Compute an Intrastat period and complete the lines in SamBooks

How to turn the section on, generate the period's lines from EU invoices you've already recorded, complete the missing data, and move them to confirmed.

What it's for

Intrastat is SamBooks' section for the recapitulative statements of intra-EU trade in goods and services: sales and purchases of goods, services rendered and services received to and from EU counterparties. SamBooks computes the lines starting from documents you've already recorded — sales invoices, purchase invoices and self-invoices — puts them in a draft state to complete, and moves them to confirmed once they're ready. Producing the file to hand over is a separate step, covered in Generate the Intrastat file for Intr@Web: this guide only covers computing the period and completing the lines.

If you've never used Intrastat in SamBooks, or you're not even sure your company needs to file it, start with the organizational question below, not the technical one.

Before you start

• The Intrastat item doesn't show up in the left menu for any newly created company: it's hidden by default, along with a few other sections meant for specific situations. To show it, open the menu with your name at the bottom of the sidebar, pick Customize sidebar and switch Intrastat to "Visible" (full walkthrough in Customize the navigation sidebar). Note: the Settings item in the sidebar opens the company settings, which don't include this toggle. You can also reach the page without enabling it in the sidebar: from the Tax returns page (left menu) there's an Intrastat card — "Recapitulative statements of intra-EU trade in goods and services (INTRA-1/INTRA-2 forms)" — that still opens /intrastat.
• If the company is under the flat-rate regime, Intrastat isn't available: the toggle in Customize sidebar stays locked, and that isn't an oversight.
• Who can compute, complete and confirm: a user with the Gestore (manager) or Amministrativo role. A Visualizzatore (viewer) can see the computed lines but can't run any of the actions in this guide.
• You need source material to compute from: sales invoices already sent to SDI, purchase invoices with their matching self-invoice, intra-EU services rendered or received. On the sales side the computation only picks up invoices that reached at least "Sent to SDI" (so "SDI accepted", "Delivered" and "Paid" count too): an invoice still in "Draft" or "Ready" produces no line at all, even for an EU customer. If the source invoice hasn't been recorded yet, computing the period produces nothing for it: see Recording a supplier invoice for the reverse-charge self-invoices (TD17/TD18) that feed the purchase lists.

The four lists, and where each line comes from

Four list types coexist in the Intrastat page, and you pick one at a time when you run the computation. Three of them are fed by your documents:

• Goods sales (Intra-1 bis) — comes from your sales invoices to customers in an EU country other than Italy (the test is the customer's country, not their VAT number: a line is still created when the EU VAT number is missing from the customer record, but you won't be able to confirm it until you fill that in).
• Goods purchases (Intra-2 bis) — comes from the TD18 self-invoice linked to a purchase invoice: if you've recorded the EU supplier's invoice but haven't generated the matching self-invoice yet, the Intrastat line won't appear until you do.
• Services received (Intra-2 quater) — comes from the TD17 self-invoice for a service received from an EU supplier (reverse charge).

The fourth one, Services rendered (Intra-1 quater), can be selected in the dialog but the computation currently creates no lines in it: invoices for services rendered to an EU counterparty land in the goods sales list, where confirmation still asks for a CN commodity code — which a service doesn't have. If your company renders intra-EU services, agree with your accountant on how to file them: SamBooks won't produce that list.

Each line belongs to exactly one invoice (or self-invoice) and one list type: the same invoice never produces two lines in the same list.

Step by step

1. Open Intrastat

Once you've enabled the item in the sidebar (or gone through the card in Tax returns), the page is titled "Intrastat", subtitled "Monthly or quarterly summaries of intra-EU goods and services flows." Right below the header there's a notice: "The generated Intrastat model is compliant and ready to upload. The submission to the Customs Agency (Intr@Web) is performed by your accountant or intermediary: SamBooks does not connect directly to the authorities." — worth reading before computing anything, since it sets what SamBooks does and doesn't do.

2. Compute the period

Top right, press Compute period: the "Compute Intrastat period" dialog opens, explaining: "Aggregates the period's EU invoices and creates or updates the draft Intrastat lines. Idempotent: re-run it to include new invoices." Fill in four fields:

• Year — the dialog defaults to the previous year: if you're working on the current one, change it before computing.
• Frequency — Monthly or Quarterly. It's a choice you make every time: SamBooks doesn't infer it from the volume of your intra-EU operations. If you're not sure whether your company should file monthly or quarterly, ask your accountant before running the computation.
• Period — a number from 1 to 12 if you picked Monthly, from 1 to 4 for Quarterly (the field reminds you with a hint under the input).
• List type — one of the four lists above.

Press Compute: SamBooks scans the period's invoices (and self-invoices) for that list type and creates the matching lines. What decides which period a document falls into is its document date, not the date you recorded it in SamBooks. The confirmation toast reads "Intrastat lines computed." Repeat for each list type you need: each run covers only one type at a time.

If there's no matching operation in the chosen period, the computation still succeeds and simply creates no lines — that's not an error.

3. New lines start as drafts: what's almost always missing

Every freshly computed line starts in Draft status, and for goods (sales/purchases) it arrives with two placeholder values SamBooks can't infer from the invoice:

• CN/HS code — the 8-digit customs code for the goods. On creation it's always a generic placeholder, on both sales and purchase lines: no goods line ever starts with the right commodity code — you always have to look it up and set it yourself.
• Transport mode — starts already set to code 3 (road transport), the most common case: SamBooks shows the number, not the description. Correct the code if the actual transport is different.

For services (rendered/received), there's no CN code, but the transaction nature is almost always missing too — SamBooks only fills it in automatically for the specific case of a triangulation flagged on the source invoice; in most cases it still needs to be entered.

4. Complete the missing data

Open a line from the list (click the row): in the detail view, if the status is Draft, you'll find a Complete button at the top. It opens the "Complete Intrastat row" dialog — "Set the data not derivable from the invoice (CN8, quantity, nature, counterparty, transport). Draft rows only." — with these fields:

• CN8 code (goods) — a search field: type at least two characters (code or description) and pick from the results.
• Quantity (kg)
• Transaction nature — a number: SamBooks doesn't show a list of what each code means in this field, so if you don't already know the right code for your operation, ask your accountant before confirming the line.
• Counterparty ISO country and Counterparty EU VAT — pre-filled from the invoice, editable if a correction is needed.
• Transport mode — also a number, same story as transaction nature: if the starting code (3, road) isn't the actual transport, check the right one with whoever handles the customs side.

The dialog only sends the fields you actually changed: nothing is required to save, and if you change nothing you just get a "No changes to save." notice — so you can complete a line across several passes.

The row detail also shows two other fields — Origin country and Delivery terms — that SamBooks currently displays but offers no way to set, neither from the Complete dialog nor from Sam: they stay empty. If your operation needs them for the Intrastat record, pass them to your accountant outside SamBooks.

5. Confirm the line

Once the data is in order, go back to the detail view and press Confirm row. SamBooks checks the line is complete before changing its status:

• the counterparty's country isn't empty or generic,
• the counterparty's EU VAT number isn't empty,
• for goods (sales/purchases), the CN code is no longer the starting placeholder,
• for services, the transaction nature has been entered.

If anything's missing, confirmation is refused and nothing changes: go back to Complete and finish the flagged fields. Worth noting: the kilogram quantity isn't part of this check — you can confirm a goods line without it, even though the Intrastat record normally requires it: fill it in anyway, SamBooks' check is more permissive than what you actually need.

This is the moment to double-check the line carefully, not later. Once confirmed, the line moves to Confirmed status and its data becomes final: the Complete dialog only works on draft lines, so from here you can no longer fix the CN code, quantity, transaction nature or counterparty — not even before generating any file. The next step is covered in Generate the Intrastat file for Intr@Web, which also explains what to do if you spot a mistake too late.

6. Filter and review the list

The table shows Period (year/number/frequency), Type, Counterparty (with country and VAT number), CN/HS, Value (€) and Status. Above the table, four combinable filters — Year, Frequency, List type, Status — narrow the list down; none of them affect what's been computed, they only help you find the lines you're after. If you haven't computed anything yet, or the filters find nothing, the list shows "No Intrastat rows" with a prompt to generate a period or adjust the filters.

Recomputing a period (idempotency)

You can re-run Compute period with the same values as many times as you like: for each invoice in the period, if the matching line already exists SamBooks updates it (for instance if the invoice amount changed) instead of creating a second one — unless that line is already in Sent status, in which case the recomputation leaves it exactly as is. It's the intended way to pick up invoices recorded after the first computation, with no risk of duplicating draft lines.

Ask Sam

You can ask for these operations in chat too, with the same outcome as the manual path (with one exception, at the end of this section): "compute the Intrastat period for June 2026, goods sales," "complete the row with CN code 61091000," "confirm the row." Sam applies the same completeness check before confirming a line: if something required is missing, it tells you instead of forcing the confirmation.

One exception worth knowing: Sam currently refuses to compute the services received (Intra-2 quater) list — use the Compute period button for that one. Completing and confirming lines works from both sides.

If something's wrong

• I can't find Intrastat in the menu. It's hidden by default: turn it on from the menu with your name at the bottom of the sidebar, Customize sidebar, or reach it from the card in Tax returns. If the company is under the flat-rate regime, it's not available through either path.
• I ran the computation and no line appeared. That's not an error: there's no document of that list type in the chosen period. Check three things: the list type (Services rendered never produces anything, see above), the year — the dialog defaults to the previous one — and the status of your sales invoices, which must be at least "Sent to SDI". Purchases also need the TD17/TD18 self-invoices to exist already.
• I can't confirm the line. At least one of these is missing: counterparty country/VAT, CN code (goods) or transaction nature (services). Go back to Complete and finish those fields.
• I recomputed the period, did the lines duplicate? No: the computation updates the existing line for the same invoice and list type, it doesn't duplicate it.
• Can I edit a line that's already confirmed? Not from here: the Complete dialog only works on draft lines.

Frequently asked questions

How do I file the Intrastat lists in SamBooks? Turn the section on from the user menu at the bottom of the sidebar (it's hidden by default), run Compute period for each list type you need, complete the draft lines with the CN code or transaction nature, and confirm them. Producing the file to hand over is a separate step.

I can't find Intrastat in the menu, where did it go? It was never there: the section is hidden by default for every company. Turn it on from the menu with your name at the bottom of the sidebar, Customize sidebar, or go through the Intrastat card on the Tax returns page.

Should I file monthly or quarterly? It's a choice you make each time you run the computation: SamBooks doesn't decide it based on the volume of your operations. If you're not sure, ask your accountant before computing the period.

What's the difference between Intra-1 bis and Intra-2 bis? Intra-1 bis are goods sales (your sales to EU customers); Intra-2 bis are goods purchases, and come from the TD18 self-invoice linked to the supplier's invoice.

Where do intra-EU services go in the lists? Services you receive have their own list: Intra-2 quater, fed by the TD17 self-invoice. For services you render, the Intra-1 quater option exists but the computation creates no lines in it: those invoices land among the goods sales (Intra-1 bis). Agree with your accountant on how to file services rendered.

The line is in draft, what do I need to complete? For goods: the CN commodity code (it starts with a placeholder) and, if the transport isn't by road, the transport mode. For services: the transaction nature. You do it from the Complete button in the row's detail view.

How do I find the CN8 code for the goods? In the Complete dialog, the CN8 code field is a search box: type at least two characters of the code or description and pick from the results.

I can't confirm the Intrastat row. A required field is missing: counterparty country or VAT, CN code (goods) or transaction nature (services). SamBooks lists what's missing when it refuses to confirm.

It says the transaction nature is missing. This happens on services received lines (Intra-2 quater): open Complete and set the value — if you don't know which code applies, check with your accountant.

I recomputed the period, did the rows duplicate? No: the computation is idempotent, it updates the existing line for the same invoice instead of creating a second one.

Can I edit a row that's already confirmed? No: completing only works on draft rows. Once confirmed, a row is final, whether or not you've already generated the XML file.

The computation found no EU operations. That's normal if there are no documents of that list type in the chosen period: the computation still succeeds, it simply creates no lines. The three usual causes: wrong list type (Services rendered never produces lines), wrong year (the dialog defaults to the previous one), and sales invoices not yet sent to SDI.

Related guides

• Generate the Intrastat file for Intr@Web — the step after confirming the lines.
• Customize the navigation sidebar — how to enable Intrastat (and other hidden items) in the sidebar.
• Recording a supplier invoice — where the TD17/TD18 self-invoices that feed the purchase lists come from.
• The boundary with your accountant — the responsibility boundary across the whole Tax returns area.
• Tax regime RF01 and RF19 in SamBooks — why Intrastat isn't available for flat-rate companies.