Commodity codes for IT & software
Every code below is from URA's own Goods_Services_Details list, in the UNSPSC taxonomy EFRIS uses. All of them are flagged service in that list.
Pick the code that describes the work, not the client or the price
Two firms doing the same work use the same code. If you build a booking app for a hotel, the code is application development — not hospitality.
Building software
| Code | URA's name | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 81111504 | Application programming services | Custom software development — the usual default |
| 81111502 | Personal computer PC application design | Desktop applications |
| 81111509 | Internet or intranet client application development services | Web and mobile front ends |
| 81111510 | Internet or intranet server application development services | Back ends and APIs |
| 81111503 | Systems integration design | Making systems talk to each other |
| 81111508 | Application implementation services | Deploying and rolling out |
| 81111511 | System or application programming management service | Managing a development effort |
| 81111810 | Software coding service | Coding billed on its own |
Mobile app development has no code of its own. 81111509 is the closest honest fit for the client side; use 81111504 if the engagement is the whole application.
Consultancy and advice
| Code | URA's name |
|---|---|
| 80101507 | Information technology consultation services |
| 80101508 | Business intelligence consulting services |
| 81111707 | Systems planning services |
| 81111705 | Systems architecture |
| 81111704 | Database design |
80101507 is the one most Ugandan IT consultancies will use. Note it sits in segment 80 (business services), not 81 — searching only the computing family will miss it.
Hosting, cloud and data
| Code | URA's name |
|---|---|
| 81112105 | World wide web WWW site operation host services |
| 81112106 | Application service providers |
| 81111513 | Internet cloud storage service |
| 81162202 | Cloud storage as a service |
| 81162103 | Platform software as a service |
| 81162008 | Enterprise resource planning software as a service |
| 81112001 | Online data processing service |
| 81112302 | Data analytics process as a service (81162302) |
For a SaaS subscription, the 81162xxx "as a service" family is the better fit than the older hosting codes.
Support, maintenance and licensing
| Code | URA's name |
|---|---|
| 81112201 | Maintenance or support fees |
| 81111811 | Technical support or help desk services |
| 81112209 | Development software maintenance |
| 81112217 | Industry specific software maintenance |
| 81112501 | Computer software licensing service |
| 81111801 | Computer or network or internet security |
| 81111819 | Quality assurance services |
Training
| Code | URA's name |
|---|---|
| 86101601 | Computer vocational training services |
AI and machine learning have no codes of their own. The list predates them. Classify by what you actually deliver: training is 86101601, building a model is 81111504, wiring it into an existing system is 81111503, and advising on it is 80101507.
Websites
| Code | URA's name |
|---|---|
| 81112103 | World wide web WWW site design services |
| 81112107 | Internet domain names |
| 81112101 | Internet service providers ISP |
Unit of measure
Services are counted, so the unit is NMB (number) — which is what Smart Business Book sends when you leave the field blank.
It is a code, not free text. The interface refuses anything it does not recognise. Goods sold by weight or volume use their own: KGM, LTR, MTR, PCE.
Checking a code
The full list is Goods_Services_Details from URA, and the portal has a Commodity Category search. If nothing fits, ask URA rather than guessing — a wrong code files the sale under the wrong category, which is harder to unpick than an invoice you can see has not been fiscalised.
Related
- URA commodity codes — how codes work
- EFRIS setup — keys, the connection test, and switching on