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AvaTax Integration (US)

Learn how to connect Light with Avalara AvaTax, whether you are new to Avalara or already have an account.

 

Before You Start

Make sure you have the following:

  • Admin access to your Avalara AvaTax tenant

  • Permission to generate and securely share API credentials

 

New AvaTax Customers

If you are not yet an AvaTax customer, the process works as follows:

  1. Introduction

    • We are happy to connect you to our partner contact to set up a new account.

  2. Sales Process

    • Avalara assigns a sales representative.

    • Discovery sessions and demos are held.

    • Avalara agrees commercials for software and services.

  3. Implementation

    • If Light is handling the implementation, we provide a proposal for our services.

  4. Contracting & Provisioning

    • Once Avalara’s (and Light’s) contracts are signed, AvaTax provisioning begins.

 

Existing AvaTax Customers

If you already use AvaTax, follow the steps below to connect it with Light.

Step 1 – Generate AvaTax Credentials (done by customer)

  1. Create your account in Light.

  2. Log in to your Avalara tenant.

  3. Go to Settings → API Keys and generate:

    • Client ID

    • Client Secret

  4. Send these securely to Light using a password manager (e.g. 1Password).

Light will store your credentials in AWS Secrets Manager (avalara.avatax.client.credentials) for secure use by the app.

 

Step 2 – Provide Company Entity Codes (done by you)

  • Share your Avalara Company Entity codes with Light.

  • If unavailable, Light can set the code to DEFAULT.

⚠️ Important: Tax calculations work even with placeholder (“dummy”) codes, but this may cause issues during tax filing. We recommend correct codes.

 

Step 3 – Mapping Objects (done by Light)

Light maps the following objects:

 

Light ObjectAvalara Table / Code

Company Entity (Light)

avalara_company_entity (Avalara DB)

This ensures Light entity IDs link to Avalara codes for tax calculation.

 

Step 4 – Verification (done by Light)

Light runs an authentication check:

GET https://api.light.inc/v1/avatax/ping?companyId={COMPANY_ID}

If successful, the response includes:

avataxUsername: anonymous@22038482

 

What You Need to Do

✅ Provide:

  • Client ID & Client Secret (via secure manager)

  • Company Entity codes (or confirmation to use DEFAULT)

✅ Light will:

  • Store and secure your credentials

  • Configure entity mappings

  • Verify authentication and connectivity

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to contact Avalara directly?

  • No. Light will introduce you to Avalara if you are a new customer.

Q: What if I don’t know my Company Entity codes?

  • Light can set them to DEFAULT, but we recommend providing correct codes for filing accuracy.

Q: Is my data secure?

  • Yes. Credentials are shared via secure password managers, stored in 1Password, and then encrypted in AWS Secrets Manager.