Setting up tax (VAT) for UK

[DaveS]

I can't seem to be able to set up VAT correctly.

I have it set up so that it shows the total price in the catalog (ie. price plus 17.5% VAT as a total). This is standard in UK for consumer catalogs, having the VAT added at the end makes UK customers feel as though they have been ripped off a little.

The problem is that it then doesn't display the total at checkout, or the invoice correctly.

It shows

1- Total including VAT
2- Shipping including VAT
3- VAT
4- Total of 1 & 2

To comply with UK invoices legally it should show.

1- Total excluding VAT
2- Shipping excluding VAT
3- VAT
5- Total of 1, 2 and 3

Another way fo putting it is that it need to have "Display prices with tax" for the catalog, and "add the tax at the end" for cart and invoices etc.

Is this possible? If not is it reasonably easy to sort out? I've put so much work into Zen Cart now that I really don't want to have to swicth to another cart.

[afo]

This may be a silly question, but have you tried the instructions from the FAQ?

[DaveS]

Yes, I've tried the FAQ, and I've tried searching the forum. I have found one thread which has some changes to files but I haven't had chance to go over it yet. I assumed there would be simpler answer as there must be a least a few UK VAT registered Zen Carters. I'll try the edits, although at first glance I don't think they are all overrides which kinda puts me off a little, but better that than to start with a entirely new cart!

[Waitrose Carpark]

Find the FAQ, scratch all that you've done and start afresh. I had to do that with oscommerce before and I followed the faq for ZC and it worked perfectly first time...

[afo]

I'd go with Waitrose Carpark's advice. I'm in the US and not using VAT, but I know that there are UK based stores which use it. Unless I'm mistaken, the person who wrote the FAQ is UK based.

Unfortunately, some of the mods can't be done with the overrides... not right now, at least. Some of the changes you'll just have to make to the regular files and run something like WinMerge on the files before/while upgrading in future.

[DaveS]

Thanks for the replies, but it's all starting to get a little complicated!

I have no idea what I'm doing with PHP and sadly don't have the time to learn, so I'm hacking it to bits.

I've set admin to "add VAT at the end" and managed to get it to display the price as VAT inc on the products page if the customer is in a VAT zone and display it VAT ex if they are outside a VAT zone.


I used this (as detailed in another thread)...

function display_price($products_price, $products_tax, $quantity = 1) { 
if ($products_tax <='0.0000'){ 
 return $this->format ($products_price * $quantity);  
 }else{ 
  return $this->format (zen_add_tax($products_price, $products_tax)* 1.175* $quantity); 
return $return_this; 
      } 
    }   
} 

My problem now is the checkout (and checkout sidebar)

In includes/modules/pages/shopping_cart/header_php.php

I have changed

$cartShowTotal = $currencies->format($_SESSION['cart']->show_total()); 

to

if ($products_tax <='0.0000'){ 
    $cartShowTotal = $currencies->format($_SESSION['cart']->show_total());
    }else{
    $cartShowTotal = $currencies->format($_SESSION['cart']->show_total()*1.175);
    } 

It seems as though it would work but it seems to return $products_tax as 0 whether the customer is in a VAT zone or not. Do I have to define products_tax somewhere in includes/modules/pages/shopping_cart/header_php.php?

[Waitrose Carpark]

You shouldn't have to hack any code to get VAT working - it's all to do with modifying the zones and rates.

Seriously, I'd download the source files again, restore any files you've hacked and just configure it via the admin panel.

It may be an idea to reinstall ZC and start afresh (or just restore the php files if you've populated the database).

And use the FAQ!!!

[DaveS]

You shouldn't have to hack any code to get VAT working - it's all to do with modifying the zones and rates.

Do you have VAT inclusive prices on your catalog, and then a proper breakdown on VAT on your invoices and checkout? ie.

1- Total excluding VAT
2- Shipping excluding VAT
3- VAT
4- Total of 1, 2 and 3

[DaveS]

Waitrose, I just tried it on a fresh install and I still can't get it working. Double check that yours is working fine as I expect that it isn't, although I'm praying that it is as I have spent weeks setting my cart up and I really don't want to have to swap to another cart at the last hurdle.

If you think yours is working, is there any chance I could have a look at your site and make an order up until the checkout. Just so I know we are both are talking about the same thing? It would be most appreciated, I'm totally gutted about this and there doesn't seem to be a solution unless I learn PHP!




I've just noticed another problem also, relating to the Royal Mail add-on, if you have "add VAT at the end" on, the Royal Mail mod (logically) displays the postage without VAT. My headache gets worse!

[Waitrose Carpark]

DaveS, YHPM