Our Shopify API integration transforms raw Shopify sales data into a clear, easy-to-read tax report that automatically populates all sales into the appropriate VAT returns. Whether you're selling across multiple countries or managing complex fulfilment setups, our system ensures accurate tax treatment and reporting with minimal manual input.
Connecting Your Shopify Storefronts to the API
To connect your Shopify storefronts:
- Go to:
Company Profile > Online Marketplaces > Select Shopify - Add Each Storefront Individually:
- Input the storefront name and URL.
- Select the number of fulfilment countries for that specific storefront.
⚠️ Only select countries relevant to that storefront. Different storefronts with different fulfilment setups must be configured separately.
- Fulfilment Country Limitation:
- If a storefront fulfils from multiple countries (e.g. an EU store using Amazon’s multi-channel fulfilment), you cannot currently use the API due to Shopify’s reporting limitations.
- B2B Orders:
- Indicate whether you have B2B orders.
- If yes, note that Shopify does not provide tax ID data. You’ll need to manually input VAT numbers.
- We can pull company names of purchasers where available and highlight these for your review.
- Indicate whether you have B2B orders.
Monthly Reporting & Data Confirmation
Each month, we’ll ask you to:
- Confirm the fulfilment country for the previous month.
- Input VAT numbers where applicable (especially for B2B transactions).
- Notify us of any mid-month fulfilment country changes, so we can adjust the reporting accordingly.
Once processed:
- Applicable transactions will appear in the relevant VAT reports.
- You can access the pulled sales data anytime via:
VAT Services > Sales Data
FAQs
Onboarding & Setup
Q: Why is the fulfilment country needed for onboarding?
A: Shopify’s data can be unreliable for identifying the fulfilment country, which could lead to incorrect tax calculations. By collecting this during onboarding, we set a reliable default value that can be updated anytime and confirmed when the filing period begins.
Q: Can I add multiple storefronts at once?
A: No, each storefront must be added individually to ensure accurate data capture and fulfilment country assignment.
Q: What if my fulfilment country changes mid-month?
A: Please notify us immediately. We’ll adjust the reporting on our side to maintain accuracy.
API & Data Upload
Q: Can I use the API if my storefront fulfils from multiple countries?
A: Not yet. Multi-country support is planned—sign up to be notified when it goes live.
Q: Why can’t I use the API if I fulfil from multiple countries?
A: Shopify does not store fulfilment country data, so we cannot determine the correct tax treatment for multi-country setups.
Q: The API cannot connect – what’s wrong?
A: You may not have the correct permissions on your Shopify account. Check your account permissions and configuration settings to ensure the API can access the necessary data.
Q: Can I still upload data without using the API?
A: Yes, you can use our AVASK Data Template Upload to manually submit your sales data. This is a great alternative if you’re not ready to connect via API or have incompatible storefronts.
Q: I got a note saying my data upload failed – what should I do?
A: This is rare, but usually caused by an error in the data (e.g., an unrecognised VAT rate). Contact support and we’ll help resolve the issue.
B2B Orders & VAT Numbers
Q: What relevance do B2B orders have for this automation?
A: Shopify sellers often don’t include buyer VAT numbers in orders. This means clients must manually add missing VAT numbers to the sales data we download. By asking about B2B orders upfront, we can skip this step for most clients who don’t process B2B transactions.
Q: I’m not sure if I have B2B orders – what should I do?
A: Check your Shopify configuration settings. If B2B is active, you’ll need to manually input VAT numbers, as Shopify does not provide tax ID data. We highlight company names of purchasers where available to assist you.
Q: While adding buyer VAT numbers, how does the row highlighting work?
A: We check for potential B2B orders by looking for a billing company in the raw template file, then highlight these rows in the downloaded Avask Template.
Q: Is there a way to automate the addition of buyer VAT numbers in Shopify API reports?
A: Yes, if you:
- Enable Shopify B2B (requires Shopify Plus).
- Add and maintain VAT numbers per Company Location in Shopify Admin (Customers → Companies).
Tax Rates & Shopify Settings
Q: Why is my tax rate incorrectly showing as 0 for some transactions?
A: It’s not always a bug. For Shopify data, we rely on the tax rates set on your storefront. Sometimes the storefront is intentionally configured to charge 0% tax—please confirm this first.
If not intentional, verify these settings in Shopify:
- Products → product details → Charge tax on this product = ON
- Customers → customer record → Collect tax enabled (not tax-exempt; VAT ID settings correct)
- Settings → Taxes and duties → correct VAT registration present & Collect VAT enabled; All prices include tax set appropriately; Charge tax on shipping if applicable
- Markets → each active market → Taxes and duties → VAT collection ON (or inherits store settings)
Note: Changes apply only to new orders. Shopify does not retroactively add tax to past transactions. For older transactions, you’ll need to manually update them by editing the report files.