Local Sales Tax Mod - Support Thread

I have reorganized and sorted the data by county so now it is: County, City, Tax. I am not adverse to setting tax using county if that will make it more accurate.

psychicpet,
As I said in my previous post, the city by county method is considerably more complicated to set up.
To use this method you will have to set up each county in CA as a zone. Then the tax file you have will have be modified to reference each zone id for each county name.

There are a lot of CA business using Zen so it is possible that someone out there has already done this and could share their zone tables with you (it would depend on their needs vs your needs in terms of international zones). Otherwise you will need to set each of these up yourself. There are instructions in the mod README file on how to set up counties as zones. Unfortunately its a lengthy process.
LadyHLG

LadyHLG:

patternman,
Try this,
Open includes\modules\order_total\ot_local_sales_taxes.php

At about line 151 look for :

$listarray = explode(";", $taxto);

> 
> Just after that add the following:
> ```
// get only first 5 of zip code
if($taxmatch == "postcode"){
$myfield = substr($myfield,0,5);
}

This fix will only work when the CUSTOMER enters zip+4 NOT if the database is set up for zip+4!

Hope that helps!
LadyHLG

What is the best way to set up the database to use and require Zip+4? The State of WA is telling us that because of the multiple taxes within each Zip that the ZIP+4 is the only proper method to use.

Also, there were questions/comments within the thread that asking about linking to the State of WA's database to check. Has anyone been able to do that?

techdog:

What is the best way to set up the database to use and require Zip+4? The State of WA is telling us that because of the multiple taxes within each Zip that the ZIP+4 is the only proper method to use.

Also, there were questions/comments within the thread that asking about linking to the State of WA's database to check. Has anyone been able to do that?

Indeed, I am also in the State of WA.
At first I just wanted to use the first 5 numbers - and the solution worked. But I trashed that idea eventually because it wasn't really accurate.

I have no idea about a mod to link to the state's database, but that would sure be helpful.

So I used the excel sheet from the dor for the ZIP+4 rates (short version).
I then had to do heaps of work to get the zip codes into a list of ranges - to cut down on the size of the whole thing. This saved a lot of space, but the list is still quite huge.
Then had to get it into the format to use with this mod (which has been very nice). Then uploaded it using Access. Here are the column headings that I used:

local_tax_id should be numerically sequenced 1 thru ...
zone_id should all be the same for the WA zone -- 62
local_fieldmatch should all be the same -- postcode
local_datamatch should be the list of zip code ranges
local_tax_rate should be the list of local rates formatted as 2.1 instead of 0.021.
local_tax_label is the list of city names
local_tax_shipping should all be the same -- false
local_tax_class_id should all be the same – 1

One of the tricks to using the ZIP+4 is that the customers need to give you a ZIP+4. So I am using the Post Office CASS Address Verification module:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=659987#post659987

My setup works quite well. You can check out my store at https://www.fashionpatterns.com. There is a small delay at checkout when the correct tax code has to be found.

I went ahead and dumped my local tax table and am posting it here in case anyone would like to have it.
http://www.fashionpatterns.com/download/WA_taxrates_090410.zip

I have been reluctant to post this because I offer no real help or guarantees of it working correctly. Nor am I ready to offer updates every three months when the state changes their rates. But if helps, go ahead and use it.

-Jason A.

OK Thanks. I've checked out the CASS Address verification and it looks easy enough. Question though - how do you upload the the information using Access? Do you just import it into the mysql database? I don't use access but I can create csv, xml, excel, etc. files using FileMaker Pro. I've just never thought of how to upload the information from outside of the initial interface.

Thanks again.

Karl

techdog:

OK Thanks. I've checked out the CASS Address verification and it looks easy enough. Question though - how do you upload the the information using Access? Do you just import it into the mysql database? I don't use access but I can create csv, xml, excel, etc. files using FileMaker Pro. I've just never thought of how to upload the information from outside of the initial interface.

Thanks again.

Karl

Hi Karl,

Using MS Access was just the convenient tool for me at the time. If you have a better or easier way to do it, please do that instead.
I've attached a pdf file for using Access to do this. I wrote this for myself so that I could do it again if needed (because I will surely forget).

Cheers.
Jason

Thanks for the Local Sales Tax Mod! It makes the sales tax issue simple! Question for you.

I am using the local sales tax to search the suburb field. (I'm in OH, so I use the suburb field for counties). Whether i use Store Pickup or Shipping Address, multiple lines for the same tax are displayed on the screen. (Please see screen shots).

Any suggestions on how to resolve this issue? Thanks!

juills,
I'm not sure where the issue is, the mod appears to be functioning correctly. 7% sales tax on $2.75 is $.19.
Those lines above are only for debugging to show which records are zone matches.

LadyHLG

LadyHLG:

juills,
I'm not sure where the issue is, the mod appears to be functioning correctly. 7% sales tax on $2.75 is $.19.
Those lines above are only for debugging to show which records are zone matches.

LadyHLG

Is there a way to turn the debugging off?

Modules -> Order Total -> Local Sales Taxes -> Debugging is Active = False

LadyHLG

LadyHLG:

Modules -> Order Total -> Local Sales Taxes -> Debugging is Active = False

LadyHLG

That solved the issue. Thanks so much for your help LadyHLG!

psychicpet:

I have reorganized and sorted the data by county so now it is: County, City, Tax. I am not adverse to setting tax using county if that will make it more accurate.

psychicpet + LadyHLG

Have prev done taxes via zip with a hack/mod but since Ca update in 2009 I wanted a easy way to make these changes as our taxes will surely go up again:yuck:

Am trying to do the same thing here "counties as zones" setup for California and realize thats alot of work to do this, well over 1000+ records to do. I was hoping there would be a SQL file to just add this to the database..... :no:

So if anyone has something already setup that can share that would be great, if not if LadyHLG has a starter script for adding these zones to SQL I could start creating the script(s).

Needed for SQL script(s) is;

1. Zone for each county in California
2. Zone definition for each county
3. Adding the details for each definition
4. Tax rate for each county

Let me know if I left out anything as I'm sure theres more to this than a few SQL scripts.

Thanks in advance for any help that is offered:flex:

Unfortunately there is no starter script for this, at least not by me. There are a lot of CA business out there using zen and it certainly is possible that someone has already done a counties as zone set up, its all a matter of finding someone who would share it.
Wish I could be of more help!
Something tells me that once its done you will have quite a few others asking for it as well.

LadyHLG

Sounds like this mod is exactly what I need!

I'm a newbie so I'm clueless on how to install this as stated: Copy all files inside the catalog folder to your cart.

Thanks in advance!

If possible I just need specific instructions on where to go and how to install this mod please. Thanks!

I uploaded to files through ftp at my host but I'm not sure if I put them in the write folders.

I did get the sql patch to work by adding ; as stated earlier in this thread.

So the folders must not be in the right spot because nothing is showing in the admin.

Help please.

First make sure you have both version 2.2 and 2.3. Version 2.3 is only an upgrade to version 2.2.

Unzip the version 2.2 files.

Open the folder called "fullversion". Inside you should see a folder called "catalog" and another folder called sqlfiles. You can ignore everything in the folder called "upgrade". Those files are only for people who have already installed previous versions of the mod.

Open the catalog folder and copy everything in that folder (NOT THE CATALOG FOLDER, JUST WHAT IS INSIDE) over to the root directory of your zencart.

Log into your cart admin and go to Tools->Install SQL Patches
Click the Browse button on the the Install SQL Patches Page and go the the sqlfiles folder, inside that is another folder called NewInstall with a file inside called "LocalSalesTaxv2.2.sql." Select it and then click the UPLOAD button.

Once the sql file has been installed you can then open the 2.3 version, open the catalog folder and copy everything in that folder over to the root directory of your zencart (it will overwrite some of the version 2.2 files but that is ok).

From there just follow the rest of the instructions in the README.html file on how to set up and use the module.

Good Luck
LadyHLG

Thank you for the reply, but this is what I'm confused about, sorry,

Open the catalog folder and copy everything in that folder (NOT THE CATALOG FOLDER, JUST WHAT IS INSIDE) over to the root directory of your zencart.

How do i do the above and what is the root folder?

EAPerformanceParts:

Thank you for the reply, but this is what I'm confused about, sorry,

Open the catalog folder and copy everything in that folder (NOT THE CATALOG FOLDER, JUST WHAT IS INSIDE) over to the root directory of your zencart.

How do i do the above and what is the root folder?

Its the folder where you zencart files are, it all depends on how you installed the cart.
example
If you put your cart files in a folder called store, then the website address for those files would be https://www.mysite.com/store
This means that "store" is the root folder of cart files.

Does that make sense?

LadyHLG

Yes that is what mine is "store"

And inside that is multiple folders starting with admin and so on, but it also has an includes.

So do I upload your admin to my main admin? Your includes to my includes or the includes in the main admin?

LOL very confusing to me, Believe me I'm trying though.