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AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

  • 1.  AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 14:48

    Has anyone been hearing from clients questioning usage, specifically API calls exceeding transactions?  I've been researching several client accounts and something yet unexplained seemed to happen in Q2 of last year with Avalara calculating usage.  I've been assigned an Avalara Support Tech who has been working with Jon Reiter.  In my opinion, the Sage 100 Connector (DSD LMAV) is not implicated. 



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    Bob Pfahnl
    Manager - Silicon Valley
    DSD Business Systems
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  • 2.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 15:17

    I had a client with this issue right before MOTM, but it MAY have been their fault because they were new to it and had ended up validating every customer in their customer file or some such thing.  I have not heard from them that it's a continuing issue.



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    Beth Bowers
    Dog Mom, first and foremost. The rest is all just necessary to keep the dogs in biscuits.
    (269) 358-0989
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  • 3.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 15:42
    Address Validations are controllable and trackable in their system.
    Invoices are controllable and trackable, yet are creating unexplained API calls.
    Orders are not trackable.
    Certificate activity is not trackable.

    Bob Pfahnl
    Sent from mobile
     
    Bob Pfahnl
    Sr. Business Analyst (GM Silicon Valley)
    e:
    bobp@dsdinc.com
    p:
    800-627-9032 x 220
    w:
    www.dsdinc.com
     
        





  • 4.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 16:14
    Edited by Kelley Johnson 07-07-2025 16:17

    I had a customer complain about this as well and had much communication with Avalara and all their answers to my customer's questions were beyond ridiculous and completely inaccurate. Jon at DSD was very helpful and this is my understanding: 

    1. Validating addresses or turning on enable ship to by sales order detail will add pings 
    2. By default, in SO entry you will have 2 pings – one when you click the total screen and when you save it which pushes it to history which is the HIST ping you will see in Avalara  
    3. If you change the lines, qty, add or subtract lines, then it pings every time you make changes.
    4. When you invoice the order, the same thing applies in data entry with pings
    5. When you print the Invoice sales Journal it pings as committed and then when you update the sales journal it pings as committed to posted



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    Kelley Johnson
    Kelley Johnson Consulting
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  • 5.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 16:39

    Same experience as Kelley.

    Additional: 
    - The Avalara representative appeared to convince the customer they "needed" a Walmart connector which was installed but never explained to the customer exactly why/how it was used/needed.
    - We though Visual Integrator jobs might contribute to increased transaction count
    - Avalara didn't seem to understand why/how this could happen and the TLDR is the client negotiated with Avalara for a credit

    I walked away with the belief Avalara didn't really know what made up the transaction count and unsure why this burden should be placed on the client



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    Wayne Schulz
    wayne@s-consult.com
    Schulz Consulting
    (860) 516-8990
    CT
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 17:23

    Avalara told my customer it was their fault they had too many pings (they did NOT have address validation or anything else turned on). When the customer asked them what the could do to reduce pings in sage this is part of  Avalara's reply:


    3. Regarding the HIST concern; we checked the details and found that the "HIST" suffix at the end of an invoice number typically indicates that the transaction is part of the historical data or history. It generally means that the invoice has been finalized and is no longer active in the current period but has been archived for record-keeping purposes.
    This can happen when the invoice has been processed, and the system marks it as part of the historical record for accounting or reporting. The "HIST" is essentially a tag that differentiates historical transactions from current, active ones.
    To prevent "HIST" entries from being generated in Sage 100, you will need to adjust certain settings or processes within the system, particularly around how transactions are handled and how they move from active to historical status. Here are some steps you can consider addressing this:

    a. Check the "Automatic History" Settings
    Sage 100 often moves transactions like invoices into history automatically based on your period end or system settings. To adjust this:
    Navigate to the Modules section where the invoices are generated (e.g., Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, or Sales Order).
    Review the settings for posting to ensure the system isn't automatically creating historical records when invoices are processed.
    You may need to disable or modify automatic processes related to history generation, such as automatic period-end processing or invoice history settings.

    b. Period-End Processing
    If the system is set to automatically move transactions into history during period-end processing, you might need to:
    Disable automatic period-end processing or change the frequency. This can be done by navigating to the Period-End Processing settings and adjusting how often or when the system should archive transactions.

    c. Check the Invoice History Option
    Some versions of Sage 100 have options that can be enabled or disabled for keeping records in history:
    Access the "Company" settings or System Configuration in the setup menu.
    Look for options related to archiving or retaining invoices in history.
    Adjust the settings to either prevent or delay archiving based on your needs.

    d. Adjust Reports or Data Purging Settings
    In some cases, reports or data purging settings might cause transactions to be marked as historical prematurely.

    Check your data retention policies in the system configuration.
    If you're running regular reports that pull data from the history file, you can adjust the parameters so the system doesn't automatically shift data to history too soon.



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    Kelley Johnson
    Kelley Johnson Consulting
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  • 7.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 18:16

    Nonsense.

    It looks like they copied from another ERP and swapped in "Sage 100".

     

     

    Bob Pfahnl

    Sr. Business Analyst (GM Silicon Valley) 

    e:

    bobp@dsdinc.com

    p:

    800-627-9032 x 220

    s:

    Sage100Support@dsdinc.com

    What's New in Sage 100 2025 Demo On-Demand

     

        






  • 8.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-07-2025 17:58

    If VI is enabled in AvaTax Configuration, it will calculate tax on each line item imported.  By default, I disable and recalculate tax in Sage.

    I have a client that only imports invoices.  Last tier year (2023-24), document usage was invoice based.  This tier year (2024-25), it is API call based.

     

     

    Bob Pfahnl

    Sr. Business Analyst (GM Silicon Valley) 

    e:

    bobp@dsdinc.com

    p:

    800-627-9032 x 220

    s:

    Sage100Support@dsdinc.com

    What's New in Sage 100 2025 Demo On-Demand

     

        






  • 9.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-08-2025 09:20

    Clients with Operations Management are experiencing these high number of 'clicks'. In a prior post, @Jane Scanlan  
    Look at this post, reply #10 is where Jane documented the number of times the sales order is recalculated related to Avalara AvaTax, cosign our OM Clients excessive fees for tax calculations. 

    https://community.90minds.com/discussion/avalara-how-to-cut-costs#bme2853a71-cda2-4e10-8764-0195d894c9e7 



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    Madeline Stefanou
    RKL eSolutions, LLC
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  • 10.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-08-2025 12:49
    Edited by Bob Pfahnl 07-08-2025 12:51

    Thanks Madeline.  Great info Jane.  I missed the last posts on that thread.

    I am meeting with Avalara and DSD today on this topic.

     

     

    Bob Pfahnl

    Sr. Business Analyst (GM Silicon Valley) 

    e:

    bobp@dsdinc.com

    p:

    800-627-9032 x 220

    s:

    Sage100Support@dsdinc.com

    What's New in Sage 100 2025 Demo On-Demand

     

        






  • 11.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-09-2025 11:19

    PS.  My understanding is OM has a AvaTax add-on written by Scanco and its API calls are different from DSD's connector (LMAV).  Yesterday's testing of LMAV API calls sent by Sage 100 and logged by Avalara were as expected based on standard Sage sales tax calculations.  The unexplained API calls evidenced in customers' accounts implicate the receiving end in Avalara, i.e. the ball is back in Avalara's court.

     

     

    Bob Pfahnl

    Sr. Business Analyst (GM Silicon Valley) 

    e:

    bobp@dsdinc.com

    p:

    800-627-9032 x 220

    s:

    Sage100Support@dsdinc.com

    What's New in Sage 100 2025 Demo On-Demand

     

        






  • 12.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-09-2025 16:20

    May the Force be with you!



    ------------------------------
    Jeff Schwenk
    Owner
    Bottomline Software, Inc.
    Waynesboro VA
    (540) 221-4444

    Improving bottom lines for over 25 years!
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: AvaTax - unexplained high API calls from Sage 100

    Posted 07-29-2025 10:46

    @Bob Pfahnl the OM specific program for Avatax is only related to the Field Service module and it's minor.  There isn't a different DSD connector for Sage with OM - it is the same one.  What makes it seem different is how a Sales order behaves after creating a work ticket in the sales order - it is because it is saving information in the sales order every time a work ticket is created/accessed, and therefore the API calls as I had documented them in my other post.



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    Jane Scanlan
    Partner
    Next Level Manufacturing Consulting Group
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