Automating sales tax filing is clearly a good idea, and there are several good software packages to choose from. While we would love for you to choose our sales tax filing software for your needs, we also want you to feel confident about the selection process. Choosing the right solution can be easy if you follow a few basic steps. Determine the criteria you’ll use to compare software options. For instance, are general ledger reconciliation, variance analysis, alerts, or nexus/jurisdiction notification important to you in sales tax software? If so, you’ll want a sales tax software solution that is heavy in analysis and safeguards.
If you’re new to sales tax, you’ll want to ask about support and education opportunities that come with your new software and if the software team has seasoned tax professionals available to help you. Establishing requirements for your specific needs helps you compare features, costs, and time to set up new sales tax software. When you’re dealing with the sales team, ask specific questions about how their software is going to automate accounting tasks, increase accuracy and safeguard your company. If the sales team steers you away from your specific needs or downplays your requirements, it could mean their sales tax software might not be able to handle your needs. This is often a sign that the software is a basic “drop the numbers on a paper return” sales tax software.
Make sure to have specific discussions about your needs in addition to more general discussions. Ask them to cover areas not discussed that you should know about. They should be able to recognize potential issues and show how their software will protect you. Ask if there are fixed data file requirements. This can impact the cost and time required for your IT department. Some sales tax solutions require lengthy configuration and setup processes. Occasionally, you’ll find that configuring the software is such an intensive task that you’ll need a specialist over a few weeks to install your new sales tax software. Watch out for requirements to use their team for setup or to schedule a time slot for them to work on your account.
It may also be a bad sign if they have to receive copies of your past returns filed. Gauge the experience level of all the people involved. While you might have a team that thinks they’re sales tax software pros, you’ll want to how well they understand sales tax and workflows. Has anyone ever signed off on a sales tax return? Ask about their experience with companies in your industry and if they’ve worked with companies with needs that are similar to yours. While these four aspects of your sales tax software search will give you a good starting point to find the right sales tax filing software for you, make sure to weigh out all the benefits of each along with costs. Pricing is important but it isn’t always simple to understand and compare.
Be careful when you get a price sheet with lots of options. Sometimes the most costly isn’t the best. Do not fall for the saying, ” You get what you pay for.” If you’d like to find out more about our sales tax filing software, we would be happy to set up a free evaluation with you to answer questions specific to your needs.
