Local Sales Tax Mod (with admin!) for testing

[jgarvas]

I am trying to use this mod for the State of Ohio, but there is a problem in that a zip code can span multiple counties and thus multiple tax rates.

Does anyone know of a way to either

a) Expand a regular zip to a zip+4 for better zip code matching to the state's list of tax rates? This would eliminate my problem or make it so insignificant I wouldn't care.

b) Does anyone know if there are any efforts being made to write web services integrations for ZenCart?

Some states like Kansas and Ohio offer a service where you push the address to the state over the 'net and they return back the proper tax rate for you. Here is Ohio's:

https://thefinder.tax.ohio.gov/Strea...ice/About.aspx

^ This would be the ideal situation since you could push an address to them instead of just a zip code, and they'd return the actual full value sales tax (county plus state combined). They also seem to push back the zip+4 in their test app.

I'd have no idea how to add this functionality but it seems to me like a logical extension of this existing mod since this functionality is being adopted by multiple states.

Anyone? :)

[LadyHLG]

I know there has been discussion in the forums about the Kansas Sales Tax web service, you can do a quick search to find out more information and to see whether or not anyone has had any success fully integrating it with zen. (I was in contact with another zenner who was working on something but I cant seem to find his contact info anywhere right now.)
As for the zip+4 option, I suppose its possible, the biggest problem I see is how many customers will know their full zip code let alone actually enter it?

LadyHLG

[jgarvas]

LadyHLG:

I was looking to see if anyone here knew how to automate the zip+4 by pushing the address to USPS and getting the zip+4 back. I don't expect anyone to know their +4 -- but I know that if you setup an account with USPS you can do zip queries like this. I just don't have the skillet necessary to integrate it into your mod.

My other idea was, maybe it'd make sense to implement the web service into your mod somehow since it seems a number of destination based states are adopting a web-service solution. While I think your mod is an amazing fix, the fact is in Ohio it doesn't solve the problem because a five digit zip could span three different tax rates (counties, etc.)

I could see the web-service being useful in a number of states, not just Kansas or Ohio.

I know there has been discussion in the forums about the Kansas Sales Tax web service, you can do a quick search to find out more information and to see whether or not anyone has had any success fully integrating it with zen. (I was in contact with another zenner who was working on something but I cant seem to find his contact info anywhere right now.)
As for the zip+4 option, I suppose its possible, the biggest problem I see is how many customers will know their full zip code let alone actually enter it?

LadyHLG

[supersnow]

LadyHLG,

Just wanted to say thanks for the sales tax summary module you did. But is it possible for it to show the order totals and the shipping amount associated with the taxable orders that the summary shows.

I only ask because the CA sales tax forms ask for the gross sales etc so as to work out the sales tax payable to CA state.

thanks again for your great modules.

[LadyHLG]

supersnow,
I have been working on an update to the summary report. I'm not sure if it covers what that you need (basically it allows you to see a brake down of the orders that had sales tax), but you are welcome to take a look.
I am attaching it below.

I haven't posted this yet in the downloads as I haven't done much testing and I'm not really sure its finished.

LadyHLG

[terrykiwi]

In Wisconsin I set up each county as a separate zone with separate taxes rather than a single WI zone, and that has worked just fine.

LadyHLG

I am a new user, so I'm nervous about attempting a mod install. In any case, in Florida we don't need to tax based on zip code, only county surtaxes apply.

So when you said you set up Wisconsin... did you mean in your mod or in the vanilla version? If in the vanilla version, could you please tell me the steps to achieve this? I tried to follow the "New York Sales Tax" thread, but the instructions are not clear. Also, how does ZC know what county the buyer is in? This is not something that is collected during registration, and I don't see any place in checkout where the tax zones can be accessed.

I'm very confused and frustrated after spending hours trying to figure this out. The book doesn't even touch on it. I'm also disappointed that such a basic tax requirement isn't already a part of ZC.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Terry

[LadyHLG]

Terry,
I set up the WI zones without the use of the mod.
To set up the counties first back up your database, that way if you make any mistakes you can always restore from the backup.
Next in the Admin goto Locations/Taxes -> Zones.
Find the zone for Florida and delete it.
Next, create one new zone for each county in Florida.
Example:
Zone Name: Florida - Jackson Co
Zone Code: FL - JACKSON
Country: United States

After you have added all the counties to the zones goto zone definitions.
You now need to create a zone definition for each county. If there are any definitions already in there, delete them and their details. Then add the new ones.
Example:
Zone Name: Florida Jackson Co
Description: FL - Jackson Co Sales Tax
After you have created the definition for the county you need to add the details for that zone definition.
Select the zone definition for for the county you just added(for this example its Jackson Co), and click the DETAILS button.
You should see a blank page with 2 buttons on the far right. Click the insert button.
Add the details.
Example:
Country: United States
Zone: Florida - Jackson Co.
(This is the part that gets confusing because you aren't just creating the zone definition but also adding the details for each definition).
Ok so know you have zones and zone definitions for each county in Florida.
You should already have a tax class for taxable goods created, if not then you need to create a new tax class for taxable goods.
Finally, you have to create a tax rate for each county.
(Delete whatever is already in there just to be sure you don't have any unwanted tax rates in there.)
Under Locations/Taxes and Tax Rates, click the NEW TAX RATE button.
Add the tax rate info for each county.
Example:
Tax Class Title: Taxable Goods
Zone:Florida - Jackson Co
Tax Rate: (Whatever the tax rate is for Jackson Co)
Description: FL - Jackson Co Sales Tax
Priority: 1


Now in order for this to really work you have to turn on the states pull down list.
Admin--> Configuration --> Cutstomer Details --> State - Always display as pull down = True

Once you have added everything, when someone goes to register they will no longer be able to just select "Florida" as their state. Instead they will have to select Florida - Jackson Co or Florida - Marion Co... etc.

I hope this makes some kind of sense. Its a long process so go slow and back up before you start.

Good Luck,
LadyHLG

[terrykiwi]

LadyHLG,

Thank you SO much for providing the most concise and accurate definition of how to do this. It works perfectly!

Kindest regards,
Terry.

[Mr_B]

Here is my tax_rate_local table for NY state if anyone is interested. If you find any errors, please let me know.

In your SQL File for NY Zips you list Zip Code 14011 as being in Genesee County. You are partially right and wrong. !4011 is the the Zip Code for Attica, NY, the problem you run into with this is that that particular Post office serves the old 14037 Post Office that was closed which was for the Town of Bennington and the Hamlet of Cowlesville, both of which are totally within Wyoming County. The Town of Attica and Village of Attica is 14011.
However the Village of Attica annexed a very small part of the Genesee County Town of Alexander to provide it with Police and sewer and water service. In this respect since since Wyoming and Genesee County have the same County Tax Rates at this point it will not matter, however in the future it could cause a small problem.

Hope this post doesn't confuse anyone, but to make the sql file correct you would have to verify which part of Attica's 14011 zip people are in the Genesee County Part or the Wyoming County Part.

[Mr_B]

ok. We did a complete reinstall of everything with the current, latest version of the mod and the updated file you posted. Things are working.

Found that none of the items in our catalog had been set to "taxable goods" status. Once that was done. the state tax showed up. However, the state tax being calculated is 'off' by a few cents.

For example look at the New York State Tax calculated here:



1090.00
+ 13.40
= 1103.40
x 0.04
= 44.136

Not 43.60

I have double and triple checked my Tax Rates:

Taxable Goods New York 4%

Other than this I have it running perfectly. Thanks for any insight on this.


And one last question. If we are going to need reporting of these taxes on transactions, what do you recommend?

The reason it looks off is because your are trying to compute your 4% tax with the shipping included. If you want to charge your tax on the shipping also you have to turn that on in the shipping module. As far as I can tell in NY you do not have to charge the tax on your shipping fee's, I may be wrong but if I am someone with more experience in this area will let us know.