As a business owner or financial officer, keeping track of sales tax can certainly become an undesirable, never-ending task. Though simple in concept, many moving pieces require an undue amount of attention when mingled with the mountain of other responsibilities that need to be managed.
Of course, once a taxable product or service is sold and a tax permit is obtained, there are a number of different tax rates to stay abreast of. This tax must be collected correctly on each transaction and paid on-time to the state. These quarterly payments, if forgotten or miscalculated, can create large problems.
But what exactly is the remedy for this headache? If you are operating in several states and still working through this process manually, it may be time for a flexible 3PL service.
AvaTax: A Powerful Solution
At Sequoia Group, we offer AvaTax, a cloud-based sales tax service that greatly simplifies rate calculation, manages exemption certificates, files forms, and remits payments.
Rate Calculation Made Simple
Local sales and use rate tax rates often change in many states at the beginning of each year. Come January 1, change is expected in 25 states. For this reason, it is important to have a solution that delivers real-time sales tax calculations based on up-to-date sales and use tax rules. Audit activity has been continually increasing, forcing businesses to prove consistent sales tax compliance. AvaTax makes this process simple while providing in-depth transaction history and on-demand reporting.
Staying Compliant Through an Improved Exemption Certificate Process
For those transactions normally subject to tax where the purchaser finds exemption, compliance is very important. Exemption certificates must be well-managed in order to avoid audits. The risk of audit is greatly increased through the inability to provide certificates in a timely fashion. Part of the 3PL AvaTax solution serves as a complete exemption certificate management service. No more stressing over exemption compliance.
Timely Filing and Remittance
When it comes to taxes, the word filing causes immediate discomfort to business owners. With solutions like AvaTax, there is no need to do it yourself. AvaTax Returns, another part of this robust 3PL solution automatically processes e-file, hard-copy and streamlined sales tax returns for businesses of all sizes. Spending disproportionate amounts of time and money on audits, penalties and interest is a thing of the past. AvaTax ensures the right amount is remitted to the right taxing authorities at the right time.
Improve Business Capabilities Through Integration
Perhaps just as important as the functions of available 3PL solutions, is their ability to integrate themselves into current workflows. It is of little help to an organization if the implemented solution is difficult to manage due to a lack of communication with other 3PL software, and established processes.
Sequoia Group has worked to provide solutions that seamlessly mingle with one another on a modern, user-friendly interface. Gone are the days where business owners should accept the incorporation of ill-fitting pieces into their processes. The word of the future will continue to be ‘automation.’
As the future of your business unfolds, it is also important to start moving to cloud-based solutions. Simply put, cloud computing is the delivery of services over the internet as opposed to physical servers, mesh networks or whatever else. Cloud-based services rule the day because they offer faster innovation, flexibility and economies of scale. There is no question that the future will continue moving further into the clouds and your business will need to make the jump at some point or another. AvaTax is one such 3PL cloud-based solution that is designed to maximize efficiency and compliance. For more information, visit our website or contact us at Sequoia Group today.
