Simple Tutorial on Configuring Tax Determination in SAP SD

SAP estimates tax values for products while preparing billing documents or sales orders. In this article, we will look at how tax determination in SAP SD works!This blog discusses the process of configuring tax determination in SAP SD (Sales and Distribution), which is crucial for businesses to ensure accurate invoicing and compliance with tax regulations. It covers setting up tax codes, defining tax categories, and assigning tax rates based on geographical regions and product classifications. The goal is to optimize the SAP system for accurate tax determination and efficient financial transaction management.

Introduction of tax determination in SAP SD

Tax configurations are performed within SAP at the Country level. This is due to the fact that all companies within the same country have to adhere to the same tax policies in addition to generally acknowledged accounting rules in preparing their financial statements. So, tax configurations within SAP are made for every country. Any company code that is later created in that country is then automatically utilizing the tax determination in SAP SD configuration made for that country. Tax configurations do not have to be completed for every company code over and over again. This eliminates the need to perform tax configurations for each company code in a separate manner.

SAP permits taxes rates that are set within the SAP system or they could be pulled via an outside taxation software, such as Vertex.  tax determination in SAP SD configurations is saved inside SAP by way of calculation methods and tax codes. These procedures can be assigned to various countries. These procedures can then be made accessible to any company code that is developed in that country.

The tax rates are provided by tax codes. They are the various tax types and how they are calculated is specified by the tax computation process. SAP permits the following taxes to be processed when posting documents:

  • Taxes on purchases and sales.
  • Additional taxes such as VAT that are can be specific to our country.
  • Taxes on Sales and Use like in USA.
  • Withholding tax is a form of the tax on income in India.

Taxes

Taxes on sales are a type of state revenue source for the government. There are various kinds of sales taxes applicable depending on the country’s legal requirement, However, there are two different taxes widely used Local sales tax ( LST) and central Sales tax (CST). Sales tax for local sales is within the state, whereas CST is interstate.

The point at which the transaction is made, i.e. the shipping facility and the ship to the party are both within one state, is a good illustration of local sales tax. The rates are set by the state government.

Whereas Central Sales Tax would be Plant for delivery and the Ship to Party geographical locations are two different states. When a sale is made from one state the ST goes to that state’s government. Consignment is sent to the Ship to Party. When the consignment arrives at the ship-to-party state and sales tax is assessed once the sale is recorded there. In this scenario, the LST which is applicable by the party that is the Ship is not applicable to be recorded in SAP. Transfer of stock: This does not require any sales tax. The consignment will be transferred between one plant and another plant, regardless of inter/intrastate sales. The invoice issued with the consignment, therefore, will not be a final invoice. Although it is a non-valued invoice, the basic price must be stated.

How is tax determined in SAP SD?

When a user makes an invoice in SAP SD, SAP reads the following:

  • Tax eligibility of the customer from the master customer
  • Relevance of taxation for the material master
  • Country of departure and the location from the facility used for the document of sale at item level
  • The country of destination and its location is listed in the record of the ship-to-party

How do you set up taxes in SAP?

Here are the steps to follow in the tax configuration within SAP:

Define Tax Determination Rules

In this configuration, We can choose a tax classification by country. Make sure to only apply the settings to the countries that apply to your specific business situation. This is the one that will be used to calculate taxes in your pricing process. Only those types of conditions that are which are tax-related (in the class of conditions) are allowed to be used in this category. Certain countries may include several tax categories. In this instance, We could utilize this field to determine the order. Verify that the country is listed within the listing. To check this, simply click New Entries and type in the tax code for your country and country as well as the access sequence number. The menu path is the following:

IMG>> Sales And Distribution>>Basic Functions>> Taxes >>Define Tax Determination Rules (transaction OVK1).

Assigning the tax category to a country

Tax category
Tax category

Define Regional Codes

Certain countries have regional taxation. Therefore, it is important to define all cities or counties within the country. Break down the country and region entries into county codes according to the applicable criteria.. This is the way to go:

IMG >>Sales And Distribution >>Basic Functions>> Taxes >>Define Regional Codes County Codes. 

tax determination in sap sd
tax determination in sap sd

Define City Codes

If we want to create taxes for a city-level it is possible to specify your Country and Region and break them down into city codes according to the relevant. To accomplish this, you need to follow

IMG>> Sales and Distribution >>Basic Functions of Taxes Regional Codes and City Codes.

tax determination in sales order sap
Define City Code – Tax determination in SAP SD

Tax Calculation Procedure in SAP

The majority of the country’s tax procedures are available in SAP. If your country does not have a tax procedure, we can proceed with the construction of a tax procedure.

IMG ->>Financial Accounting->> Financial Accounting Global Settings->> Tax on Sales/Purchases —>>Basic Settings Check Calculation Procedure

Tax procedures
Tax procedures – Tax determination in SAP SD

Tax Procedure – Control Data

image 6
Tax procedures Control Data – Tax determination in SAP SD

Assign Country to Calculation Procedure

In this stage, we assign the calculation method that was created in the previous stage to the nation. This is also the country where the company’s code is located. In the case of our company, the country of the code for the company in India.

IMG->> Financial Accounting ->>Financial Accounting Global Settings->>Tax on Sales/Purchases->> Basic Settings Check Calculation Procedure.

Assignment of TAX Procedure
Assignment of TAX Procedure- Tax determination in SAP SD

Define The Tax Jurisdiction Codes

In these Steps, We will need to define Tax jurisdiction Code. Select the tax method to which the tax authority structure of the code must be established and then select the length needed for the different levels of jurisdiction as shown below. The length you choose should be large enough to be able to accommodate the required tax jurisdiction codes according to the requirements. For e.g. the first level is the state. The second level represents the states. If the number of states is significant, it’s better to use a four-letter key that represents it, instead of having the two-letter key. This is because the number of possible combinations with a four-letter key is substantially more than the number of possible combinations with a two-letter key.

tax determination in sap fi
Tax determination in sap

Define The Tax Jurisdiction Code Structure

Define The Tax Jurisdiction
Define The Tax Jurisdiction- Tax determination in SAP SD

Taxes on purchases and sales in the US is built on the composite key known as the Jurisdiction code that is unique. It is based on the following, Eg: State. County-City, State, and Zip Code. The jurisdiction code is the primary that decides the tax rate of a particular transaction, On the ship form, you can ship to the address (if the sale deal involves shipping). If shipping is required, fill out the ship form. retail sales, the sale takes place in the store, consequently, the code of jurisdiction is chosen. Up depending on the store’s location address.

In the event of a typical SAP Sales Transactions, the area code is determined on the basis of the Ship-To partner in that SAP Sales Order Ship-To Party and the Ship-From address determined from the Ship-From location such as Plant, Warehouse, etc.

The Ship-To Party is a master record within the SAP Sales & Distribution and Finance modules. When it comes to keeping the Ship-To Customer Record the system by interlacing to the through an interface to Party Tax application, determines the code of jurisdiction, and It populates the field with the jurisdiction code. And in when it comes to Sales Order Processing and Billing the code for jurisdictions is utilized to determine the tax rate for the sale transaction.

Assign Delivering Plants for Tax Determination

In these Steps, We need to assign delivery plants for Tax Determination. Because the delivering plant decides the address of the source It is essential to establish the details of the address. Kindly follow the instructions. Double-click on the plant you want to visit. Enter the full address including the region, country, county code, the city’s code, and jurisdiction code, if necessary.

IMG >> Sales and Distribution >> Basic Functions >> Taxes >>assign Delivering Plants for tax determination (OX10).

Master Data Classification

Customer Taxes Classification

The next step is to establish your customers and materials in order that the system can determine the tax that is appropriate for the transaction. You can divide your materials and customers into groups, and then control the tax for each group. Follow the route

IMG>> Sales and Distribution>> Basic Functions>> Taxes>> Definition Tax Relevance of Master Records Taxes on Customers (OVK3).

Customer Taxes (OVK3).
Customer Taxes – Tax determination in SAP SD

Material Taxes Classification

For taxes on materials, refer to IMG>> Sales And Distribution>>Basic Function >> Define Tax Relevance Of the Master Records Materials Taxes (OVK4). 

In both cases, we must specify what type of tax conditions (tax category) and then determine our tax code classification. For instance, your product line’s products could be tax-free, half-taxed, or fully taxed. In this situation, you’d create three tax classification codes and keep them in the master material.

Materials Taxes
Materials Taxes- Tax determination in SAP SD

Maintaining the customer tax classification

When you keep the master customer database You input the tax classification in the Billing Document tab in the Sales Area Data section. For customer 10028, we’ve entered tax classification 1. (taxable). Keep in mind that the tax categorization (UTXJ) that shows on the screen is governed by the country’s tax legislation (U.S.).

Maintaining the customer tax classification in the customer master
Maintaining the customer tax classification in the customer master

Maintain Tax Codes

It is an option within this FI domain. Always create tax codes after consulting with the FI team. Tax codes are the tax classification. You can establish tax rates and tax calculation guidelines for every tax code by following this procedure.For an amalgamation of tax code, country, or jurisdiction code you can define the tax percentage of each type of tax.

IMG >>Financial Accounting >> Financial Accounting Global Settings >>Tax on Sales/Purchases Calculation >>Define Tax Codes for Sales and Purchases (FTXP).

tax determination in sap fi
tax determination in sap fi

Conclusion

As we wrap up our discussion on configuring tax determination in SAP SD, it’s clear that mastering this functionality is essential for any business operating within the SAP ecosystem. The ability to accurately determine and apply taxes not only ensures compliance with global tax regulations but also streamlines the entire sales process.Through careful configuration of tax codes, categories, and rates, businesses can automate tax calculations, reducing the risk of human error and freeing up valuable resources for other critical tasks. The steps we’ve outlined—from defining tax categories to assigning plants for tax determination—provide a roadmap for setting up a robust tax determination system.

In conclusion, while the process may seem complex at first glance, the benefits of a well-configured tax determination setup in SAP SD are undeniable. It’s an investment in your business’s financial integrity and operational efficiency. So take the time to configure it correctly, and you’ll reap the rewards for years to come.

ou Might Also Like:

We are a group of SAP Consultants who want to teach and make studying tough SAP topics easier by providing comprehensive and easy-to-understand learning resources.

Leave a Reply

error

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)