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Customer Story

Bottomline Technologies automates sales tax calculation and filing

Bottomline Technologies
Video: Bottomline Technologies saves time by automating tax compliance with Avalara

Results

Increased compliance

Tax expertise

Cost savings

Improved processes

Company Overview

Bottomline Technologies makes complex business payments simple, smart, and secure for thousands of companies in 92 countries. Corporations and banks rely on Bottomline’s software-as-a-service solutions for domestic and international payments, cash management, regulatory compliance, and more.

Tax challenges

“Like many companies, Bottomline struggled to keep up with ever-changing sales tax rates at multiple regional and local jurisdiction levels. “Having to Google an exact address to find all of the applicable tax rates is a big pain,” says Courtney Sullivan, the company’s tax accountant, “and keeping up with the constant rate changes is very hard to do manually. You’re climbing a mountain that keeps growing.”

 

And the pain doesn’t end there, according to Courtney. “You then have the constant back-and-forth communication internally — and possibly even with customers — as rates could be wrong and taxes collected incorrectly,” she explains. “If it wasn’t the correct rate, then we would have to absorb the difference. The process was very manual and time-consuming — it was definitely hours every day.”

Why Avalara

Bottomline chose Avalara while upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics AX. “We heard amazing things about Avalara and knew they had a built-in integration for Dynamics AX,” says Courtney. “It was seamless, and Avalara people were with us every step of the way, making the process that much more enjoyable.”

 

“Avalara Returns is another big reason why Bottomline chose Avalara over all the competitors,” Courtney continues. “The returns are being generated automatically and filed on our behalf.” 

“Avalara has made my job so much easier and faster, saving me hours every day. … It takes compliance off your shoulders.”

  • — Courtney Sullivan
  •     Tax Accountant

 

Results

“Using Avalara was definitely the best decision for our team,” Courtney reports. “Avalara has made my job so much easier and faster, saving me hours every day. If there’s been a change in the sales tax rate or the law, we don’t have to worry about it — Avalara handles that for us automatically. The sales team can now generate invoices with rates delivered in real time.”

 

Courtney cites another big benefit of using Avalara: the robust reporting capability. “They provide so much detail and make reconciling that much easier,” she says. “I use Avalara every day — it’s my main tool for pretty much everything I do.”

 

“I would say for someone who’s considering Avalara, just do it,” Courtney concludes. “Get ahead of your sales tax now and use Avalara to its fullest potential. It takes compliance off your shoulders. Now we’re able to focus more on the bigger picture, the things that really need to be looked at.” 

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