# Onboard your client overview

Source: https://developer.avalara.com/products/returns/integration-guides/managed-returns-emea/hnw9333317521708/

Guide: Avalara Managed Returns API (EMEA)

# Onboard your client overview

Understand the end-to-end process to onboard VAT clients with the Avalara Managed Returns API, from creating client accounts to generating and retrieving return drafts.

A partner (Firm or marketplace) uses the Avalara Managed Returns API to onboard VAT clients, configure registrations and obligations, upload and validate data, generate drafts, and prepare filings.

![Onboarding workflow](https://knowledge-be.avalara.com/bundle/aot2888389596944_aot2888389596944/page/juc5076493051924.image?_LANG=enus)

The onboarding process includes the following steps:

1.  Create client account and Company:
    -   The partner operates as a Firm and creates a Client Account for each merchant.
    -   A default Company is created under the Client Account to represent the legal entity for VAT filings.
2.  Configure VAT registrations and filing setup:
    -   For each Company, VAT registrations are established for relevant jurisdictions (for example, GB).
    -   Filing configuration includes selecting regions and forms, and submitting a filing calendar that defines obligation types, frequencies, and effective dates.
3.  Import transaction data:

    During onboarding and ongoing operations, transaction data is imported (for example, using `VatUploadData`) to support VAT return preparation across the configured Return periods.

4.  Validate and review data:
    -   Data ingestion runs validations and aggregations.
    -   Invoice-level results are available using data preparation APIs (for example, `VatDataPrepResults`) so partners can surface detailed issues in their own UI before draft generation.
5.  Generate and monitor return drafts:

    For each Return period, partners initiate draft generation (for example, `VatStartDraftGeneration`) and monitor progress (for example, `VatDraftGenerationStatus`) until all artifacts are ready.

6.  Retrieve drafts and proceed to filing:

    Generated draft files (JSON e-filing payloads, PDF summaries, CSV reconciliation files) are retrieved (for example, `VatReturnDrafts`) and used for review, approval, and downstream filing and reconciliation workflows.