Avalara - Best Practice

Avalara - Best Practice

Release Date: 4/28/23
Version: 8.6 and Above

Consider Setting Up a Sandbox Testing Environment

The Avalara interface requires significant setup and training before you can start using it effectively. Therefore, it is a good idea that you do a test run in a sandbox environment before you apply Avalara to the live company. For example, if your live company database is in a DATA folder, considering setting up a DATA_99 folder by copying the DATA folder's data to DATA_99. Create a sand box company on Avalara portal (Settings -> Manage Companies) to correspond to this Elliott test company, Link them up through EL860CF database tab detail window.  Test your Avalara interface in DATA_99 and resolve all issues. Make sure your users are properly trained in DATA_99 & Avalara portal before converting the DATA folder and using the Avalara interface.

Please be aware that a conversion is required to use the Avalara interface. It is recommended you convert to use alphabetic document number format. You still can continue using numeric document number and hence the change is subtle and only at the database level where it affects when you have 3rd party application access Elliott data through relational engine.  See the following KB article for more details: https://support.netcellent.com/portal/en/kb/articles/v8-5-alpha-document-number-support-22-10-2024

In addition, the system will re-assign tax codes in customer, ship-to's, and orders based on the new convention. This is one-way conversion. Once you are on the Avalara interface, it will be difficult to convert back to the Elliott legacy way of calculating sales tax. Hence we suggest you to test in a sandbox environment first.

Convert Live Company at Month or Quarter End

Since you normally report sales tax data to states on a monthly or a quarterly basis, for a clean cut-off transition you should convert your live company to using Avalara after the month end or quarter end.

Post All Existing Invoices to Accounts Receivable


Before you enable the AvaTax Integration, you need to make sure that all existing invoices have been posted to Accounts Receivable. This includes both the COP and AR sides:
  • Go to Customer Order Processing-> Processing-> Post Invoices.  Post all existing invoices to Accounts Receivable. 
  • Go to Accounts Receivable -> Processing -> Post Sales & Cr/Dr Memo Trx. Post all outstanding sales/cr/dr memo transactions.

EMK


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