Enable TCS in TallyPrime

1. Open TallyPrime.
2. Press F11 (Features) from the Gateway of Tally.
3. Navigate to Statutory & Taxation.
4. Set Enable Tax Collected at Source (TCS) to Yes.
5. Set Set/alter TCS details? to Yes and press Enter.
6. In the TCS Details screen:
   • Enter Company's TAN Number
   • Choose Deductor Type (e.g., Company, Individual)
   • Enable Activate TCS for stock items and ledgers if applicable
   • Press Enter and accept

This enables the TCS module within your company data.

Step 2: Define Nature of Goods

TCS in Tally is applied based on the Nature of Goods.

1. Go to Gateway of Tally > Create > Statutory Info > TCS Nature of Goods.
2. Create an entry with:
   • Name: e.g., Sale of Scrap
   • Section: Auto-filled (e.g., 206C (1))
   • Type of Collectee: Select based on transaction
   • Rate: Enter applicable TCS rate (e.g., 1%)
   • Threshold: If applicable (e.g., ₹50 lakh)

Assign this nature later to the relevant items or ledgers.

Step 3: Create a TCS Ledger

1. Go to Create > Ledger.
2. Name: e.g., TCS @ 1%
3. Under: Duties & Taxes
4. Type of Duty/Tax: TCS
5. Nature of Goods: Select from the list you created earlier
6. Rate: Enter as required (e.g., 1%)

This ledger will be used in sales invoices to calculate TCS automatically.

Step 4: Update Party Ledgers with PAN Details

1. Go to Alter > Ledger.
2. Select the buyer's ledger.
3. In the ledger settings:
   • Set Is TCS Applicable? to Yes
   • Enter the PAN of the party (If not available, TCS rate will be higher)
   • Set Collectee Type (e.g., Company, Individual)

This ensures the correct rate is applied and compliance is maintained.

Step 5: Record a Sales Invoice with TCS

1. Go to Accounting Vouchers > F8: Sales.
2. Select the party.
3. Add item(s) being sold.
4. Make sure the item is assigned a TCS nature.
5. Add the TCS ledger.
6. Tally will auto-calculate TCS based on the rate and buyer's PAN status.
7. Save the voucher.

The amount collected as TCS will be shown and can be tracked in ledgers and reports.

Step 6: View and File TCS Reports

TallyPrime provides built-in reports for TCS to simplify compliance.

• Go to Gateway of Tally > Display More Reports > Statutory Reports > TCS Reports
• You can view:
  • TCS Summary
  • TCS Outstandings
  • TCS Computation
  • Challan Reconciliation
  • Form 27EQ Filing Preparation

These reports help you file quarterly TCS returns and track the tax collected accurately.

Best Practices

• Always collect PAN from customers to avoid deducting TCS at a higher rate.
• Review the TCS ledger balance monthly to ensure timely deposit.
• Reconcile with Form 27EQ and deposit TCS through challan using the TIN NSDL portal.
• Assign correct Nature of Goods to stock and ledger items to ensure proper TCS computation.

Conclusion

TCS is a crucial compliance component for many businesses, especially those dealing in high-value goods or specific categories like scrap and minerals. With TallyPrime, enabling and managing TCS is seamless and reliable. From defining goods and tax rates to automatic calculation and report generation, the entire TCS lifecycle can be handled within Tally.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, your business can ensure TCS compliance, reduce manual errors, and stay up to date with changing tax regulations.

Let me know if you’d like a sample invoice with TCS, pre-configured Tally data file, or a TCS return filing checklist to help with implementation.