ECM Pro suits most of our customers, providing a robust set of tools to automate certificate collection (including missing documents and renewals) and verification, centralised management for easy access, automated document validation, and integrated tax laws and exemption rules content. 

If you have fewer than 1,000 tax-exempt customers and straightforward tax scenarios, ECM Essentials could be right for you. If you have three or more employees managing tax compliance, multiple locations, the need to customise your forms and their use, or other complexities that require more customisation, Exemption Certificate Management Premium is probably a better fit.

Yes. ECM Pro offers a collection campaign management feature that allows you to send an automated communication to your customers when certificates are getting ready to expire or if they’re missing or invalid. This is a “multi-touch” email campaign that will continue to request certificates until they’re received, saving your team time and effort.

As a business grows, the number of transactions and exemptions it handles can become overwhelming and very time-consuming. ECM Pro automates the exemption certificate management process to reduce the risk associated with manual errors, minimises the need for manual data entry, and saves time. ECM Pro can help you handle an increasing number of exempt transactions without requiring additional resources so your business can focus on scale and growth, instead of worrying about compliance.

In addition to a direct integration with Avalara AvaTax, you can access a comprehensive set of APIs that can be used to integrate ECM Pro with various platforms and systems, including leading ecommerce platforms, ERPs, CRMs, and accounting systems. Avalara offers extensive support and developer resources to assist with the integration process. Additionally, Avalara offers prebuilt integrations for many platforms, which can help accelerate the integration process and reduce the amount of custom development required.

Yes. ECM Pro uses a cloud-based solution to help you store, track, and manage exemption certificates across multiple locations in one place. A centralised cloud database allows companywide access to a single repository for easy, secure retrieval for both on-site and remote employees. Collect, validate, and store exemption certificates from your customers, regardless of their location, then associate these certificates with the appropriate location or jurisdiction, which allows you to apply the applicable tax treatment and rate to each transaction.

Yes. The Tax Exemption Resource Library is a robust database that includes sales tax exemption forms; resale and SST certificates; and manufacturer, agricultural, and energy exemption certificates — all varying depending on state and locality. Our resource library also contains detailed, regularly updated information about tax laws and regulations across different jurisdictions, making it easier and less time-intensive for businesses to keep track of changes in tax rules and regulations.

Absolutely. ECM Pro includes a module we call Exemption Certificate Management for Ecommerce that allows buyers to upload exemption certificates through our secure web portal (CertExpress) before or at the time of purchase from their customer account or an online shopping cart. ECM for Ecommerce allows new customers to get set up quickly with faster order completion.

ECM Pro is regularly updated with the latest tax rules and exemption certificate requirements, helping businesses comply with current laws and regulations, making it easier and less time-intensive to keep track of changes in tax rules and regulations.

Generally, it’s not a matter of if you’ll be audited but when. Often, if an auditor finds tax was not collected and there’s no exemption or resale certificate on file (or it’s invalid), they’ll assume the amount of tax NOT collected applies to all months in the audit period. The penalty could be the amount of sales tax not collected, plus a specified fine, multiplied by each month in the audit period. The cost of one missing certificate is compounded and can potentially result in a hefty financial fine. Avalara Exemption Certificate Management Pro helps you collect certificates, keep up on certificate expirations, verify validity, and easily store and retrieve certificates during an audit.

ECM Pro provides the auto-validation tools needed to check certificates as they’re received and to request replacements for incorrect or invalid uploads. Additionally, ECM Pro uses CertExpress, taking the guesswork out of creating and completing exemption certificates. CertExpress asks for the exposure zone or region and reason for exemption, then provides the right form. CertExpress also helps the form creator fill it out, making sure unnecessary fields are greyed out and required fields are completed in the appropriate format. These tools reduce frustration and as a result, increase customer satisfaction and retention.

ECM is SOC 2 Type 1 and 2 compliant and certified. SOC 2 Type 1 and 2 certifications are auditing procedures that help ensure online data is secure and provide securely hosted services and operational practices. When considering a SaaS provider, a security-conscious business should require SOC 2 security compliance.

We have a solution called Avalara ECM Managed Services. Our experts provide structured guidance through a shared support team to help you with troubleshooting, document uploads, certificate validation, and email campaigns for overall collection, including certificate renewal requests.