Avalara AvaTax Sales Tax Badge Requirements
Administration & Utilities
AvaTax configuration window - Required
The AvaTax Configuration Dialog Window must allow the user to specify the configuration/connection information
- Account Number
- License Key
- Service URL
- Company Code Lookup
AvaTax Test Connect Button - Required
Test the connection to the AvaTax service and verify the AvaTax credentials. This is an important element to allow for successful troubleshooting of the AvaTax Service.
Control - Disable Document Recording - Required
In order for this connector to be used in conjunction with other integrations to AvaTax, the user must be able to control which connector is used for recording documents to AvaTax. From a technical standpoint, simply use DocType: 'SalesOrder' on all calls and suppress any non-getTax calls (i.e. cancelTax, postTax).
Note: Other documentation may refer to Document Committing, this is interchangeable with Document Recording
Disable AvaTax Option - Required
The user must have an option to turn on or off the AvaTax Calculation service independent of any other Avalara product or service.
Enable client side logging - Required
Enables detailed AvaTax transaction logging within the application including capture of round-trip processing time. We need the complete request/response for each call made to Avalara services. It does not need to run all the time as we understand the database will grow unnecessarily large – you are free to only log the last week, 30 days, custom, or have a control for the next N hours, etc. The spirit of the requirement is to assist customers and support in troubleshooting exercises, so it needs to be retrievable by an end user (or an administrator). It should be specifically Avalara service calls.
Request time out definition - Suggested
Define AvaTax request time out length, AvaTax best practices prescribes default setting of 300 ms.
Display Prices with Tax Included - Conditional
Enable the tax inclusive flag in the GetTax Request.
Option to display prices with tax included is required for VAT badge.
Enable AvaTax UPC - Suggested
When set to true: pass in UPC code into the Avalara ItemCode on the line level of the requests to our service. When UPC is unavailable, default to ItemCode.When set to false: use the default ItemCode mapping. See Product Master Management for more details.
NOTE: Alternately, UPC can be enabled on the item level.
User Implementation Guide - Required
The User Implementation Guide should contain screenshots and information allowing the end user to configure for AvaTax including where the company code is entered, where the credentials are entered and where tax codes can be mapped within the application. Click Here for a user guide template.
Address Validation Implemented - Required
An Address Validation utility is present in the application.
Customer Record Integration
Customer Code - Required
Identify customer code (number, ID) to pass to the AvaTax service.
Entity/Use Code - Required
This is a group of codes that indicate the type of exemption. See the standard codes, but be aware that users are able to create custom codes as well. It is best to manage this value in your application’s Customer record and pass it to AvaTax as CustomerUsageType at either the document or line level, whichever is applicable.
Exemption Number - Suggested
Customer record field populating exemption number in an AvaTax transaction. This is used for tracking those customers who have tax exempt transactions.
Line Level Exemptions - Suggested
Ability to identify individual items on a transaction as exempt from tax.
Line Level Exemption Override - Suggested
Ability to identify individual items on a transaction as Taxable to an otherwise exempt customer. Functionally, you will need to pass the value "Taxable" in the CustomerUsageType field at the line level.
Ship-To Address Exemption - Suggested
Ability to individually identify customer, ship-to locations as Exempt, separate from the customers default address.
Items/Charge Integration
Item Code - Required
Identify customer code (number, ID) to pass to the AvaTax service.
Item Description - Required
Identify item/service/charge description to pass to the AvaTax service with a human-readable description or item name.
AvaTax Tax Code mapping - Item Code/SKU - Required
Association of an item or item group to an AvaTax Tax Code to describe the taxability (e.g. Clothing-Shirts – B-to-C).
Tax Code Mapping Group - Suggested
Association of a GROUP of items to an AvaTax Tax Code to describe the taxability of the group.
Pass UPC - Suggested
See note in Administration/Utilities Integration section. If the user elects to use AvaTax UPC, ensure that the appropriate field containing UPC data is mapped to the ItemCode parameter formatted as: NOTE: The UPC functionality is a premium upgrade to the Avalara AvaTax subscription providing taxability decision (taxable vs. non-taxable) without requiring an Avalara Tax Code assignment. Pull in and surface Avalara Tax Codes within application. Association of Freight/Shipping and/or Handling charge to an AvaTax Tax Code to describe the taxability. Values that can come across to AvaTax as the DocCode. Values that can come across to AvaTax as the Customer Code. Value that comes across to AvaTax as the DocDate. Value that is used for Tax Calculation Date in AvaTax. DocType used for varying stages of the transaction life cycle. Value that is sent to AvaTax for Destination Address at the header level. Value that is sent to AvaTax for Origin Address at the header level. Value that is sent to AvaTax for PoA at the header level. Value that is sent to AvaTax for PoO at the header level. Area at Invoice screen where end user can check box to override existing Tax Exemption for the client. Value that is sent to AvaTax for LocationCode at the header level. If the application supports multiple 'origin' addresses, locationCode must be passed with the transactions. Value that is sent to AvaTax for Exemption Number. Required if CustomerUsageType/Entity Use Code exemption functionality is not present. Value that is sent to AvaTax for the Line Number. Value that is sent to AvaTax for the Item Code. Value that is sent to AvaTax for the Item Description. Value that is sent to AvaTax for the Quantity. Value that is sent to AvaTax for the Amount. Value that is sent to AvaTax for the Tax Code. Value that is sent to AvaTax for Destination Address at the line level.</p
Value that is sent to AvaTax for the Origin Address at the line level. Value that is sent to AvaTax for PoA at the line level. Area on the Invoice screen at the line level where end user can check box to override existing Tax Exemption for the client specific to a single line of the Invoice. Value that is sent to AvaTax for PoO at the line level. Confirm that the integration is taking the Tax Amount value from the GetTax response and using that to decorate the tax fields in the platform. Do NOT take our rate and use it to calculate the tax within the platform itself. Freight Items must be sent to AvaTax as a separate line item with a configurable tax code. Ensure that invoices are processed through a logical document lifecycle. Ensure that invoices are committed/posted for reporting appropriately. When invoices are deleted/cancelled, this information must be transmitted to AvaTax. If the source application supports void/delete, then the corresponding transaction on AvaTax must be updated with the current transaction status. Standard discounts included in line-level extended amount, manufacturer’s coupons and hostess credits transmitted as additional line items. Purchase order number associated with this transaction. Line level exempt triggers are required if line-level exemption can be managed in the application, and should be transmitted in a manner analogous to document-level exemption. Required if destination (ship-to) address can be managed at the item line level. Required if origin (ship-from, warehouse) address can be managed at the item line level. Required if Point of Order Origin field is available in the source application. Required if the Point of Order Acceptance is available in the source application. If host application captures GPS coordinates with Addresses; for US addresses, pass the Lat and Long along with address. This is especially useful in situations where a location or service site can only be pinpointed by geo location. If multiple origin addresses are supported, the corresponding origin Location Code must be included with the GetTax request. Integrations must include information about the connector, such as name, version, and company name, as a signature to each transaction. EXAMPLE: TaxSvc.Profile.Client = “Dynamics AX,9.0,MyApp for AX by ACME INC,1.0” There should be no errors except those that would result from normal (but invalid) user input (e.g. invalid address data). Such errors must be logged/displayed appropriately to the application. In a normal workflow, we expect to see (on average, including abandoned carts) up to 10 tax calculations per finalized document. In a straight-forward order entry process, the number of calls should be about three to five. Customers should have an easy and trouble free installation of the software.Tax Code Lookup - Suggested
Non Standard Items - Required
Sales/Billing Documentation Integration
DocCode - Required
CustomerCode - Required
DocDate - Required
TaxCalculation Date - Required
DocType - Required
Header Level - Destination Address - Required
Header Level - Origin Address - Required
Header Level - Point of Order Acceptance - Suggested
Header Level - Point of Order Origin - Suggested
Header Level - Exemption Override - Suggested
Location Code - Conditional
Exemption Number - Conditional
Line Number - Required
Item Code - Required
Item Description - Required
Quantity - Required
Amount (extended) - Required
Tax Code - Required
Line Level - Destination Address - Suggested
Line Level - Origin Address - Suggested
Line Level - Point of Order Acceptance - Suggested
Line Level - Exemption Override - Suggested
Line Level - Point of Order Origin - Suggested
Verify Avalara Calculated Tax Amount is used in transaction - Required
Freight items must be transmitted separately - Required
GetTax call – Sales Order/Sales Invoices - Required
PostTax/CommitTax Call – Invoices - Required
CancelTax call – voided/deleted Invoices - Conditional
Send discounts appropriately - Required
Send optional header level data elements – Purchase order number - Suggested
Send optional line (detail) level data elements – Entity Use Code (aka CustomerUsageType) - Suggested
Send optional line (detail) level data elements – Destination address - Suggested
Send optional line (detail) level data elements – Origin address - Suggested
Include Point of Order Origin in GetTax request - Conditional
Include Point of Order Acceptance in GetTax request - Conditional
Latitude/Longitude Support - Suggested
Send Location Code with Transaction - Conditional
Server Audit Clarity and Installation Requirements
Pass connector identifier information via the TaxSvc.Profile.Client property - Required
Reasonable errors on server-side analysis - Required
Reasonable ratio of GetTax and address validation calls to committed documents - Required
Demonstrate and document installation of software – Install Shield or equivalent where applicable - Required