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Generation of multiple taxation items

Zuora

Generation of multiple taxation items

If the service period of an invoice item spans multiple tax rate periods, when you use the tax code of Zuora Tax for tax automation, Zuora supports the generation of one taxation item for each tax rate.

Overview

To use this feature, you have to set the "When service period of an invoice item crosses multiple tax rate periods, it will generate:" billing rule to Multiple Tax Items.

If you have the Invoice Settlement feature enabled, you can also generate multiple taxation items for credit or debit memo items spanning multiple tax rate periods.

Navigation: Click your username at the top right and navigate to Billing > Define Billing Rules.

Note that your new configuration of the billing rule does not affect the invoices or memos that are generated earlier.

For example, imagine a scenario where:

  • A customer account only subscribes to one annual recurring charge with the fixed price of $12,000 and the tax exclusive mode.
  • The charge effective start date is 2019-01-01; the charge effective end date is 2019-12-31.
  • An active Zuora Tax tax code involving two different tax rates is associated with the charge.
  • The first tax rate period is from 2019-01-01 to 2019-09-30, and the matched tax rate is 8%.
  • The second tax rate period is from 2019-10-01 to 2019-12-31, and the matched tax rate is 10%.

If this feature is enabled, an invoice containing one invoice item and two taxation items is generated for this account. Detailed information is as below.

  • Invoice item: The service period is from 2019-01-01 to 2019-12-31, and the amount is $12,000.
  • Taxation item 1: The tax date is 2019-01-01, and the tax amount is $720 ($9,000*8%) for the invoice item billing period from 2019-01-01 to 2019-09-30.
  • Taxation item 2: The tax date is 2019-10-01, and the tax amount is $300 ($3,000*10%) for the invoice item billing period from 2019-10-01 to 2019-12-31.

MultipleTaxItems are not supported for non-subscription invoice items.

Rules for prorating taxable amount

In the generation of multiple taxation items, the taxable amount is basically prorated according to the defined billing rules.

The tax amount might be prorated according to the effective period of the corresponding product rate plan and that of tax rates if:

  • You have both this feature and Invoice Settlement enabled; and
  • Credit memos are created from a product rate plan charge.

Tax date

The tax date is used to determine the specific tax rate period. If a tax date falls into a specific tax rate period, that tax rate period is active for tax calculation.

If you have this feature disabled, the invoice date is used as the tax date. After this feature is enabled, one taxation item is generated respectively for each tax rate period. Therefore, the start date of each partial service period is used as the tax date. 

In the preceding scenario. the tax date is 2019-01-01 for the service period from 2019-01-01 to 2019-09-30, and 2019-10-01 for the service period from 2019-10-01 to 2019-12-31.

Tax credit

If a charge has been processed and an invoice is generated, when this charge is removed, the charged amount will be credited and a credit back invoice item will be generated. Therefore, the corresponding tax amount will also be credited back.

In the preceding scenario, if the customer cancels the subscription on 2019-07-01 after being charged, one credit invoice item and two credit taxation items are generated.

  • Invoice item: The service period is from 2019-01-01 to 2019-12-31, and the amount is $-6,000.
  • Tax item 1: The tax date is 2019-07-01, and the tax amount is $-240 ($-3,000*8%) for the invoice item billing period from 2019-07-01 to 2019-09-30.
  • Tax item 2: The tax date is 2019-10-01, and the tax amount is $-300 ($-3,000*10%) for the invoice item billing period from 2019-10-01 to 2019-12-31.

Tax discount

When you have this feature enabled, tax discounts will be applied to the whole service period of an invoice term instead of the discount charge service period.

Imagine that in the preceding scenario, a monthly discount charge with the discount percentage of 10% is applied to the annual charge. The total discount amount is $1,200 for the subscription. The tax discount is as follows:

  • The tax discount amount is $72 ($9,00*8%) for the invoice item billing period from 2019-01-01 to 2019-09-30. 
  • The tax discount amount is $30 ($3,00*10%) for the invoice item billing period from 2019-10-01 to 2019-12-31.