VAT Configuration — Step-by-Step Guide

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Overview

Tappin handles VAT in two steps — configured once at your workspace, applied per event. VAT rates are determined by the country of your workspace, and Tappin keeps the standard rates current. At the event level, you only control how the price is presented to buyers (including or excluding VAT).

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Confirm Workspace VAT Configuration

Where: Workspace setup

What to do:

  • During workspace setup, Tappin auto-configures the standard VAT group for your country
  • For Norway, the four rates are: 25% (standard), 15% (reduced), 12% (further reduced), and 0% (exempt)
  • Review the rates on the workspace VAT confirmation screen
  • Confirm to apply these defaults

Why: Tappin maintains country-specific VAT rates so you don’t have to research or update them manually.

Step 2: Edit VAT Rates (If Needed)

Where: Workspace settings

What to do:

  • Navigate to workspace VAT settings
  • Click Edit on the VAT row you need to change
  • Update the rate
  • Save your changes

Why: Edits should be rare — Tappin keeps rates current. Only edit if a government rate change is announced before Tappin’s update reaches you. VAT edits always happen at the workspace level, never per event.

Step 3: Configure Event-Level VAT Presentation

Where: Event creation / event settings

What to do:

  • Workspace VAT rates are already in place at the event level
  • Choose how the price is presented to buyers:
  • Toggle Including VAT: the price you set is the final price (VAT built in)
  • Toggle Excluding VAT: VAT is added on top at checkout

Why: Event-level VAT is purely a presentation choice — including or excluding. The actual VAT rates come from the workspace and can’t be changed per event.

Step 4: Understand the Pricing Math

Where: Checkout preview

What to do:

  • Example: A 100 NOK ticket with Excluding VAT setting
  • At checkout, VAT (25%) is added on top: 100 + 25 = 125 NOK
  • Example: A 100 NOK ticket with Including VAT setting
  • At checkout, the buyer pays exactly 100 NOK (with VAT already inside)

Why: Understanding the math helps you set prices that match your business model — gross pricing (including VAT) vs net pricing (excluding VAT).

Key Concepts

Two-Step VAT Model

  • Configured: Once at the workspace level (rates are country-specific)
  • Applied: Per event via a single toggle (Including/Excluding presentation)
  • Rates are not changed per event — only the presentation toggle

Including vs Excluding VAT

  • Including VAT: Price displayed = Price paid (VAT is built in)
  • Excluding VAT: Price displayed + VAT = Price paid (VAT added at checkout)
  • Choose based on whether your audience expects net or gross pricing

Norwegian VAT Rates

  • 25% — Standard rate (most goods and services)
  • 15% — Reduced rate (food, etc.)
  • 12% — Further reduced rate
  • 0% — Exempt (specific categories)

Important Notes

  • VAT edits happen only at the workspace level, never per event
  • Tappin keeps standard rates current automatically
  • Products and add-ons can have their own VAT group, separate from ticket VAT
  • Tax is calculated at line-item level for split-rate scenarios

Troubleshooting Quick Reference

IssueSolution
Cannot find VAT settings on event pageVAT rates are workspace-level; only the Including/Excluding toggle exists per event
Government changed a VAT rateEdit the rate at workspace settings if Tappin’s update hasn’t arrived yet
Pricing math seems wrongVerify Including vs Excluding toggle matches your intent
Need different VAT for products vs ticketsSet a separate VAT group on individual products/add-ons