Local Sales Tax Mod - Support Thread

Hey Zenners,
Attached below is a Local Sales Tax Mod v2.4A replacement file for use with Customer Tax Exempt Mod by Numinix

Included is one replacement file for the Local Sales Tax Modv2.4

This new file will ONLY work with Local Sales Tax Mod v2.4 and the Customer Tax Exempt Mod by Numinix

To exempt customers from Local Sales Taxes:
The "Customer Tax Exempt" field in the customer admin must be either "ALL", which will exempt the customer from ALL sales taxes both zone and local,
or to exempt a specific local tax you need to enter the local tax description. This description MUST match the TAX DESCRIPTION used when setting up you local tax!

Cheers!

LadyHLG

Hi Lisa (Bonkycat),
Well since someone else is interested in this, I decided to roll up my sleeves a little and do a bit of experimenting.
I came up with a much better method of importing the tax rate data.
The import step was definitely the most bothersome part of the whole process.

So, just for the sake of clarity, I'm still keeping the instructions for re-working the WA DOR data and turning it into a usable excel sheet. Here is the link:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7723&d=1277407594

After that, I had some instructions for uploading with MS Access. I was never happy with it.
Please trash those instructions (as long as this new method works for you).

Please note: I use phpMyAdmin for managing the database. Your software may be different depending on your hosting.

After the excel sheet is done, we need to alter it slightly for importing.
For these purposes, delete the first row.
(This method imports data but does NOT create the table – so the first row is redundant here.)
Then for the last column H (local_tax_class_id):
Instead of the number 1 in all rows, you'll want to have 1\r\n
(phpMyAdmin says "A Carriage Return and Linefeed (\r\n) is strongly recommended to minimize errors.")
Then save the file as CSV.
Here is a link to my new csv import sheet:
http://www.fashionpatterns.com/download/localtax_import_csv_100712.zip
You will probably need to extract the file from the zip file before importing.

(Just to repeat what Bonkycat noted: my database uses 62 for the zone for WA State. If yours is different, please adjust as necessary.)

Log on to your database using phpMyAdmin.
I'll try to make this simple and hopefully not confuse too many people.
Again, this method imports data, but does not create the table.
For simplicity, just go ahead and delete the table tax_rates_local.

Here is a small sql file to re-create a blank table.
Attachment #7808
Probably best to unzip the file prior to working with it.
From phpMyAdmin, click on the SQL tab to do an SQL query.
You can either copy and paste it into the query window or upload the file. (I tried both ways, and both worked just fine for me.)
This will create a fresh blank table with no rows.

Then click on tax_rates_local on the left hand side.
Once we're working on the correct table, click on the SQL tab.
At the bottom, there is an option to "Insert data from a textfile into table" – click on that.

I have these options available:
Location of the textfile – browse to locate the CSV file that we created earlier.
Replace table data with file – left as default – blank
Fields separated by – left as default – there should be a comma here
Fields enclosed by – left as default – blank
Characters escaped by – left as default – blank
Lines separated by – left as default – \r\n
Column names – left as default – blank

Then click on the "Upload File" button.
It may take a few minutes to upload depending on the speed of your internet connection, server speed, etc.
Then check to make sure that all of the rows were imported.
For this latest one, Q3 2010, my csv had 48275 rows.

That's it! Should be ready to go.
Hope this helps. :smile:

During checkout, I have discovered a circumstance when Gift Certificate does not require payment information when shipping to an in-state address (charging local sales tax).

If I apply a lesser Gift Certificate amount than the total purchase, checkout allows me to Confirm My Order when full payment has not been met. In other words, I am NOT prompted for a payment method when the Gift Certificate apply amount is close to the order total. This means an order can be completed without full payment.

Gift Certificate balance: $100
Order Total: 64.58
Apply Amount: $64.50
Confirm Order Total: $0.08

On the other hand, if the Gift Certificate Apply Amount is only $50, checkout DOES prompt for an alternate payment method.

The breakpoint seems to be $0.50 - if the GC apply amount is $0.50 less than the order total, I get prompted for payment information. If the GC apply amount is $0.01 - $0.49 less than the order total, I do NOT get prompted for payment information.

I'm using Zen Cart 1.39d and Local Sales Tax mod 2.4
Local Sales Taxes are set up by zip code.

I posted this under Gift Certificates, but Ajeh could not duplicate and suggested posting here. Please HELP!

I did some quick testing with version 1.38 (sorry dont have 1.39 installed yet), and I was able to duplicate the issue, BUT I turned off the local tax mod and was still able to duplicate the issue.

CustomBooks is it possible for you to turn off the local tax mod and do another test to see if you can duplicate the issue, that would lead me to believe there is something else going on.

LadyHLG

Hmm, the plot thickens...

Using Zen Cart 1.3.9d, with Local Sales Tax mod turned off, I DO get prompted for additional payment if I apply Gift Certificate amount of $0.01-$0.49 less than the total purchase when shipping in-state (state tax applied) and when shipping out-of-state (no state tax applied).

With Local Sales Tax mod turned on, I do NOT get prompted for additional payment if I apply Gift Certificate amount of $0.01-$0.49 less than the total purchase when shipping in-state (state and local sales tax applied). Out-of-state shipping works fine.

I need to charge 8.25% sales tax within California, and an extra 1% district tax to people living in Santa Clara County. I have installed this mod and tried to set this up, but it's just not working. Before I add the Santa Clara tax, it shows this at checkout, which is correct:

CA TAX 8.25%: $1.65

After I add the district tax, it shows this:

CA TAX 8.25% + 95101 Santa Clara District Tax 1.00%: $0.20

I have tried changing the module sort order and a few other things, but I just can't get it to add correctly.

Will this module work for what I want to do, and if so, how do I set it up?

Thanks!

As usual as soon as I posted I got it figured out :) I was setting up a whole new zone for the district tax but I should have just been using the same zone and specifying which zip codes were subject to district tax.

Thanks!

Danielle:

I need to charge 8.25% sales tax within California, and an extra 1% district tax to people living in Santa Clara County. I have installed this mod and tried to set this up, but it's just not working. Before I add the Santa Clara tax, it shows this at checkout, which is correct:

CA TAX 8.25%: $1.65

After I add the district tax, it shows this:

CA TAX 8.25% + 95101 Santa Clara District Tax 1.00%: $0.20

I have tried changing the module sort order and a few other things, but I just can't get it to add correctly.

Will this module work for what I want to do, and if so, how do I set it up?

Thanks!

Hey Zenners!
Apparently there are some issues with the local tax mod and zen cart version 1.3.9. I have not yet figured out what is going on (it really is only evident when gift certs are involved as far as I know, but I have not done extensive testing as yet.)
Until I figure out what is happening, I can not recommend the use of the Local Tax Mod with Zen Cart version 1.3.9.
When i have more to report I will let everyone know.

LadyHLG

I like your software. It is very helpful. I also believe in paying for things that I get. Where can I send a donation?

Hello all,

My question is once I install the local sales tax (update all the correct zones)... what do I do with my normal sales tax zone for Washington.

I was, until today charging the sales tax from my shipping location. Hadn't found a better way to do it until I stumbled upon this thread.

So, I have implemented the local sales tax mod, and would like to ensure that other Washington Tax Rate from Admin > Locations/Taxes > Tax Rates interferes with my new local ones.

Do I just Delete the Washington Zone from the Tax Rates section (would I lose any current info?)

Thanks for any assistance.

Hi jasmel,

Please check out my previous posts to get a firm grasp of what I have implemented with my site:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=727030#post727030
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=901607#post901607
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=908543#post908543

For Washington State, I just kept the zone id the same = 62.
The rate should be 6.5%.
The local sales tax rate is added on top of the state tax rate.

Hope this helps.
-Jason

Using with 1.3.8

Installed fine, sql mods also ok, when I go to put in my first tax rate, the country dropdown is empty and thus the zone dropdown is empty.. Any thoughts???

I got around my dropdown problem by directly importing my zip data to the backend. On my checkout screens it shows the zip before the description of each tax. How can I get rid of the zip being displayed?

Thanks

The drop-down list is supposed to be pulling directly from your countries list. If its not working then it could be a sign of some sort of problem, its almost impossible to say why without more info.

To remove the zip code from the output you will need to edit some lines in the following file:
includes\modules\order_total\ot_local_sales_taxes.php

At about line 204 look for the following:

			 
//next we define the text used to describe the tax on the invoice 
//to use only the rule label uncomment the following
$ot_local_sales_taxes_rate_description = $ot_local_sales_taxes_rate_description . " " .$myfield;

//to see the specific tax area with label uncomment the follwing
$ot_local_sales_taxes_rate_description = $ot_local_sales_taxes_rate_description . " " . $taxlabel;

You need to comment out the 3rd or 5th lines as you like it.
(if you arent familiar with php to comment out the lines you simple put the // at the start of the line).

LadyHLG

Thanks, That worked..

I have all my countries deleted from the countries table except the US and Canada.. Can't figure out why that would be a problem.

Having only those two countries shouldnt matter. But again its hard to guess at what could be happening.
Are you getting any kind of errors?

LadyHLG

No errors, Working fine since I did an import of the data directly to the table without using the admin.

Can you edit the data from the admin?

LadyHLG

It still shows the country dropdown as blank but the zone is there if I edit one.

Very strange. I'm stumped as to what it might be.
I think I would have to see how its working to figure it out.

LadyHLG