Lifeline Gets Vital PPE to Healthcare Workers with Support From aACE

Lifeline Gets Vital PPE to Healthcare Workers with Support From aACE

“We have so many moving pieces, just being able to coordinate it all together has really helped.” – Tushar Shah, Founder and President, Lifeline Medical Inc.

Lifeline Medical Inc. provides high-quality medical supplies to hospitals, clinics, and doctors, filling this need for over 25 years. They also operate Skin for Life, a separate division focused on their performance skin care line. Running two thriving product lines was demanding, but running them on a patchwork of solutions that didn’t communicate with each other was an even bigger challenge. That’s why Lifeline turned to aACE Complete in 2017 – and when the COVID-19 pandemic struck 3 years later, they were glad they did.

Challenges & aACE Solutions

Managing Communications Between Disparate Solutions

Before switching to aACE Complete, Lifeline relied on QuickBooks alongside an inventory management solution called Acctivate. The two solutions were intended to work together, but managing the data was still difficult.

“Using two different programs was cumbersome,” says Tushar Shah, Founder and President of Lifeline Medical Inc. “We had to waste time trying to figure out what the issues were every time they didn’t sync right. aACE has definitely saved time because everything’s in one system.”

As Tushar noted, aACE provides a seamless integration of sales, operations, and accounting. By putting everything into one system, Lifeline was able to reduce time spent on duplicate data entry, as well as the time lost in trying to troubleshoot communication breakdowns. Thanks to aACE’s unified approach, Tushar estimates that Lifeline has seen time savings of 10 to 15%.

Two Divisions, One Shipping Solution

Lifeline not only wanted to handle both of their divisions in one business management solution, they also wanted to ship products from both divisions from a single shipping solution. aACE+ ShipStation made this easy.

Since 95% of their orders go through their shipping solution, a seamless integration is a must-have – and they’re very happy they found one. “ShipStation’s been really good,” says Tushar. “We are probably shipping about 300 packages a week, and we’re able to manage both divisions together in a way that works really well.” And the integration with aACE means that the staff members taking in orders, those sending out product, and those managing inventory levels are all on the same page.

Increased Visibility into Inventory

Lifeline deals with medical and skincare products, so it’s vital to be able to track inventory by lot numbers. aACE supports this critical need with comprehensive inventory management tools that offer the traceability required for such commodities.

With aACE, Lifeline can easily manage all the moving parts of their fulfillment process. aACE’s inventory engine is fully integrated with its order management, production, and shipping tools, so Lifeline’s staff members always have accurate insight into their products. And as business returns to normal, Tushar is looking forward to taking advantage of even more of aACE’s features in the near term, such as EDI and additional mobile apps.

Results

As a medical supply company, Lifeline saw the spike in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) when the pandemic hit and knew they had to pivot. Fortunately aACE was already in place to help them supply that life-saving equipment to the healthcare workers who needed it most.

“Initially we weren’t getting many online orders, but when the PPE thing went crazy, we were getting a hundred orders or more a day,” Tushar explains. They implemented the aACE+ WooCommerce integration, which enabled them to scale their operations to meet the growing demand.

Lifeline has three separate ecommerce stores – Lifeline Medical, Skin for Life, and the newly-launched Skin for Life Canada – and aACE+ WooCommerce ensures that all of their online orders flow seamlessly into a single aACE solution.

Periodically throughout the day, aACE checks WooCommerce for any new orders that have been placed through any of Lifeline’s online storefronts. New orders are pulled into aACE’s fulfilment engine, where they are processed and pushed to ShipStation. In the warehouse, a Lifeline employee logs into ShipStation, sees the order in his queue, and packages it to be sent out. This step is the only time a member of Lifeline’s staff needs to interact with the order – otherwise, the data travels from WooCommerce to aACE to ShipStation and back automatically. Once an order is shipped, aACE automatically updates the WooCommerce storefront with tracking information from ShipStation so customers always know when to expect their products.

“It was crazy,” Tushar says, recounting the early days of the pandemic when Lifeline realized they needed to ramp up their PPE production. “But it went well once we got the aACE+ WooCommerce integration up and running. It ended up being really good.”

Since 2017, Lifeline has leveraged aACE Complete’s comprehensive out-of-the-box feature set to increase their business’ productivity – including integrations with best-of-breed solutions. With aACE acting as their company’s central nervous system, Lifeline can rest assured that their business is as healthy as their products.

Interested in learning how aACE can help you scale your business? Contact us today to be matched with an aACE Partner.

Using Automation to Modernize Inventory Management

Using Automation to Modernize Inventory Management

Brick and mortar retailers and ecommerce retailers alike lean on inventory management processes to manage fulfillment, orders, and supply chain management. The demand for accurate inventory counts is ever-tightening — an inaccurate and inefficient inventory management process can end up affecting the entire business, from accounting to sales.

In a matter of time, poor inventory management can and will affect customer experience. For example, a customer is on your site and decides to purchase an item. Despite being readily available in the online marketplace, the item is actually out of stock. One of two things has to happen: you need to spend extra resources, time, and money in order to fulfill that order or you have to disappoint the customer with a long wait time, risking your customer relationship and your reputation.

The risks involved with poor inventory management have only heightened during the global pandemic. A change in dramatic consumerism has caused many challenges including imbalance, scarcity, shortages, and overstocking. According to a study by the IHL Group, the estimated value of out-of-stock items in 2020 was $1.14 trillion.

An automated inventory system, or the use of software that tracks current inventory levels without manual intervention can help your business scale while saving money. An automated inventory management system represents an end-to-end improvement in business functions. Not only can automation help you streamline workflows, it can generate actionable documentation and analytics, and streamline supply chain operations. Here are some other ways your automated inventory management can benefit your business:

Increase Visibility

Inventory is constantly shifting. Just minutes after a manual inventory count, a sale comes in, and inventory numbers shift – leaving your inventory spreadsheet inaccurate. With automated management, as soon as a sale comes in, real-time counts of active inventory update, even while the item is still in the warehouse. Once the item has shipped, the numbers are updated again to reflect the current on-hand inventory.

With new stock orders, inventory is added to your availability as soon as it arrives. This not only reduces the need for manual inventory checks, it minimizes the time between order and customer availability, ultimately saving you time and money. This visibility is crucial and decreases the risk of over-selling or under-selling your products.

Decrease Human Error

In manual inventory management, there is always the potential for human error. When updating spreadsheets, mistakes can be made and data can be distorted. There are a number of ways human error can have a negative effect on inventory management. One, counting errors can occur if an employee misses a product or mistakenly counts a product twice. Fatigue can also set in and mistakes can happen while writing and recording data. Finally, human error can cause workers to forget to save valuable data, distorting information for many users

A decrease in human error has trickle-down effects for the whole order process. According to EasyPost, an integrated order processing system can increase productivity by 25% and lead to a 30% improvement in stock use efficiency. Wireless barcode technologies are an easy and cost-effective way to improve accuracy, rather than error-prone counting by hand. Barcodes create an intuitive way to use numbers and letters to transmit inventory data in real-time.

Organize Processes & Integrate Disparate Systems

As a business leader, you are always looking for ways to save time and reduce labor costs. Extra time spent manually counting inventory or pulling data from siloed systems and multiple locations is not a good use of time and does not contribute to the well-being of your employees or the business as a whole. An inventory management system can operate as a single hub for inventory and warehouse operations.

With one centralized hub, you can standardize systems from order processing to shipping procedures. A future-proof system will allow you to integrate existing systems to achieve an omnichannel sales and supply system. A unified system will allow you to not only have one source of truth for inventory and quantity, but also all of the data stored about each of the products in your inventory. Within the system, workers will be able to find valuable info about the products, including SKU, weight, dimensions, supplier information, add-ons and alternatives, and more.

Features to Look for in an Inventory Management System

When it comes to inventory management systems, the market offers a few different types. What system is best for your business depends on who it is for. Two of the most common types are standalone inventory management software and an inventory management system within an ERP system.

Standalone IMS is sold as specialized software. This software can have advanced features that typically suit huge enterprises such as a wide array of warehouse options and cycle counts. Despite some integration ability, these systems can be siloed and not integrate properly with other factions of your business such as Accounting and Sales. Because the systems are inherently disconnected, there can also be a lag in real-time analytics. Finally, these systems are more expensive and therefore suited for complex and specific needs.

Integrated IMS is a solution included in your existing ERP. Because of the existing integration, the inventory management function shares the same database as all your orders, accounting, CRM, and reporting. This centralized data will empower your teams with the same real-time data, accuracy, and consistency. Your workflows will also be simplified because of their ability to all live in the same system. Finally, your overall technology spend will be lower compared to purchasing, implementing, and onboarding multiple systems.

Wrapping it Up

Inefficient and ineffective inventory management strategies could be costing your business valuable time, resources, and money. An automated inventory management could improve the workflow of your team and reduce the propensity for human error. The aACE Inventory module seamlessly integrates with other core business functions like accounting and CRM. To learn more about aACE's inventory management engine, check out our success story on Restylers' Choice.

Online Selling and Taxes in 2021: What to Know Now

Online Selling and Taxes in 2021: What to Know Now

COVID-19 has changed our daily lives in many ways. More than ever, consumers around the world are relying on online shopping and ecommerce businesses to safely shop from home. This has led many sellers to embrace ecommerce or expand their online presence. According to Signifyd, ecommerce sales were up 104% in June 2020 over June 2019, and 99firms reports that 80% of Internet users in the US have made at least one purchase online in 2020.

While some of the world’s changes during 2020 will prove to only be temporary, the rapid increase in ecommerce will have a lasting impact on businesses around the world. As a result, governments around the world are implementing new tax policies for 2021. Although taxes can be overwhelming, they are a necessary aspect of running a successful business. In this article, you'll get a quick rundown of ecommerce sales tax and compliance and regulations to be aware of in 2021.

What is eCommerce Sales Tax?

Sales tax is calculated by tacking on a small percentage of a sale by an online retailer. There is no national sales tax in the United States, but 45 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have a sales tax. Additionally, many cities and local areas are allowed to tack on a special sales tax. Online realtors will need to be aware of different sales tax laws and rules when calculating sales tax for consumers across the country.

Online retailers are responsible for charging the correct amount of sales tax and remit the taxes collected back to the appropriate state. To know if you owe taxes in a certain state, there are two concrete rules: your business has sales tax nexus in the same state as your customer and the product you are selling is taxable in that state.

If you are an online retailer with some connection to a particular state (nexus), you are on the hook for paying sales tax. However, there are certain exceptions for some states. Additionally, you’ll always have nexus in your home state. Here are some factors that determine whether you have nexus in other states:

  • Physical location: office, warehouse, branch, etc.
  • Inventory: storing inventory in a state will cause nexus (even if you have no physical presence of personnel there)
  • Personnel: employees, sales people, distributors, or any other person doing work in a state for your business will qualify you for nexus
  • Economic nexus: you exceed a mandated amount of sales in a state or you make over a certain amount of transactions
  • Affiliates: If someone who advertises your product in exchange for cut of the profits lives in a certain state, you qualify for nexus in that state

For more specific information about sales tax nexus by state, check out the Economic Nexus State Guide.

Stricter Enforcement in 2021

Economic nexus laws (as described above) and marketplace facilitator laws were originally implemented in 2018 to drive revenue for tax authorities through the collection of taxes owed on online sales. However, enforcement of these laws has been minimal because authorities wanted to give sellers and marketplaces time to understand and comply with the new regulations.

However, in 2021, the grace period has ended. The increased consumer interest in ecommerce and the economic impact of the global pandemic has catalyzed enforcement for 2021. Many states have utilized AI and data mining techniques to efficiently pinpoint non-compliant businesses and remote sellers.

Get Compliant

Before applying for a sales tax permit, determine that you have a nexus in a state and that you’re selling taxable items there. Now it is time to get compliant and register for a permit. To do this, contact your state’s taxing authority. Next, set up a system to start collecting sales tax online. Determine whether you should collect “origins-based” or “destination-based” taxes. Finally report and file sales tax according to a predetermined schedule (monthly, quarterly, or annually).

Wrapping it Up

Taxes are an essential part of any business. If you are selling a significant amount of products or services online, it is worth it to invest in software that automatically calculates sales tax for transactions. aACE enables you to easily set up tax profiles for every state and individual jurisdiction where you do business. And for more complex requirements, our integration with Avalara AvaTax uses geolocation for precise, up-to-date tax rates every time you make a sale. To learn more about the aACE+ AvaTax integration, check out our feature highlight.

Enterprise Resource Planning: Everything You Should Know About ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning: Everything You Should Know About ERP

At the crux of innovation, you’ll find technology. Powerful tools have allowed us to communicate easier, work more efficiently, and solve problems that plague our professional and personal lives. Since the dawn of the internet age, software has shifted from an expensive luxury to an essential part of any enterprise.

Early on, many companies had to adopt separate solutions for each aspect of their business: purchasing, accounting, engineering, sales, and more. With so many siloed systems, enterprises struggled to see their businesses as a whole – which made it impossible to scale. Organizations quickly began looking for a way to integrate the various aspects of their business and allow their teams to operate from a holistic set of data. That's where ERP came in.

What is ERP?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software integrates, standardizes, and helps streamline business processes across a swath of departments. ERP software allows for the automation of certain focused business tasks, reducing manual labor and creating a shared database.

ERP solutions allow employees from separate departments, like accounting and engineering, to rely on the same set of data and pull any relevant information they need to do their jobs more effectively. This not only allows for easier collaboration, it also ensures that resources are used more efficiently and that the entire customer journey is more transparent to employees.

History: MRP Systems to ERP Systems

In the 1960s, the concept of ERP originated in the manufacturing industry. Product-based organizations used centralized computer systems to automate inventory. These were usually internally created systems and existed to track the amount of products made versus quota. With the goal of furthering software’s ability to optimize production and distribution, IBM partnered with a manufacturer of construction machinery: J.I Case.

IBM and J.I Case created Machine Requirements Planning (MRP) software. This software, simplistic by today’s standards, would require rooms of computers and processors that were used to leverage arithmetic to help manufacturers answer questions like: How much of a certain material should I order? The first iteration of the MRP, MRP I, focused primarily on inventory control. In the 1980s, MRP I was expanded on and evolved into the MRP II, which provided additional features including finances, general accounting, demand forecasting, and quality assurance.

It wasn’t until the 90s that Gartner coined the term Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to differentiate from MRP-only solutions. Gartner defined ERP as “an integrated suite of business applications.” The first ERP system was implemented in the 90s and expanded on the basic inventory control and manufacturing processes of previous iterations.

How Does an ERP System Work?

In order to understand how an ERP system works, you have to understand its main goal: to improve organizational efficiency by improving the use of a company’s resources.

ERP takes all of the functions essential to a growing business and integrates them into one complete system. More specifically, ERP takes data from various departments and assimilates it into a common database, enabling leaders to monitor the pulse of a company using a single vision of reality.

ERP systems have various modules, each addressing a specific business requirement. These modules are separated for ease-of-use, but they all push information into a central database. For example, companies focused on the efficient creation of products will have a module for accounting, inventory, order management, and customer relationship management (CRM).

Who Uses ERP?

Today’s versions of ERP systems can be used by companies across every industry; flexible and integrated systems can be customized to fit a wide variety of organizations and requirements. ERP software systems are very diverse and are essential parts of many industries, including but not limited to:

Wrapping it Up

ERP software solutions allow for the better utilization of resources and project management that helps accurately report on an organization’s financial health and processes. The key to an ERP’s ability to increase organizational efficiency? A centralized database that acts as one source of truth for an enterprise. Although ERPs systems have their roots in the manufacturing industry, today almost any industry can benefit from an ERP system. To learn more about the benefits of ERP, check out some of our aACE Success Stories.

4 Ways to Streamline Operations and Delight Customers in 2021

4 Ways to Streamline Operations and Delight Customers in 2021

For companies across every industry and function, 2020 will forever be a defining year – and as we transition to a new normal, 2021 is shaping up to be just as pivotal. Although some businesses have struggled to meet changing customer expectations, it’s safe to say that some behaviors prompted by COVID-19 are here to stay. According to a recent study by Blake Morgan, post-pandemic, consumers will care even more about customer experience.

Companies that are stuck in a routine and fail to adapt to new demands will be left behind. One critical way to modernize operations and enhance customer satisfaction is to simplify processes and pinpoint redundancies that need to be eliminated. Minimizing the amount of steps to accomplish tasks allows businesses to save time, costs, and focus on high-quality products and services, with fewer errors and delays.

An efficient and automated enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solution can help streamline multiple disparate systems into a single easy-to-use platform. Now more than ever, ERP solutions are critical for enterprises who are looking to improve efficiency and better serve customers. Here are a few ways to use an ERP solution to streamline operations, save time, and delight your customers:

Deploy an Advanced CRM

Strengthening the relationships with your customers requires an understanding of who they are and what they want. However, your relationship and understanding of your customers can not be separate from the rest of your business — you risk data duplication, decreased visibility, limited cross-departmental collaboration and more.

With data aggregated and key business functions collaborating on the same platform, customer service can significantly improve. While an ERP and CRM solution can offer benefits on their own, an integration allows you to take advantage of what both have to offer. Seamlessly move customers from lead to conversion within a frictionless environment — track customer journeys, manage communications, and get insights on behaviors that will help you better meet their needs.

Optimize Customer Facing Workflows

By integrating your sales and service data with marketing and finance, you’ll be able to identify pre- and post-sales processes that need attention and improvements. A strategically implemented ERP can help you eliminate the pain of waiting for updated sales figures and inventory schedules. Instead, real-time reporting will allow you to reduce bottlenecks and adopt a flow. According to a study forecasting the growth of ERP software through 2026, the primary factor driving the growth of the ERP software market is the rise in need for operational efficiency and transparency in business processes.

One of the best ways to optimize workflows and boost performance is to standardize processes. Standardized workflows enable automation, reducing the need for manual labor and the possibility of human error. It’s important to remember that standardization requires careful thought and must be balanced by customization. Once properly implemented, however, your business can grow sustainably and meet customer expectations.

Get Your Time Back

A recent study found that small businesses with ERP systems can make decisions in 36% less time than businesses without these vital solutions. By centralizing previously siloed systems, time becomes a readily-available resource. A well-designed and strategically implemented ERP will centralize essential business functions, automate processes, and make daily operations more efficient. This newfound time and freedom isn’t reserved for one department — sales, operations, finance, IT, production, marketing, and more will all benefit. With less time spent on manual and routine tasks, your team can focus on the most important objective: the customer.

Create a Seamless Path to Purchase

Loyal customers are created during an efficient, transparent, and automated order fulfillment process. By centralizing operations in an ERP solution, enterprises can utilize data to create an expedient, cost-efficient, and frictionless order process. A smart ERP will enable comprehensive automation capabilities, modernizing the order capture process and accelerating order fulfillment. This enhanced efficiency helps to delight new customers and retain existing ones.

Looking Forward

In order to maintain the momentum we built in 2020 and grow in 2021, businesses need to look for software and tools that can help them build more efficient processes and prioritize servicing the growing expectations of their customers. In order to streamline processes, siloed systems have to begin to talk to each other and a business flow needs to be uncovered and maintained. A sound ERP solution can help your business grow sustainably, decrease bottlenecks, and foster meaningful relationships with customers.

Choosing the right ERP system starts with evaluating the goals of your business. At aACE software, our mission is to help small-to-midsize business owners increase their efficiency and improve their bottom line. Our single, comprehensive business management solution is easy-to-use and is meant to compliment your long-term vision. For more information, contact us to be connect with an aACE partner.

7 Important Features to Look for in a New Accounting Solution

7 Important Features to Look for in a New Accounting Solution

There are a lot of important behind-the-scenes team members across companies of all sizes that quietly keep the company going. They’re critical to your success and bring special skills into your environments to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Your accounting team, for example, helps ensure that you literally keep the lights on, employees get paid, invoices and bills go out, payments come in, and your books are balanced.

If you’re a small or mid-sized business (SMB), your accounting team could be as small as one or two people, who wear many hats to keep the money flowing. From budgeting and forecasting to tracking and completion, there are a lot of moving parts in ensuring your ledgers are always accurate and up-to-date.

Unfortunately, for many SMBs, these processes can be complicated, tedious, and often require manual inputs of data, or a lot of imports and exports of data, to move information from one system or database to another. When you have a small team where the responsibilities fall onto just one or a few people, it can be a headache when just one person gets sick, takes time off, or moves on from the company.

And while many executives see the benefits of using modern accounting software, few have the time or financial resources to make the switch and many fear downtime if they try to innovate. Accounting is often the place within a company where the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” mentality drives business.

But choosing and implementing a new accounting program doesn’t have to be so scary. With the right research and input, you can easily streamline your operations, improve efficiencies, remove duplicated manual tasks from multiple workflows, and even make your employees happier by reducing the stress and worry of human errors and never having enough time to focus on more pressing matters. Often, the reduction in staff time and decreased errors is enough in itself to offset the investment and shore up the ROI on a new accounting solution.

If you’re considering a change and are ready to look at new or upgraded accounting platform, here are 7 features to consider:

Budgeting and Forecasting

Have you ever had to create a departmental or bigger budget and struggled with importing numbers into a spreadsheet or on paper, looking across a growing list of fields and cells, trying to make sense of past performance and guesses about the future? Budgeting and forecasting doesn’t have to be that time-consuming or complicated. When considering a new accounting solution, look for one that also has budget and forecasting features. Having all your financial data in one place — across all your divisions — in one solution can help you do that easily. And, with access management and related controls, you can even share this data with other people, ensuring they can only access exactly what they need, so budgeting is simplified across your entire organization.

Recurring Transactions

All companies have routine and recurring transactions. If you have recurring transactions, stop doing them manually. Instead, look for accounting software that will automate these transactions, enabling you to configure your parameters and approval processes and then let the system handle it for you. Also, consider an accounting solution that will send you alerts or notifications if you encounter anything outside your pre-set baselines so you’re never caught by surprise.

Cloud, On-Prem, or Hybrid Options

An increasing number of businesses are moving solutions and data management to the cloud, especially in light of the coronavirus outbreak and the growing number of remote workforces around the globe. Each business has its own criteria about if it needs a cloud-hosted, on-premises, or hybrid solution, so it’s important to look for an accounting solution that doesn’t just meet those needs now, but is also set to scale and change with you in the future.

Multiple Entity Management

Budgets and ledgers are often complex. How you track your accounting needs is likely unique for your specific business. There are a range of factors, for example, across departments, across divisions, across locations, based on region, or even product or service-based. Whatever your company setup is, if you’re considering a new accounting solution, you’ll want to make sure it supports management of multiple entities and does so in a simplified, easy-to-understand way. Look for an accounting solution that enables you to have both a big picture understanding of your company as a whole, all the way down to a granular level, so you always have comprehensive insight into your company’s financial health.

It’s All About Integrations

Integrations are key for your accounting solution. Many companies won’t even consider a new tool because sometimes purchasing one means other operational systems, for example your invoicing platform, won’t work with it. That’s why it’s critical to look for an accounting system that integrates simply with your existing systems and applications – or replaces them entirely – so you can easily pull data from one area to another and not have to do manual imports, exports, or inputs.

You’ll want a solution that integrates across many parts of your business, for example from sales lead to products and inventory ordering and management, through point-of-sale, billing, accounts receivable, shipping, distribution, and more.

Security and Privacy

If you’re dealing with personally identifiable information (PII) or other sensitive data, it’s likely your company is subject to a range of compliance and regulatory standards. Your accounting software must meet those same standards, too. When choosing an accounting solution, take a deep dive into its security practices. Select a tool that you can be confident will meet all the requirements in your contract and service level agreement (SLA) and be sure to conduct regular audits to make sure security and privacy always stay front of mind.

Reports and Analytics

Earlier, we touched on the importance of selecting an accounting solution that helps you manage multiple entities from a broad scope all the way down to a granular level. Similarly, you’ll want to look for an accounting solution that will also enable you to create customizable reports based on this and other criteria. Each accounting team needs to produce various report types, some for internal audits, some for external audits, some for compliance, and others just for insight. Be sure the accounting solution you’re considering will let you build the reports you need — quickly and easily — so you can communicate important information to all of your stakeholders.

These are some of the many features you should consider when selecting a new accounting solution, but you may have other requirements that are unique to your organization. Need help? Contact us today to be connected with an aACE partner to help answer your questions and get you headed in the right direction.

On-Demand Webinar: aACE+ ReadyShipper Shipping Integration

On-Demand Webinar: aACE+ ReadyShipper Shipping Integration

aACE seamlessly integrates with ReadyCloud's ReadyShipper, a best-of-breed shipping solution that puts lightning-fast fulfillment at your fingertips. Last month we were joined by guest presenter Brandon Batchelor, Director of Sales and Partnerships at ReadyCloud, to walk our audience through the ReadyCloud side of the aACE+ ReadyShipper integration. We're delighted to share his presentation on-demand.

In this video, you'll see a batch of orders in aACE go through the fulfillment process in ReadyShipper, then see the related costs and tracking numbers have been updated in aACE in real time. You'll also learn:

  • How data flows from aACE to ReadyShipper and back
  • How to customize views in ReadyCloud to see only the data you need, when you need it
  • How to check the status on individual shipments
  • How to send Action Alerts to customers based on specific events, like an order going out for delivery
  • How to split shipments into multiple boxes
  • And more!

Our thanks go out to Brandon for this fantastic presentation! Watch it on-demand below:

 

And to learn more about our aACE+ ReadyShipper integration, check out our short demo video to see the aACE side of the Pick, Pack, and Ship process below, then read our success story on Southwest Auto Accessories to learn how a real small business has increased their velocity thanks to this seamless integration.

"When we first opened, we shipped maybe 20 packages that month, and now we’re probably shipping 20 packages a day. Once the orders are transmitted to ReadyShipper, processing a package to get it ready to ship takes seconds — it doesn’t take minutes, it takes seconds — to complete the transaction and have the package ready to ship." - Lane Carter, Co-Founder, Southwest Auto Accessories

5 Ways Manufacturers Can Improve Sales Tax Compliance

5 Ways Manufacturers Can Improve Sales Tax Compliance

How can manufacturers improve sales tax compliance? Collection, remittance, and reporting requirements can be particularly challenging for manufacturers that make both taxable and exempt sales and use drop shippers. Here are five steps manufacturers can take to streamline sales tax compliance.

1. Understand sales tax nexus

Nexus is the connection between a business and state that allows the state to impose a sales tax obligation on the business. If you have nexus in Texas, for example, you need to register with the Texas Comptroller, obtain all necessary licenses, and comply with all applicable sales and use tax requirements.

Physical presence in a state always creates nexus. Yet businesses with no physical presence can also establish sales tax nexus solely through their economic activity in a state. This is known as economic nexus, and it’s currently enforced in 43 states, plus Washington, D.C., and parts of Alaska.

Most state economic nexus laws provide an exception for small sellers. For example, economic nexus is created in California when a remote seller has $500,000 or more in total combined sales in the state in the current or preceding calendar year (the economic nexus threshold). New York’s threshold is $500,000 and at least 100 separate transactions during the previous four sales tax quarters. In Massachusetts, the economic nexus threshold is $100,000.

Sales tax nexus laws differ from state to state. Determining where nexus exists is the first step toward compliance.

2. Register with the tax authority

Like other businesses, manufacturers must obtain all required licenses and register to collect sales and use tax in states where they have nexus. As with nexus laws, registration and licensing requirements vary by state.

Small manufacturers operating in few states may need only a few licenses. Larger manufacturers operating nationwide likely need spreadsheets and dedicated personnel to ensure all registration and licensing requirements are met. Automating the process can make it go much more smoothly.

3. Calculate and collect sales tax

Manufacturers that make taxable sales of goods or services must collect sales tax for each transaction. Rates vary from state to state; in all but a few, local and/or special district taxes apply on top of the state sales tax. There can also be different rates for different products (e.g., alcohol or soda) or services.

Most (but not all!) states base the rate on the destination of the sale — the location where the consumer took possession of the product or received the service. With more than 13,000 tax jurisdictions, sales tax software helps ensure the right rate is assigned to each transaction.

4. Track exempt sales

Of course, not all transactions are subject to sales tax. Manufacturers often make exempt sales of normally taxable goods to other businesses. Sales to government entities or nonprofit organizations may also be exempt.

Every time a retailer doesn’t collect sales tax on the sale of a statutorily taxable good or service, it must collect an exemption or resale certificate from the consumer. These certificates must be stored and readily accessible so the exempt transaction can be validated in the event of an audit. Tax authorities always examine exempt sales.

5. Remit sales tax and file returns

After the close of each reporting period, registered businesses must report and remit the collected tax to the state (and where applicable, local) tax authority. Due dates and filing frequencies vary by state, as do other requirements: Many states require reports to be filed even when no tax was collected, and some states mandate electronic filing for certain sellers.

Avalara helps businesses of all sizes manage sales tax compliance in all states. To learn more, read 5 Steps to Managing Sales Tax for Manufacturers and check out our feature highlight on the aACE+ Avalara AvaTax integration.

About the Author

Gail Cole has been researching and writing about sales tax for Avalara since 2012. She has a penchant for uncovering unusual tax facts and endeavors to make complex sales tax laws more digestible for experts and laypeople alike. We are delighted to share her expertise with our audience!

Take Your Business to the Next Level with Our May Webinars

Take Your Business to the Next Level with Our May Webinars

As April showers give way to May flowers, join us to learn how aACE can help your business blossom. Last month we covered topics ranging from shipping to documentation; here's what we have in store for May:

Timesheet Administration – May 4th

Discover the many ways to track and record time in aACE. We'll explore time codes, timesheet approval, timesheet management access privileges, and more.

Scheduling (Calendar & Task Groups) – May 18th

Time is money, so learn how aACE can help your team stay on-task and on-schedule in this webinar. And to get a sneak peek at our calendar and scheduling features, check out our feature highlight and success story on the aACE+ DayBack calendar.

Multi-Entity Accounting – May 25th

Manage the financials for multiple locations – or even multiple businesses – in a single aACE solution. Take a sneak peek at this topic by checking out our feature highlight and Special EFX success story before the webinar.

We look forward to seeing you and hearing your questions in each of our presentations! Register now to reserve your spot.