Do you invoice business customers in the EU? Then validating their VAT number is not a formality, but a legal obligation with financial consequences. With the VIES checker you build that validation directly into Salesforce.
What is VIES?
VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) connects the VAT registers of the EU member states and enables real-time validation. It checks directly with the national tax authorities, and in doing so provides the current official company name and place of establishment.
Why it is mandatory
Dutch companies must check whether an EU customer’s VAT number is valid and active in order to apply the 0% rate. In addition, a duty of care applies: you must be able to demonstrate that you have validated, and keep evidence of this for inspections by the Tax Authorities.
The cost of an error
An incorrect or expired VAT number can lead to a retroactive assessment of 21% VAT, plus interest and possibly fines. A small check therefore prevents a major financial risk.
Why in Salesforce, and not on the VIES website
The standalone VIES website works, but forces you to switch between browser tabs, which interrupts the sales process. By integrating VIES into Salesforce, that manual work disappears and validation is embedded in your daily process. The benefits:
- Automatic completion of company details based on the VAT number, which prevents typing errors;
- Duplicate prevention, as the system flags when the same VAT number is entered more than once;
- Audit trail, as validation dates and outcomes are automatically recorded for compliance.
Impact on finance
The result: fewer credit notes, fewer discussions with customers and direct insight into your accounts receivable. Resolve IT helps you connect VIES practically to your financial systems and process automation. Discover Datasolver.