Overview
Avalara.com is a leading provider of comprehensive and automated tax compliance solutions for businesses of all sizes. By simplifying the complex tax process, this powerful platform can help businesses achieve compliance and reduce the risk of costly errors. Avalara.com is trusted by thousands of companies worldwide to handle their business. From the intricacies of sales tax, VAT, and other transaction taxes — Avalara.com does it all. Avalara.com is the go-to choice for businesses seeking efficient and accurate tax compliance solutions.
Key Features:
- Real-Time Tax Calculation: Ensures accurate tax calculations in real-time, reducing the risk of tax-related errors.
- Automated Filing and Remittance: Simplifies the process of tax filing and remittance, saving time and effort.
- Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with e-commerce platforms, ERP systems, and other financial software.
- Global Tax Compliance: Addresses the complexities of international tax regulations and achieves compliance across borders.
Audit Defense: Benefit from expert support and resources to defend your business in case of a tax audit.
Requirements:
To start with Avalara.com, users will need the following:
- If you do not already have one, set up an avalara.com account
- Have a pre-existing Cart Storefront
Input API URL into the appropriate field: https://avatax.avalara.net
Integration Steps
- First, create an account on Avalara
- In your Cart Storefront, navigate to Tools. Select Apps & Add-Ons, and click on Avalara
- Select Active
- Complete the required License and Account numbers fields
- Locate and enter Avalara’s Company Code
- Select API Environment: Production or sandbox
- Complete setup with entering State abbreviations with commas. Leave it empty if you want to include all states.
Upon closing an order (via setting an order to an order status that is flagged as "closed" in the Order Statuses editor), AmeriCommerce will notify Avalara to commit the tax amount for the order to their database, and this can be disabled on the setup under Tools > Apps & Add-Ons > Avalara.
Note: In cases where order statuses are marked shipped, open but paid, closed and declined, or closed and partially returned will result in Avalara committing to tax data. Additionally, Cart Storefront does not currently support integration with customs, calculations, and estimates.
Credit card markups are taxable and sent to Avalara.
Customer Certificate Management
When Exemption Certificates Management is enabled in the Avalara app settings, your customers can directly manage their tax exemption certificates from their My Account page.
How it works:
- Customers will see a Tax Certificates link in their account menu, pointing to
/store/AvalaraCertificates.aspx - Customers can add, delete, preview, or download certificates directly from this page
Admin Setup:
- Go to Tools > Apps & Add-Ons > Avalara
- Enable the Exemption Certificates Management toggle
- Specify an email template for expiration notices and the number of days prior to expiration to trigger the notice
- You can view certificates under App Actions, below.
Customer View:
The certificate management page shows:
- Certificate ID
- Jurisdiction
- Exemption Reason
- Effective/Expiration Dates
- Status and Actions (Preview, PDF Download, Delete)
Note: To enable the Tax Certificates link in your customer’s account menu, you may need to update the customer account menu widget under Themes > Edit > Account Menu > Widgets.
Make sure the following code exists in your widget HTML:
<ac:visibilityarea id="lnkAvalara"> <li class="profMenu-avalara"> $$AVALARA$$ </li> </ac:visibilityarea>
For full steps on editing the customer account menu, visit our guide here: Customer My Account Navigation Menu