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VAT Rates for Perfex CRM — Documentation

This guide covers everything you need to install, configure, and use the VAT Rates module in your Perfex CRM.


📋 Table of Contents

  1. Requirements
  2. Installation
  3. License Activation
  4. Configuration
  5. Sync EU VAT Rates
  6. Sync US Sales Tax
  7. Automatic Sync (Cron)
  8. CSV Import
  9. FAQ & Troubleshooting

1. Requirements

  • Perfex CRM version 3.0 or higher
  • PHP 7.4 or higher (PHP 8.x recommended)
  • cURL extension enabled (for API sync)
  • A valid VAT Rates license key from vollstart.com

2. Installation

  1. Download the module ZIP file from your order confirmation email or from your vollstart.com account.
  2. Log in to your Perfex CRM as admin.
  3. Navigate to Setup → Modules.
  4. Click Upload Module and select the ZIP file.
  5. After upload, click Activate on the VAT Rates module.
  6. The module will appear in the main menu under VAT Rates.

Alternative (FTP/SSH): Extract the ZIP and upload the vat_rates folder to modules/ in your Perfex CRM installation directory. Then activate via Setup → Modules.

3. License Activation

  1. Open the module: go to VAT Rates in the Perfex admin menu.
  2. In the License Key section, enter your license key.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Click Check Now to verify the license.

A green checkmark confirms your license is valid. If you see an error, double-check the key and make sure your server can reach vollstart.com (outgoing HTTPS on port 443).

License Details

  • Each license is valid for one domain (including all subdomains).
  • The license includes 1 year of updates.
  • The module continues to work after expiration — you just won’t receive further updates until you renew.

4. Configuration

After activation, configure which tax regions to sync:

Region Settings

SettingDefaultDescription
Enable EU VAT SyncOnSync standard and reduced VAT rates for all EU member states plus Switzerland, UK, and Norway.
Enable US Sales Tax SyncOffSync state-level sales tax rates for all 50 US states, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands.
Include 0% Tax StatesOffInclude US states with 0% sales tax (e.g., Oregon, Montana, Delaware). Useful if you need all states listed.

Click Save after making changes.

5. Sync EU VAT Rates

The module fetches EU VAT rates from the official euvatrates.com API.

  1. Make sure Enable EU VAT Sync is checked.
  2. In the Online Sync section, click Sync EU VAT.
  3. The module imports standard rates for all EU countries into Perfex’s tax table.
  4. Reduced rates are imported separately (e.g., “Germany Reduced”).

Covered Countries

All 27 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Plus: Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Norway.

Tax Naming Convention

  • Standard rate: Country name (e.g., “Germany”, “France”)
  • Reduced rate: Country name + ” Reduced” (e.g., “Germany Reduced”)

Existing tax entries with matching names are updated, not duplicated.

6. Sync US Sales Tax

US state-level sales tax data is sourced from the Tax Foundation.

  1. Make sure Enable US Sales Tax Sync is checked.
  2. Click Sync US Tax in the Online Sync section.
  3. State-level rates for all 50 states and territories are imported.

Tax Naming Convention

  • Format: “US – State Name” (e.g., “US – California”, “US – Texas”)

Important: These are state-level rates only. Local taxes (city, county) vary by jurisdiction and are not included. Check with your tax advisor for combined rates.

Zero-Tax States

Five US states have no state sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Enable Include 0% Tax States if you want these listed in your tax table.

7. Automatic Sync (Cron)

Set up automatic sync so your tax rates stay up-to-date without manual action.

  1. Check Enable Auto-Sync.
  2. Select the interval: 1, 3, 6, or 12 months.
  3. Click Save.

The module uses Perfex CRM’s built-in cron system. Make sure your Perfex cron job is set up correctly:

*/5 * * * * wget -q -O /dev/null https://your-domain.com/crm/cron/run

The next scheduled sync date is shown in the module interface.

8. CSV Import

You can also import tax rates from a CSV file — useful for custom rates or regions not covered by the API sync.

  1. Download the sample CSV file from the module interface.
  2. Fill in your tax data following the format: name,rate
  3. Upload the CSV via the CSV Import section.

CSV Format

name,rate
"My Custom Tax",19.00
"Special Rate",7.00

Existing tax entries with the same name will be updated. New names create new tax entries.

9. FAQ & Troubleshooting

The sync button shows an error

Make sure your server allows outgoing HTTPS connections (port 443). The EU sync contacts euvatrates.com. Also verify your license is active.

Tax rates are duplicated

The module matches by name. If you manually renamed a tax entry (e.g., changed “Germany” to “DE – Germany”), the sync will create a new “Germany” entry. Use the standard naming convention to avoid duplicates.

Cron sync is not running

Verify your Perfex CRM cron is set up correctly. Check Setup → Settings → Cron Job — the “Last Cron Run” should be recent (within the last 5 minutes). If not, check your server’s crontab.

I need local/city tax rates for the US

The module only provides state-level rates. Local rates vary by jurisdiction (city, county, special district). Consult your tax advisor or use a service like TaxJar for combined rates.

Can I sync only specific countries?

Currently the module syncs all EU countries at once. You can remove unwanted entries afterwards in Setup → Finance → Tax Rates.

Where are the tax rates stored?

In Perfex CRM’s standard tax table. You can view and edit them under Setup → Finance → Tax Rates.

Does the module work without a license?

A valid license is required for syncing. Without a license, you can still use the CSV import feature.

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