Avalara AvaTax for Softbase 3.0 

Configuration/User Guide

Avalara AvaTax is a cloud-based solution automating transaction tax calculations and the tax filing process. Avalara provides real-time tax calculation using tax content from more than 12,000 US taxing jurisdictions and over 200 countries, insuring your transaction tax is calculated based on the most current tax rules.

Connect to AvaTax

The AvaTax integration is automatically installed when using Softbase, build 479 or later.  You need to configure the integration before using.

1. Go to Administration > Tax Codes
2. Click Sales Tax Integration

3. Enter your Avalara AvaTax Credentials: 

4. Account Number: Provided during your AvaTax account activation process.
5. Software License Key: Provided during your AvaTax account activation process
6. Service URL: URL to connect to the Production AvaTax services (provided during activation)
7. Company Code/ID: Company profile identifier, created in the AvaTax Admin Console.

4. Test the connection at any time by clicking the Test Connection button.

Configure Avalara AvaTax

Once connected, you see additional settings. 

3. Disable Tax Calculation - Turn off the AvaTax calculation service. Choose a Provider of Softbase to turn off the integration.
4. Enable Logging – Log detailed transaction activity for troubleshooting purposes. Enable only when instructed by support.
5. [Address Validation] – Option to enable or disable address validation]

Assign an Avalara tax exempt category to a customer

1. Click Accounting  > Customers 
2. Click a customer record to enter the customer detail 
3. Select the Tax Codes tab
4. Click 

1. In the Tax Exempt Reason field, select the appropriate customer type letter code. 

A - Federal government (United States)

B - State government (United States)

C - Tribe / Status Indian / Indian Band (both)

D - Foreign diplomat (both)

E - Charitable or benevolent org (both)

F - Religious or educational org (both)

G - Resale (both)

H - Commercial agricultural production (both)

I - Industrial production / manufacturer (both)

J - Direct pay permit (United States)

K - Direct mail (United States)

L - Other (both)

M - Not Used

N - Local government (United States)

O - Not Used

P - Commercial aquaculture (Canada)

Q - Commercial Fishery (Canada)

R - Non-resident (Canada)

5. Click Save.

Assign an AvaTax System Tax Code to an item

1. Go to Administration > Tax Codes > Default Tax Codes

2. On the Default Tax Codes screen, enter the applicable AvaTax System Tax Code in the Parts, Labor, Miscellaneous, Rental and Equipment fields.

3. Click Update. 

4. Go to Administration > Sales Codes and select a sale code to enter an override tax code

5. Go to > Administration > Department to enter an override tax code for your F5 Miscellaneous Charges.

6. Go to General > Parts and select a part record to set an override tax code for a specific part record.

7. To see a listing of all available AvaTax System tax codes, click (http://taxcode.avatax.avalara.com).

Validate a customer address 

1. Click Accounting  > Customers

2. Click a customer record to enter the customer detail screen.

3. On the save of the record the system will validate the address.

4. Review the returned validated address, click the Yes checkbox to update the customer record with the returned address.