Welcome to Numeral! Our team is looking forward to working with you. We know the struggle is real when it comes to sales tax, but once you get through the onboarding process with us, it’ll be smooth sailing!
Sales tax is complex, so our team is big on client education. When you understand the essentials, we’re able to provide you with better support and a seamless transition—giving you peace of mind and more time to focus on your business.
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The order and timeline of these steps may vary depending on your circumstances, but our team is committed to working with you to get everything up and running as quickly as possible. We suggest reading each section in full before getting started.
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Review Onboarding Email from Our Team
Once you have committed to Numeral, you will receive an onboarding email from our team that outlines exactly what you need to complete before we start to file and register for your company. You can also find all your action items in your Numeral Dashboard.
💡 Your primary point of contact throughout the onboarding process will be onboarding@numeralhq.com
Set Up Your Numeral Dashboard
Your dashboard is the central hub for managing your sales tax obligations. During this step, we’ll help you configure your dashboard to fit your business’s unique needs. You will be able to upload pertinent company details directly to your profile. This includes critical business information like the legal name of your company, your employer identification number (EIN), the type of business (e.g. Sole Proprietorship, LLC, etc.), the banking account you would like to use for tax remittance, and other important details that are essential to the tax preparation process. Our team will need all of this information to register your company in the appropriate states.
For more information on platform features and best practices, see Navigating the Numeral Dashboard: Features, Insights, and Tips
Connect Your Stores via Integration, API, or Manual Data Uploads
To effectively monitor nexus, all of your sales data should flow through Numeral. Connecting your e-commerce platforms consolidates your sales data in one place—streamlining sales tax management and providing accurate, real-time tracking. You can connect platforms like Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, and eBay directly to your Numeral dashboard. We’ll request administrative access to the platforms where you process sales so our team can make seamless adjustments as your business grows and your tax liabilities change.
In most cases, our systems automatically account for marketplace sales when required, but exclude them from tax remittance for major channels—such as TikTok, Facebook, Amazon, and Shop Pay (for Shopify users)—that already collect and remit tax on your behalf. This prevents you from paying tax twice on orders where it’s already been collected and remitted.
💡 If you use third-party apps or sales channels you’re unsure about, contact us and we’ll review your backend settings.
For platforms without a direct integration, we also support:
Manual data uploads via our Manual Data Uploader
Custom integrations via the Numeral Tax API for platforms like Stripe or QuickBooks
Manual data must be provided by the 7th of each month. See our Manual Data Upload guide for process details and common formatting errors. For API connection information, refer to our Integrations resource.
Special Note for Shopify Users regarding Account Access
Special Note for Shopify Users regarding Account Access
To manage your store’s tax settings—like enabling tax collection, categorizing products, etc.—our team will need Partner Access:
To grant access, our team needs your collaborator code.
You can find it by navigating to:
Settings > Users and Permissions > CollaboratorsOnce there, locate your 4-digit collaborator code and share it with our team so we can submit the request.
We’re always looking to improve—so feel free to share feedback or request additional integrations or features during onboarding.
Participate in a Nexus Study
Nexus determines where your business has a tax obligation and can be triggered in two ways:
Physical Presence – Having employees, brick-and-mortar locations, or third-party logistics providers in a state can trigger physical nexus.
Economic Thresholds – Reaching certain gross revenue or transaction counts in a state can trigger economic nexus.
Once our team has access to the necessary platforms, we’ll provide a complete initial Nexus Study for your review. This report outlines your tax liabilities and lists the states where you need to register.
After you’re registered in all states where your business has nexus and your sales data is syncing, Numeral:
Monitors nexus in real time
Updates jurisdiction tracking daily
Uses linked store sales data to determine thresholds
A state will display as "exceeded threshold" once your total sales and/or transaction count surpass that state’s economic nexus limits.
Configure Your USPS Virtual Mailbox
Simplify your tax compliance by setting up a virtual mailbox through your Numeral dashboard. This feature allows our team to automatically receive, digitize, and securely track all your tax-related mail, reducing the risk of missing important notifications or deadlines.
The setup is completed directly within your Numeral dashboard. Once initiated, our team will create a dedicated mailing address for your business. All tax-related mail will be routed to this address and automatically scanned and tracked by Numeral.
This service is part of Numeral’s initiative to put your sales tax on autopilot, so you can spend less time on taxes and more time growing your business. It is included at no additional cost.
Register/Transfer Your Tax Accounts
Whether you’re setting up new accounts or transferring existing ones, this step ensures all your state and local tax accounts are properly registered and ready to go. After reviewing your Nexus Study, you’ll select which states Numeral will register on your behalf and which states have existing accounts or credentials that must be transferred to our team.
During the registration process, you can choose whether to Submit Backfilings or File Prospectively. We have detailed both options below so your team can make an informed decision:
Date You Established Nexus – Registering and backfiling allows you to submit taxes retroactively to when nexus began (e.g., November 2024). This is generally the most compliant approach but may require paying past tax liabilities, along with potential penalties and interest. States like CO, AL, and NY have particularly strict rules regarding penalties, so feel free to consult our team for additional insight.
Note: Numeral charges $150 per backfiled return.
Start When My Registration is Approved – Filing prospectively begins tax collection from the point your registration is approved. This avoids out-of-pocket payment for past taxes. However, states may audit previous periods, potentially requiring backfilings.
Note: If nexus was established during the current filing period, this is the only option.
Each state determines your filing frequency after registration.
If you already have a sales tax account in a state, you’ll need to transfer your login credentials to Numeral. Some state portals enforce two-factor authentication, so a Numeral email address must be added to the portal to allow our team to file on your behalf.
Account Registrations, Transfers, and De-registrations typically take about 30 days to process, provided we have all necessary information from you and the state submits everything on time. Please note that some states may need to send us essential details by mail, which can cause delays.
Nuances for International Clients
If you are an international client setting up sales tax accounts in the US, you’ll need to provide certain documentation so we can start filing on your behalf:
Identification: States require identification for a responsible party or officer of your company. For international clients, most states accept a passport. If your ID does not meet the required format (e.g., not 8 digits), you may need to provide an international driver’s license.
Employer Identification Number (EIN): The EIN is a nine-digit number assigned by the IRS and is required to identify your tax accounts. We cannot register you in states until you have an EIN. If you don’t have one, please inform our team.
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): States require a responsible party to have either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an ITIN to register for a sales tax license. International clients may not have an SSN, so an ITIN may be necessary. Our team can help you obtain one through our partners. If you’re not ready to get an ITIN, we can still register you in some states, though paper registrations may be required, which can extend processing time.
Bank Account for Tax Remittance: You’ll need a bank account compatible with state portals for ACH withdrawals. Consult our team if you’re unsure whether your current account setup will work.
Onboarding FAQs
What happens if my nexus status changes?
What happens if my nexus status changes?
If your nexus status changes—in other words, you no longer have a physical nexus (such as employees, third-party logistics [3PL] providers, or brick-and-mortar stores) and you have not reached economic thresholds (typically based on sales revenue or the number of transactions)—you may choose to deregister from those states. However, if you anticipate reaching nexus in that state again in the future, it may be beneficial to maintain your account rather than deregistering. Consult with our team to evaluate the pros and cons of this decision.
What happens if I initiate the transfer process for a state where I no longer have nexus?
What happens if I initiate the transfer process for a state where I no longer have nexus?
If our study indicates you no longer have nexus in a particular state after initiating the transfer process, then all we need to do is ensure compliance with your final filing before deregistering. You will need to contact the state offices to request deregistration. To speed up this process, our team put together complete list of state contact numbers.
Once you have completed the deregistration process, please inform our team so we can cancel the transfer request for those states and inform our filing team.
Do I need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) if I am a sole proprietor?
Do I need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) if I am a sole proprietor?
While you can often proceed with registrations as a sole proprietor without an Employer Identification Number (EIN), our team strongly recommends obtaining a FEIN. Applications are free, and having a FEIN can streamline account registration and troubleshooting.
As a non-incorporated entity, you don't need Articles of Incorporation, though some states may request them as secondary confirmation.
For more information on FEINs and the application process, see IRS: Get an Employer Identification Number.
Is the onboarding process different for international clients?
Is the onboarding process different for international clients?
Yes. During onboarding with Numeral, you’ll need to provide certain documentation so we can start filing on your behalf:
Identification: States require identification for a responsible party or officer of your company. For international clients, most states accept a passport. If your ID does not meet the required format (e.g., not 8 digits), you may need to provide an international driver’s license.
Employer Identification Number (EIN): The EIN is a nine-digit number assigned by the IRS and is required to identify your tax accounts. We cannot register you in states until you have an EIN. If you don’t have one, please inform our team.
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): States require a responsible party to have either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an ITIN to register for a sales tax license. International clients may not have an SSN, so an ITIN may be necessary. Our team can help you obtain one through our partners. If you’re not ready to get an ITIN, we can still register you in some states, though paper registrations may be required, which can extend processing time.
Bank Account for Tax Remittance: You’ll need a bank account compatible with state portals for ACH withdrawals. Consult our team if you’re unsure whether your current account setup will work.
How do I request an EIN Verification (147C) Letter from the IRS?
How do I request an EIN Verification (147C) Letter from the IRS?
See How to Request an EIN Verification (147C) Letter from the IRS for details.
Can I continue using AvaTax for tax calculation in Shopify after onboarding with Numeral?
Can I continue using AvaTax for tax calculation in Shopify after onboarding with Numeral?
There are a few key limitations we face if you continue using AvaTax instead of Shopify Tax. While we can still file returns with AvaTax enabled, our ability to manage and support your tax setup will be significantly restricted.
Specifically, we will not have access to your tax configurations within AvaTax, which means we cannot perform the following actions:
Enable tax collection when registering you in new states
Disable tax collection in states where you're no longer registered
Edit or categorize products for proper tax treatment
Review or adjust your tax settings
Work with Shopify to troubleshoot incorrect tax rates coming from AvaTax
Investigate tax discrepancies or data transmission issues effectively
These are all functions we typically handle directly through Shopify Tax/Basic Tax, and without access, clients are responsible for managing these changes within AvaTax independently.