Are you a manufacturer or distributor? If so, auditors are notorious for targeting you because of your complex tax burdens. As an ERP consultant and an industrial engineer, my passion is finding new ways for businesses to run more efficiently and effectively at lower costs. My career has been focused on working on improving distribution and manufacturing processes. In order to improve business processes, it’s essential to understand how one process fits in with another process and so on. There is often room for improvement when drilling into one specific part of a process. Sales tax management is one common challenge that distribution and manufacturing companies face that is a big area for improvement,
Recently, I was recently working with a client entering sales orders, and we started talking about sales tax and sales tax certificates. “How do you know if the customer you’re sending to has a tax certificate and that the order shouldn’t be taxed?” I asked.
Sales tax management is a necessary evil in business. Most companies don’t give it the attention it deserves until it’s too late. In fact, most companies manage sales tax manually, which is vulnerable to human error and can lead to an audit. Audits are expensive, not only in the fines that can be levied but also in the amount of time it takes to go through the audit, so sales tax management must be done right to prevent audits. Unfortunately, keeping up with sales tax rules is a daunting and never-ending task.
Even the sales tax rules within an industry vary from state to state. Industries such as digital goods, services, medical devices, and foods/beverages are examples of where this is true. As state and local governments look for ways to generate revenue, another concept that’s changing is nexus; nexus is the determining factor of whether an out-of-state business selling into a state is liable for collecting sales or use tax on those sales into the state. Some states require companies to claim nexus for activities such as maintaining inventory, trade shows, affiliates, drop shipping, etc.
Hosted by Jordan Lang of Avalara, you'll learn how to navigate the murky waters of your tax challenges, including how to:
The good news is that there are solutions available to address the business need of sales tax management. As part of a value-added reseller team, it’s important we talk to prospects and clients about the possible need to better manage sales tax; even if the products and services sold aren’t taxable, exemption certificates still need managing.
Have questions about managing sales tax? Contact us today.
Southeast Computer Solutions is based in Miami, Florida and has additional operations in Mexico. For over 30 years, we have positively impacted the success of small and mid-sized businesses with effective business management implementations that improve our clients’ operations. We listen, we are accessible, and we care. Learn more by visiting our website or calling 305-556-4697.
Another version of this blog was previously published on Southeast Computers' Blog by consultant Frank Bernal on October 10, 2017 - Why Am I Talking About Sales Tax & Sales Tax Management?