When compared to manual processes, automating exemption certificate management simplifies operations, increases productivity, and reduces errors.
Avalara Exemption Certificate Management (ECM) Essentials
Automate the process of collecting and storing exemption certificates
Real-time electronic certificate capture and storage for businesses with straightforward tax exemptions.
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ECM Essentials overview
How it works
Automate exemption certificate image collection and storage
Send customers a CertExpress link to guide them through certificate creation. They can also upload existing forms for centralized storage.
Gain more control and more accurate calculations
ECM Essentials integrates with your existing Avalara AvaTax instance and only exempts tax on a transaction when a valid certificate has been received.
Easily track expirations
View certificate status, track renewals, find upcoming expirations, and collect new certificates to prevent sales delays.
Improve efficiency without adding resources
Exemption Certificate Management Essentials automates compliance tasks so you can streamline your exemption processes.
CertExpress allows your customers to self-manage their certificates, reducing the frustration, back-and-forth, credit or rebill issues, and order delays involved with inaccurate certificates.
Providing an overall better purchasing experience helps increase customer retention, improving your bottom line.
Reduce the risk of compliance errors
Keeping track of exemption certificates is crucial for compliance with tax regulations.
Collecting and maintaining valid exemption certificates helps reduce the risk of penalties, fines, and customer service issues.
ECM Essentials connects with AvaTax to calculate sales tax only when exemption data or a certificate image is on file.
ECM product comparison
Features |
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| SOC 2 Type 1 and 2 compliance |  | | |
| API and integrations available | | | |
| Customer exemptions and certificate storage | | | |
| Basic report creation | | | |
| Automated document validation with OCR | | | |
| Certificate collection campaign management | | | |
| Enhanced state tax ID number validation | | | |
| Integrated tax laws and exemption rules content | | | |
| Ecommerce module | | | |
| Exemption matrix | | | |
| Certificate storage | | | |
| Single sign-on | | | |
| Custom data fields, attachments, and comments | | ||
| Advanced search and reporting | | ||
| Advanced workflow features and customization | | ||
| Customized exempt regions and reasons | | ||
| Retail module | | ||
| Custom user roles | |
Frequently asked questions
How can Exemption Certificate Management Essentials help my business collect certificates and track expirations?
With ECM Essentials, if a customer purchase is identified as an exempt sale, AvaTax will not omit tax unless exemption data or a certificate image is on file, providing more control and calculation accuracy.
Can Exemption Certificate Management Essentials help our small business validate certificates?
Our certificate creation wizard (CertExpress) increases the accuracy of incoming certificates by asking simple questions to help customers choose the right form, for the right reasons, and the right location.
The tool also guides customers through filling out the form fields. If the form is not filled out correctly, the certificate will not be submitted.
If you receive exemption certificates outside of the portal, simply upload them into ECM Essentials. State-specific expiration dates are preset so you’ll know when to request renewals from your customers.
How can Exemption Certificate Management Essentials help retrieve certificates during audits?
With ECM Essentials, you have a database of digital certificates, either submitted through CertExpress or added by your team. You can attach certificates to your customers’ accounts, allowing for easy lookup, access, and retrieval.
How does Avalara Exemption Certificate Management simplify tracking expiration dates of varying certificates?
With ECM Essentials, you can easily run a report and view the status of certificate expiration, making it easier to identify when to request new certificates. From within ECM Essentials, you can send an email directly to your customer to request a new one.
Resources
Product
ECM Pro is built to dramatically improve compliance efficiency, management, and audit preparedness.
Product
Advanced features and customizable options make ECM Premium ideal for businesses with complex needs and high exemption volume.
Product
Create and send certificates to vendors at scale to avoid unnecessary delays or paying taxes you don’t owe.
