This guide explains how to set up automatic VAT application based on the customer’s shipping address country, using Synder Smart Rules (Recipes).
This works the same way for QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Xero. The steps and screenshots below use QuickBooks Online as the example, but the setup is identical for QBD and Xero users.
Can be used if:
- You need Synder to apply different VAT rates depending on where the sale ships to (e.g., UK, EU, US).
- You use multicurrency
Before You Start
- You must be connected to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, or Xero in Per-Transaction mode.
- The tax codes you want to apply must already exist in your accounting platform. If they are missing, add them there first.
- Know the country names or codes you want to use as triggers (e.g., “GB”, “Great Britain”, “United States”).
How to Set Up the VAT Recipe
Below are the detailed steps on how to set up a Smart Rule automatically for VAT based on shipping location using Recipes:
- In Synder, go to Smart Rules in the left menu, then select Recipes
- Find the Set UK tax in Sales Receipts or Set UK tax in Invoice recipe, depending on the transaction type you want to cover. You can enable both if needed. Click Try it out to open the recipe builder.
- In the IF block, check the shipping address condition. The default triggers when the shipping address country contains “GB” or “Great Britain”. Edit this to match your needs — you can change the country names or add new variation.
- Click the THEN block and select Set QuickBooks Online entity data (or Set Xero entity data for Xero users). In the pop-up, choose Tax and select the correct tax code from the dropdown.
- Click Submit to save the THEN block.
- Repeat for each country or region you want to cover. Each IF block handles a different location
- Click Save & Close Rule to activate the rule.
How to Confirm It Worked
Sync a test transaction with a shipping address that matches one of your conditions. Then:
- Go to Platform Transactions in the left menu.
- Find the transaction and click Explain, then Show in your accounting software.
- Verify that the correct tax code has been applied automatically in your accounting software.
Limitations & Important Notes
- Per-Transaction mode only: Smart Rules are not available in Summary Sync. Xero is supported in Per-Transaction mode.
- Tax codes must exist in your accounting platform first: Synder applies existing tax codes — it does not create them. If a tax code is missing, add it in your accounting platform before setting up the rule.
- Order of IF blocks matters: Synder checks each IF block in order. If the first condition matches, it applies that rule and stops. Make sure your conditions are in the right order.
- Partial matching: The “Contains” condition allows partial matches. Use this to cover abbreviations and full names in the same block (e.g., “GB” and “Great Britain”).
FAQ
Can I set rules for both Sales Receipts and Invoices?
Yes. Set up a separate recipe for each transaction type. The steps are the same for both.
What if the tax code I need isn’t in the dropdown?
The tax code must be created in your accounting platform first. Once it exists there, it will appear in Synder’s dropdown.
Can I cover multiple countries in one rule?
Yes. Add additional IF blocks for each country or region. Each block can have its own tax code in the THEN block.
Does this work with multicurrency transactions?
Yes. Synder supports multicurrency, so VAT rules will apply regardless of the transaction currency.
Where can I check if the rule executed correctly?
Go to Smart Rules → Executions. Each execution is logged with the rule name, trigger time, and result.
Reach out to the Synder team via online support chat or email with any questions you have – we’re always happy to help you!
