Working With Geocodes

Geocodes are identifiers comprised of numbers that identify the state, county, local county area, city, and local city area within a tax jurisdiction. This information is used to calculate the taxes associated with an order, based on where it is sold or shipped.

Use the National Sales Tax Database Maintenance screen to verify tax rates and split rates. Use this screen to determine what rates apply to customers. Only authorized users can create, edit, or delete geocodes; anyone can view geocodes.

Eclipse provides an update to this file on a monthly basis. The update includes all changes to tax rates throughout the country.

To create a geocode:

From the Files > Tax, Duty & Exchange Rates > National Sales Tax menu, select National Sales Tax Database Maint to display the National Sales Tax Database Maintenance screen.

In the Geocode field, type the word new, press Enter, and then enter the new geocode.

Create a code that makes sense. In a standard geocode, the first two digits identify the state, the next three digits identify the county, and the final five digits identify the city.

Note: Make sure the code you enter falls within the range of codes defined for the state.

Enter the State, County, City, and Zip code to which this geocode applies.

The Eff Dates screen displays, showing the option New.

Select the New.
In the Eff Dt field, enter the date on which this geocode becomes effective.
Use the following fields to designate whether there are county and city maximums and split amounts that apply to the geocode.

Field

Description

County Item (Y/N)

Indication whether the county maximum and split amounts apply to line item amounts (Y) or the total order amount (N).

Note: The setting in the Max/Spt field on the Taxable States screen overrides this field.

County Max Amount

The maximum amount of a given line item or order total, as determined by the County Item (Y/N) field, to which county tax applies.

Use the following fields to enter the tax rates associated with the geocode.

Field	Description
State Tax	State sales, reduced, and use tax for the geocode.
County Tax	County sales, reduced, and use tax for the geocode.
County Local Tax	County local sales, reduced, and use tax for the geocode.
City Tax	City sales, reduced, and use tax for the geocode.
City Local Tax	City local sales, reduced, and use tax for the geocode.

Note: Once you manually change the Reduced Tax rate, then the monthly database update routines no longer touch that field. The Use Tax column is included on this screen for informational purposes. Eclipse does not use the "use tax."

Press Esc to save the new geocode.

To edit a geocode:

From the Files > Tax, Duty & Exchange Rates > National Sales Tax menu, select National Sales Tax Database Maint to display the National Sales Tax Database Maintenance screen.
Locate the geocode to edit.

Note: See To view a geocode for inquiry instructions.

Change any of the following fields:

Note: See To create a new geocode for field descriptions.

County Item (Y/N)
County Max Amount
County Split Amount
City Item (Y/N)
City Split Amount

Change any of the following tax rates under the Sales Tax, Reduced Tax, or Use Tax columns:
State Tax
County Tax
County Local Tax
City Tax
City Local Tax
City Splt Tax

Note: All changes are recorded in a change log. Overridden values are identified with an asterisk.

Press Esc to save your changes and clear the screen.

To delete an effective date record or a geocode from the database:

From the Files > Tax, Duty & Exchange Rates > National Sales Tax menu, select National Sales Tax Database Maint to display the National Sales Tax Database Maintenance screen.
Locate the geocode to be deleted.

Note: See To view a geocode for inquiry instructions.

Use the Delete hot key.
Select whether to delete the effective date record or the entire geocode and press Enter.

To view a geocode:

From the Files > Tax, Duty & Exchange Rates > National Sales Tax menu, select National Sales Tax Database Maint to display the National Sales Tax Database Maintenance screen.
In the Geocode field, enter all or part of the zip code, city, county, or state abbreviation and press Enter to display a list of geocodes.
Select the geocode and press Enter to populate the National Sales Tax Database Maintenance screen.
Use the Split Rate hot key, as needed, to view or define *split rates. If a split rate applies to a tax, the Split Rate hot key is active.
Press Esc to clear the screen.