VAT enhancements

This release lets you configure iMIS (through your AR/Cash setup) to use system-wide pricing that is either VAT-inclusive or VAT-exclusive and to use system-wide substitution codes, to help you document reasons for tax exemptions. After reviewing the new VAT changes here, see Configuring VAT options in AR/Cash.

System-wide VAT setup window:
To help you manage your system-wide VAT options, Desktop > AR/Cash > Set up module has a new, dedicated VAT Options window, which only appears for VAT-enabled organizations.

VAT Inclusive pricing:
You can now configure iMIS to treat defined product and event prices as VAT Inclusive, so that you can publicize stable, round gross pricing to your members and customers. The new VAT Options window lets you override the default method (VAT Exclusive) to the new method (VAT Inclusive). Regardless of which tax method you choose, your website customers see the same interface and breakout of VAT; the difference is in whether you enter gross prices for your products (already including the tax). That is, if you enable VAT Inclusive, you enter the price of a $100 item as being $120, if it incurs a VAT rate of 20%. Regardless of this setting, your website always shows product pricing and shipping/handling charges as VAT Inclusive for both events and orders, to comply with sales tax rules. These VAT calculations respect any freight or handling charges that you enter manually.

VAT Exclusive pricing:
Because some organizations need to handle order and registration prices as VAT-exclusive (such as for B2B sales), iMIS allows you to retain VAT Exclusive pricing in the VAT Options window. With this option, all of the prices you define or override for events, products, freight, and handling are net amounts that exclude the VAT component, and iMIS adds the VAT separately during product ordering and event registration. Even though VAT-exclusive pricing appears the same as before, all order and registration pricing is now saved as VAT-inclusive. That is, the VAT Exclusive setting just controls how you see and enter the data, converting your net amounts to and from the underlying VAT-inclusive amounts dynamically. The Product Details window, which shows additional properties of an order line, has been enhanced to help you see and adjust these amounts.

Substitution codes for tax exemptions:
The VAT Options window offers three fields to help you document VAT exemptions; you can select from your existing zero-based VAT tax codes to specify ones to globally substitute as "reason" codes for each of three situations: the contact is VAT Exempt, is Registered in a different EU country, or is outside of the EU altogether. In Events, your VAT Rules also let you select a Substitute Tax Code for any rule that prevents taxation.

Automatic conversion from VAT Exclusive pricing:
To help you convert quickly to VAT Inclusive pricing, the DB Repair standalone utility has a new VAT tab, whose command performs a one-time conversion of your VAT-exclusive product prices and registration fees to be VAT-inclusive. Once your data is converted, the command enables the VAT Inclusive setting for you (on the AR/Cash > Set up module > VAT Options window), which is non-reversible.

Support for Events, both Desktop and Web:
Registration via Desktop and the web views honors VAT Inclusive pricing. With VAT Inclusive enabled, events dynamically update gross (inclusive) prices to reflect changes in taxability, such as when you override the default Country of the attendee. This support honors any VAT Rules that you defined for the event, as well as any overrides you make to VAT tax codes for specific fees.

Support for Simple Order Entry:
If you use value-added taxation (VAT), you can now use Simple Order Entry and have the same, improved VAT calculations and display as is available in Order Processing on Desktop. The same VAT rules and behaviors apply across iMIS, so that VAT is calculated and presented correctly and consistently.

VAT details on order status and event confirmation reports:
To support VAT-inclusive pricing, key reports now include details about the VAT being collected for the order. The Order Status - Order Detail VAT report includes the customer's VAT details, such as VAT Exempt status or a VAT registration number and country. The charges at the bottom include explanation of the VAT portion, if any, including the percentage that applies and the net amount being collected. Event confirmations report the amount of VAT tax included in the registration fee.