Couldn't find the edit button, but I would like to remove the question about the tax calcuation formula, I found it, and it's very straightforward. :)

RayDube:

Couldn't find the edit button, but I would like to remove the question about the tax calcuation formula, I found it, and it's very straightforward. :)

Please point us to it.

No worries,

includes/functions/functions_taxes.php

Ray

RayDube:

Hello Catherine,

Perhaps the text attachment was a little more detailed, but the notes you've copied here cause me some concern.

First you say to comment out the if statement with regards to the tax description (After = //if ($taxDescription == $products_tax_description)...) But then ask us to edit the contents of that if statement (which we just commented out)

I haven't reviewed any further, thought maybe I was missing something.

Of course, I'd like to know where the formula for the tax calculation is, to see if there is a difference in that function between 1.3.9 and 1.5 to see if there the reason for the changes between the two versions, as I'm starting to think that there is where the change should be made.

Ray

Hi Ray,
I am just trying to find where I got that code from on the FORUM - I used it and it worked, so I just copied it into my explanation for what I did. There is a report in Bug Issues regarding Compound Tax for version 1.5. I was viewing the thread here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?193722-compounding-or-multiple-tax-problem&highlight=compound+tax

I also looked at this thread and think I used the file suggested in it as well.

http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?171616-Split-tax-lines-doesn-t-work-for-shipping-cost

Well, this is interesting.

1.3.9:

$taxAdd = zen_calculate_tax($this->products[$index]['final_price']*$this->products[$index]['qty'], $taxRate)
                +  zen_calculate_tax($this->products[$index]['onetime_charges'], $this->products[$index]['tax']);

1.5

$taxAdd = zen_calculate_tax($this->products[$index]['final_price'], $this->products[$index]['tax']) * $this->products[$index]['qty'];
                      +  zen_round(zen_calculate_tax($this->products[$index]['onetime_charges'], $this->products[$index]['tax']), $decimals);

Not quite sure why, but the two tax variables are different, and in 1.5 it appears that it is incorrect:
$this->products[$index]['tax'] <> $taxRate

Changing this does allow the tax to be calcuated correctly

So to add to the fix suggested earlier, delete the if for the comparison of the tax description

//if ($taxDescription == $products_tax_description)
//        {

(and the closing } only, leaving the contents)

Then change the tax variable to $TaxRate.

I will follow up and add my comments to the other thread as well.

Next is the description, which it seems like the correction mentioned earlier should be ok.

Ray

Just a note, BC switched back to the PST effective April 1, 2013

NS HST rate is 15%

PEI switched to HST effective April 1, 2013 tax rate is 14%

you might want to update the setting up post at the top of this thread to reflect these changes

I am having an issue with zones that have multiple tax rates ie: PST and GST in the same zone

not showing any tax at all, I am Using ver 1.5.0

Thanks
Jim

www.thetoychest.ca
Warning!! Site contains adult content!

TheToyChest_ca:

PEI switched to HST effective April 1, 2013 tax rate is 14%

Yeesh... I didn't know that. Crazy how a Canadian business can be entirely unaware of something like that for almost a 3rd of a year, and only find out about it because of some Internet forum post.

Things have gone a little sideways I think, and I'm hoping this thread is as active as it once was.
I have products with taxes, and shipping with taxes. Each product/shipping item has two taxes for Québec. (5% GST / 9.975% PST)

Product price is 200.00
Shipping Price is 25.00

Line one of Taxes is GST = 10.00
Line two of Taxes is PST = 19.95
Line three of taxes is GST+PST = 3.74

This may be confusing for the client, heck, it was confusing for me!

It seems that Line one and two are the taxes on the product, and line three is the combined taxes on the shipping.

Shouldn't lines one and two be combined?

The good news is that all the taxes are properly calculated, so at least there's that.

Ray

So essentially you're saying everything's correct but its just not displaying exactly how YOU figure it should in YOUR situation, right?

I personally disagree that its confusing, except perhaps to customers that don't bother to read. If it says GST and PST for the goods and then combines them for the taxes... it is clear about that. Sure, someone might wonder "hmm.. why'd they do it that way?" but that's a quandary more of a confusion.

If you want it displayed a specific way for your site then you have the opportunity to change it as you see fit. But what you think works best for you isn't going to be universal.

s_mack:

So essentially you're saying everything's correct but its just not displaying exactly how YOU figure it should in YOUR situation, right?

I personally disagree that its confusing, except perhaps to customers that don't bother to read. If it says GST and PST for the goods and then combines them for the taxes... it is clear about that. Sure, someone might wonder "hmm.. why'd they do it that way?" but that's a quandary more of a confusion.

If you want it displayed a specific way for your site then you have the opportunity to change it as you see fit. But what you think works best for you isn't going to be universal.

Sorry, maybe I didn't express myself clearly, or correctly.

It used to show combined, now is not showing combined.

What I"m saying is that functionality may have changed though no modification on my end, I believe this is since the last update (1.5.1) although I hadn't noticed it before now as most of my sales are elsewhere in the country. In those cases, only one tax applied, and, shipping and product taxes were even combined. I'm not sure why now it would have changed though.

Ray

I have update my taxes setting for my store in Quebec, hope it help someone.

Vendors operating in Canada need to accommodate numerous tax configurations to support proper tax collection on sales to customers in provinces where they are registered to sell. There's a Federal GST, HST, and provincial PST/RST.

Tax Zones / Rates configuration can be a little confusing at times, as the terms are easily and accidentally swapped ... by mistake... thus it's sometimes hard to follow the process through completely.

Hopefully this short article will help clarify.

=========================
Understanding Terminology

TAX CLASS = A setting assigned to PRODUCTS and to SHIPPING that's used to calculate final taxes.
TAX ZONE = A regional setting used to help determine tax rates by geography.
TAX RATE = A rate calculated by combining a product's tax class and shipping zone with the relevant tax percentage.

Zen Cart uses SHIPPING ADDRESS to determine appropriate taxes, i.e. which TAX ZONE you are shipping into. NOTE: this is the shipping address, and NOT the billing address.

A TAX RATE is determined by comparing SHIPPING ADDRESS to the Tax ZONE set up for the TAX RATE; and also by Tax Class assigned to each product.

You can only assign ONE TAX CLASS to a product.
In many stores, you will only have one TAX CLASS (GST/HST/PST) since all goods are either taxable or non-taxable.
When would you use different rates? One example would be if, say, CLOTHES were taxed at a different rate than BOOKS which are in turn different from DVDs. You could create a different TAX CLASS for each family ("class") of product in that case.

In the following examples, we will be dealing with only ONE tax CLASS for products.
You likely want the GST for SHIPPING to show up separately, so we will make a separate "TAX CLASS" for "GST on Shipping".

========= PROBLEMS: =========

The method below shows the GST and PST totaled together on the same line (see sample output below).

Having said that, the only problem is that the two taxes are summed together onto one line.
However, the GST number is displayed, and the percentages (rates) used are displayed, and nothing is hidden, so I believe that this will be acceptable according to Federal & Provincial Gov't requirements (but I AM NOT AN ACCOUNTANT!!!!).

Best part is: IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY CONTRIBUTIONS!!!!! Just a careful setup of the zones.

===================
Step-by-Step SETUP:

STEP (1): Set the location for your store:

Configuration --> My Store

• Country: Canada
• Zone: Quebec

STEP (2): Create the "Tax Zones". The are geographical regions where a particular set of tax laws applies
Locations/Taxes --> Zones Definitions

Create the Zone for all of Canada

• Zone Name: Canada GST Zone
• Description: GST

Now click on the newly created "Canada GST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create 10 new sub-zones, one at a time:

• Country: Canada; Zone: Alberta
• Country: Canada; Zone: British Columbia
• Country: Canada; Zone: Manitoba
• Country: Canada; Zone: Northwest Territories
• Country: Canada; Zone: Nunavut
• Country: Canada; Zone: Ontario
• Country: Canada; Zone: Prince Edward Island
• Country: Canada; Zone: Quebec
• Country: Canada; Zone: Saskatchewan
• Country: Canada; Zone: Yukon Territory

Click on "BACK" to go up one level.
Now create the Quebec Provincial Tax Zone:
Click Insert

• Zone Name: Quebec PST Zone
• Description: PST (only when shipping to Quebec)

Now click on the newly created "Quebec PST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create new sub-zone:

• Country: Canada
• Zone: Quebec

Click on "BACK" to go up one level.
Now create the HST Tax Zone 13%:
Click Insert

• Zone Name: HST Tax Zone 13%
• Description: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Ontario

Now click on the newly created "HST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create new sub-zone:

• Country: Canada; Zone: New Brunswick
• Country: Canada; Zone: Newfoundland
• Country: Canada; Zone: Ontario

Click on "BACK" to go up one level.
Now create the HST Tax Zone 14%:
Click Insert

• Zone Name: HST Tax Zone 14%
• Description: Prince Edward Island

Now click on the newly created "HST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create new sub-zone:

• Country: Canada; Zone: Prince Edward Island

Click on "BACK" to go up one level.
Now create the HST Tax Zone 15%:
Click Insert

• Zone Name: HST Tax Zone 15%
• Description: Nova Scotia

Now click on the newly created "HST Zone" row to drill down one level to "Sub Zones"
Click INSERT to create new sub-zone:

• Country: Canada; Zone: Nova Scotia

Do NOT create a separate Tax ZONE for Shipping. You will simply use the "Canada" tax zone for the GST Shipping tax CLASS (below).

*** Important: this means that SHIPPING GST will only be charged to destinations within Canada, but NOT charged on exports.
*** According to Canada Customs & Revenue Agency (1-800-959-5525), you do NOT charge GST on the shipping fee for EXPORTS.

STEP (3): Create the "Tax Classes"

Note: You can only assign ONE Tax CLASS to a product.
But since we want shipping GST to show up separately, we will make a seperate Tax CLASS just for it.

Locations/Taxes --> Tax Classes

create TWO (2) tax classes:

• Tax Class Title: GST/HST/PST Class

• Description: All taxable goods

• Tax Class Title: GST on Shipping

• Description: GST on shipping within Canada

STEP (4): TAX RATES

Here is where it all comes together: Tax Rates.
Tax RATES associate Tax ZONES & Tax CLASSES to determine the correct Tax Rate.

HINT: The "DESCRIPTION" is what shows up on the invoice, so use it judiciously!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Locations/Taxes --> Tax Rates

create SIX (6) Tax Rates:

• Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class
• Zone: Canada GST Zone
• Tax Rate (%): 5.0000
• Description: 5.0% GST
• Priority: 1

/*HINT: Insert your GST# as part of DESCRIPTION and it will show up on invoice !!!
/*HINT: Leave PRIORITY at "1" for a non-cumulative tax (i.e. Quebec)

• Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class /* HINT: Yes, this is the same one you just used

• Zone: Quebec PST Zone

• Tax Rate (%): 9.975

• Description: 9.975% PST (Quebec)

• Priority: 1

• Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class /* HINT: Yes, this is the same one you just used

• Zone: HST Zone 13%

• Tax Rate (%): 8.0000

• Description: 13% HST

• Priority: 1

• Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class /* HINT: Yes, this is the same one you just used

• Zone: HST Zone 14%

• Tax Rate (%): 9.0000

• Description: 14% HST

• Priority: 1

• Tax Class Title: GST/PST/HST Class /* HINT: Yes, this is the same one you just used

• Zone: HST Zone 15%

• Tax Rate (%): 10.0000

• Description: 15% HST

• Priority: 1

That takes care of taxes on products. And now, the Shipping taxes:

• Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class

• Zone: Canada GST Zone

• Tax Rate (%): 5.0000

• Description: 5.0% GST on shipping

• Priority: 1

• Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class

• Zone: Quebec PST Zone

• Tax Rate (%): 9.975

• Description: 9.975% PST (shipping)

• Priority: 1

• Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class

• Zone: HST Zone 13%

• Tax Rate (%): 8.0000

• Description: 13% shipping HST

• Priority: 1

• Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class

• Zone: HST Zone 14%

• Tax Rate (%): 9.0000

• Description: 14% shipping HST

• Priority: 1

• Tax Class Title: GST Shipping Class

• Zone: HST Zone 15%

• Tax Rate (%): 10.0000

• Description: 15% shipping HST

• Priority: 1

/* HINT: The above will calculate PST on shipping. Although there might
/* be a tendenancy to think of shipping as a PST exempt service, in fact
/* the Ontario Ministry of Finance says that for calculating the PST,
/* "The total selling price includes delivery, mailing, transportation, or
/* handling charges, but does not include the GST". With the above set-up,
/* the PST for the shipping gets calculated (albeit separately).
/* If you wanted them calculated together, you could assign "GST/PST/HST Class"
/* as the Tax Class when setting up the shipping method.
/* Personally, I prefer to break it out separately.

STEP (5): Specify the appropriate Tax Class for SHIPPING MODULES

MODULES --> SHIPPING

Edit whichever shipping module(s) you are using.

Tax Class: GST Shipping Class

/* SEE PREVIOUS HINT

STEP (6): Specify the appropriate Tax for PRODUCTS

This may take some time....

CATALOG --> Categories/Products

Drill down to each product. Click EDIT

TAX CLASS: "GST/PST/HST CLASS"

Hi there,
I upgraded from 154 to 155 before starting to configure my new website. I followed all instructions for taxes and everything is fine, except a few things for which I can't seem to find an answer...

• Is it possible to change the order in which the taxes are shown in cart? Like GST then PST?
• I want the line where the taxes for shipping are to be placed below the shipping fees and to be called "taxes on shipping". Is it possible, and, if so, how?

Here is a screenshot of what I have now

Thanks a lot!

degufan:

Hi there,
I upgraded from 154 to 155 before starting to configure my new website. I followed all instructions for taxes and everything is fine, except a few things for which I can't seem to find an answer...

• Is it possible to change the order in which the taxes are shown in cart? Like GST then PST?
• I want the line where the taxes for shipping are to be placed below the shipping fees and to be called "taxes on shipping". Is it possible, and, if so, how?

Here is a screenshot of what I have now

Thanks a lot!
Not aware of a way to do that at the present time.

Thanks DrByte!

As of July 1, 2017 the tax rates for some provinces have changed. Example: PEI is now 15%. I tried this method, but didn't work.

In addition to the Canadian Provincial Tax Rate changes for some provinces, for commercial parcels shipped with in Canada ARE taxable - HST or GST - depending where the shipment is being SENT to. Excerpt from Canada Post:

PriorityTM, XpresspostTM and commercial parcels within Canada
HST if sent to ON, PEI, NB, NS, and NL
GST if sent to QC, MB, SK, AB, BC, NU, NT, and YT

Link:

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=collecting_sales_tax&cattype=kb&cat=generalinquiries&subcat=generalinformation

So, with all these changes with the taxes and the shipping HST or GST, I am totally confused.

Is there anyone to help?

Anthony

My apologies, I was using an older post. After re-reading the one I had and this format - this one seems correct.

Anthony