CCH® SureTax® Buyer Guide
Thinking about purchasing CCH® SureTax®? Check out our in-depth buyer guide, synthesized from authentic user reviews. We’ve summarized users’ thoughts about how well CCH® SureTax® works for them.
Highlight the Right Reviews
Throughout the guide below, there are links directly to reviews. Select the reviewers most relevant to you, and those links will be highlighted in blue.
Table of Contents
Tax Calculation and Compliance
Sales Tax Calculation
User sentiment regarding the sales tax calculation capabilities of CCH® SureTax® is generally positive, with users appreciating the software’s ability to accurately calculate taxes based on various factors such as location and product type. The automation of the tax calculation process has been highlighted as a significant benefit, saving time and reducing the risk of errors. While some users have mentioned minor issues with specific functionalities, overall, CCH® SureTax® is regarded as a reliable tool for handling sales tax calculations efficiently and effectively. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“The software has enabled us to accurately tax all of our customers based on their location and what is being provided to them. It gives us trust that our tax information is done properly.” – Executive in Finance and Accounting, Information Technology & Services, 201-500 employees
“We use CCH SureTax to automate our Great Plains Dynamics sales tax processing. Before using this software, we had to research every different potential taxable authority manually. We surely made some mistakes. Now things are accurate and we don’t have to worry about our tax exposure!” – C-Level Executive in Finance and Accounting, Construction, 201-500 employees
“Once everything is properly set up, questions answered, issues resolved, SureTax does its core job of calculating taxes for us quite well. It was not easy to resolve questions about the proper mapping of our products to their tax categories, however.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 11-50 employees
Tax Compliance and Reporting
Users consistently highlight CCH® SureTax®’s tax compliance and reporting features as robust and efficient. The software’s ability to accurately calculate taxes across various jurisdictions and generate detailed reports for compliance purposes is widely appreciated. Reviewers also note the system’s customization options for specific tax scenarios, enhancing its overall effectiveness in ensuring accurate tax assessments and simplifying compliance efforts. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“We utilize CCH SureTax for telecommunications tax calculations that integrate with our billing software to ensure accurate and up to date taxation of complex telecommunications taxes, fees, and surcharges.” – Manager in Corporate, Telecommunications, 5001-10,000 employees
“The company I work for currently uses it for tax calculations and reporting for various entities in both the US and outside the US. Reporting is run on a monthly basis to assist with tax return compliance and payment of taxes due to the appropriate jurisdictions.” – Manager in Finance and Accounting, Telecommunications, 1001-5000 employees
“SureTax has made a huge difference in how we process taxes. It not only saves us countless hours, but created a pin point level of accuracy for charging customers.” – Manager in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 11-50 employees
Tax Return Filing
User feedback on CCH® SureTax®’s tax return filing functionalities varies among reviewers. While some users appreciate the software’s ability to streamline the tax return filing process and save time, others have expressed concerns about issues such as unresponsiveness from the filing team and difficulties in generating accurate reports. The platform’s effectiveness in handling tax return filing seems to depend on individual user experiences and specific business needs. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Our business saves time on business tax reporting handled by CCH.; Our business objective is to file taxes on time and accurately.” – Account Manager in Finance and Accounting, Machinery, 201-500 employees
“SureTax was integrated in 2018 to provide tax calculations for 18 states we carried nexus in and has continued to be our software as we have grown to 36 states of drop ship nexus. The software integrates with NetSuite to provide real-time calculations of sales tax based on zip code. We use the SureTax reporting each month to file tax returns in each location.” – C-Level Executive in Finance and Accounting, Retail, 11-50 employees
“In my experience, when there are issues our account rep isn’t very responsive. In my opinion, the set-up process was a huge pain and not everything was done properly and we had to handle some of it on our own.” – Account Manager in Finance and Accounting, Automotive, 201-500 employees
Financial Management
Invoice and Billing Management
Users generally praise CCH® SureTax® for its efficiency in handling invoices and billing, as highlighted in the reviews provided. The consensus among users is that CCH® SureTax®’s invoice and billing management capabilities are robust and reliable. Customers appreciate the system’s ability to accurately calculate charges, apply proper tax rates, and streamline the billing process. Additionally, users find that CCH® SureTax® helps in maintaining billing accuracy, reducing labor hours, and improving overall billing efficiency. Despite some concerns about customer service and transparency with billing practices, the majority of users express satisfaction with the invoicing and billing features offered by CCH® SureTax®. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Our company is in 22 states so we were struggling to keep up with all the tax additions, deletions and changes. Suretax has helped us not have to worry about that and we now just implement whatever taxes we get back from Suretax. We also have Suretax interfacing with our billing system so that applicable taxes and fees are getting passed through on our bills to our customers.” – Team Lead in Finance and Accounting, Telecommunications, 201-500 employees
“It is packaged in with my current billing platform. It’s super simple to use and running reports can be done by someone with zero IT skills. Prior to SureTax, we had to log into two different interfaces to retrieve the info we needed. We now live in one interface for all of our tax needs. That saves us a TON of time!” – Director in Sales, Telecommunications, 501-1000 employees
“Negative ROI – having to spend too much time on misc billing that no one at CCH can explain. After months of going back and forth finally got it written off; Negative ROI – charged for overage on use when no prior history or communication that could even be charged for use in any of our documents.” – Director in Finance and Accounting, Medical Device, 11-50 employees
Customer and Exemption Certificates
Opinions among users regarding CCH® SureTax®’s customer and exemption certificate functionalities are somewhat mixed. Some users appreciate the ease of setting up customers with tax exemptions and the system’s ability to apply existing exemption certificates to invoices accurately. However, there are also concerns raised about the need for better management of tax exemption certificates and improved integration for e-commerce platforms. While some users find the system helpful in automating processes related to exemption certificates, others feel that there is room for enhancement in terms of customer service and transparency in billing. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“We use CCH SureTax system to manage all things related to sales tax: calculations, exemption certificates, credits and refunds. This includes sales and use tax compliance work and staying on top of requesting and updating customers’ certifications. CCH SureTax is a useful system to automate many processes in our daily routine work.” – Account Manager in Finance and Accounting, Building Materials, 201-500 employees
“CONS: manage tax exemption certificates better; have better integration for e-Commerce; Be more affordable. CCH SureTax have a good team for implementing their software. Accurate tax calculations. However could do better with integration to ERP, product mapping and tax exemption certificate management.” – Executive in Finance and Accounting, Wholesale, 11-50 employees
“PROS: Easy to set up customer with tax exemptions.” – Manager in Corporate, Wholesale, 1001-5000 employees
Local and State Tax Management
Users consistently praise CCH® SureTax® for its robust capabilities in managing local and state taxes. The software’s ability to accurately calculate taxes at various levels, including state, city, county, and special areas, has been highly appreciated. Users find the detailed reporting and updates on changes to state and local tax rates to be particularly valuable. Additionally, the platform’s support for maintaining nexus and notifying users about approaching thresholds in different states has been commended for simplifying tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Despite some minor issues reported, such as portal intuitiveness and setup challenges, users overall find CCH® SureTax® to be a reliable solution for handling complex local and state tax requirements. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“SureTax provides sales tax at all levels (State, City, County, Special Areas) that enables you to accurately capture and remit sales tax.” – Professional in Finance and Accounting, Medical Device, 51-200 employees
“For companies that have offerings nationwide that need to vary their local tax ratings. Trying to calculate and map all that out yourself is an insane headache that no one has time to deal with!” – Account Manager in Sales, Telecommunications, 11-50 employees
“In my opinion, well Suited for large billing clients that for the most part have few exceptions and many jurisdictions. I think it is very good at resale certificate collections. Less appropriate when the billings are diverse such as labor, services, and other complicated tax collections.” – Manager in Corporate, Wholesale, 201-500 employees
Tax Management and Insights
Tax Rates and Jurisdiction Mapping
User opinions on CCH® SureTax®’s tax rates and jurisdiction mapping capabilities are diverse. While some users appreciate the software’s ability to provide accurate rates and stay updated on current sales tax rates, others express concerns about the over-inclusion of fees in new jurisdictions that may not be applicable. The software’s integration with accounting systems and its provision of detailed tax calculations are highlighted as positive aspects, although there are calls for improvements in mapping commodity codes to be more specific. Additionally, users mention the need for more extensive reporting and a more user-friendly interface to enhance the visibility of tax rules and rates across jurisdictions. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“PROS: Tax Rates being the most recent rates; Easier to figure out what we are off and what tax type something is; Being able to tell when an exemption needs to be updated.” – Account Manager in Finance and Accounting, Business Supplies & Equipment, 501-1000 employees
“CONS: over-inclusion of fees, assessments in new jurisdictions that truly are not applicable to the services we provide. Provide the ability to see what justifications or applicable code applies to why a fee may be assessed so that users can review.” – Administrator in Finance and Accounting, Information Technology and Services, 201-500 employees
“Once everything is properly set up, questions answered, issues resolved, SureTax does its core job of calculating taxes for us quite well. It was not easy to resolve questions about the proper mapping of our products to their tax categories, however.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 11-50 employees
Nexus and Taxability
Users consistently praise CCH® SureTax® for its robust nexus and taxability features. The software’s ability to maintain nexus nationwide and automatically implement various sales tax rates is highly valued by users. Additionally, the detailed reporting and visibility into nexus thresholds have been highlighted as strong points. However, some users have encountered minor issues with tax forms not populating correctly and occasional confusion when adding Nexus to a new state. Despite these minor drawbacks, overall sentiment towards CCH® SureTax®’s nexus and taxability capabilities remains positive. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
“Maintains Nexus nationwide.; Implements all of the various sales tax rates nationwide automatically.; Clean website that is very user friendly.” – Administrator in Information Technology, Computer Hardware, 51-200 employees
“SureTax was integrated in 2018 to provide tax calculations for 18 states we carried nexus in and has continued to be our software as we have grown to 36 states of drop ship nexus.” – C-Level Executive in Finance and Accounting, Retail, 11-50 employees
“We surely made some mistakes. Now things are accurate and we don’t have to worry about our tax exposure!” – C-Level Executive in Finance and Accounting, Construction, 201-500 employees
Tax Research and Insights
The reviews suggest that users find CCH® SureTax®’s tax research and insights capabilities to be a valuable asset in navigating the complexities of sales tax laws across various jurisdictions. Users appreciate the platform’s ability to provide up-to-date information on emerging areas of tax laws, aiding in accurate reporting and compliance. Some users have highlighted the importance of having access to detailed research and insights to support them during sales tax audits, showcasing the platform’s commitment to staying abreast of evolving tax regulations. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3)
“SureTax provides research and notice of changes in sales tax laws in the many jurisdictions. SureTax maintains a Mapping Guide based on tax laws used to map Yardi product and service codes to Group/Item numbers in the Mapping Guide.” – Manager in Finance and Accounting, Real Estate, 5001-10,000 employees
“Before using this software, we had to research every different potential taxable authority manually. We surely made some mistakes. Now things are accurate and we don’t have to worry about our tax exposure!” – C-Level Executive in Finance and Accounting, Construction, 201-500 employees
“Supporting Clients in sales tax audits with up to date research on State’s interpretation of sales tax laws in emerging areas of tax laws with regard to the new age of electronic services.” – Manager in Finance and Accounting, Real Estate, 5001-10,000 employees
User Experience and Error Management
User Interface and Experience
User feedback on CCH® SureTax®’s user interface and experience is varied. Some users find the interface to be user-friendly and easy to navigate, while others express concerns about complexity and lack of customization flexibility. Issues with responsiveness from account representatives and system downtime have also been reported, impacting the overall user experience. Despite some positive feedback on the ease of importing data and reviewing tax calculations, there are consistent calls for improvements in the user interface to enhance overall usability and efficiency. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“user interface is clearly laid out; there is a test environment completely separate from production data; the dashboard provides quick notification when the filing team needs answers to any questions and a way to respond directly to each” – Analyst in Other, Automotive, 10,001+ employees
“In my experience, the system tends to get bogged down at times which are likely peak usage hours.” – C-Level Executive in Corporate, Computer Networking, 1-10 employees
“Reports can be more user friendly; Tax accrual should not only be based on commodity code.” – Employee in Corporate, Airlines/Aviation, 10,001+ employees
Error Handling and Resolution
User feedback on CCH® SureTax®’s error handling and resolution capabilities is mixed. While some users praise the prompt response and effective resolution of issues, others express concerns about occasional errors when running reports and the need for better support in certain regions. The system’s ability to automate tax calculations and reduce manual errors is appreciated, but there are suggestions for improvements in handling errors during invoice close and providing more user-friendly report outputs. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
“The support agents are able to respond to difficult support issues and provide helpful suggestions for resolutions.” – Executive in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 51-200 employees
“The implementation itself, in my opinion was very smooth, with our IT Department doing most of the heavy lifting, and we have had few issues with the product itself. However, when you do have an issue, the ticketing system required to resolve the issue is not at all helpful.” – Supervisor in Finance and Accounting, Industrial Automation, 201-500 employees
“Any errors I have come across, they directly looked at and have either corrected or educated me on what I should be seeing.” – Administrator in Information Technology, Computer Hardware, 51-200 employees
Tax Information and Updates
User feedback on CCH® SureTax®’s tax information and updates functionality consistently praises the platform for its ability to stay current with state and local tax rates, provide regular communication on tax changes, and offer a convenient tax quoting system. Users appreciate the software’s accuracy in displaying tax information, its basic reporting tools, and the flexibility it offers in choosing custom reporting periods. However, some reviewers have expressed concerns about the complexity of implementing changes within the system, suggesting that a more user-friendly structure or AI-guided approach could enhance the user experience. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Our company is in 22 states so we were struggling to keep up with all the tax additions, deletions and changes. Suretax has helped us not have to worry about that and we now just implement whatever taxes we get back from Suretax.” – Team Lead in Finance and Accounting, Telecommunications, 201-500 employees
“The people we work when issues arise are always as helpful as they can be.” – Team Lead in Finance and Accounting, Telecommunications, 201-500 employees
“Easily update customer and SKU configurations.” – Employee in Finance and Accounting, Computer & Network Security, 11-50 employees
Accuracy and Efficiency
Accuracy and Validation
Users have expressed mixed opinions regarding the accuracy and validation capabilities of CCH® SureTax®. While some users appreciate the system’s ability to maintain correct tax rates and provide accurate sales tax calculations, others have raised concerns about the need for thorough review due to occasional inaccuracies. Additionally, there have been mentions of challenges with address validation and the handling of exemption certificates, indicating room for improvement in the validation process. Despite some positive feedback on the system’s accuracy, there are areas where users feel enhancements could be made to ensure more consistent and reliable validation results. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Some months it saves us time but we have to be very thorough with reviewing the returns because, in our experience, they aren’t always correct.” – Account Manager in Finance and Accounting, Automotive, 201-500 employees
“We use CCH to calculate sales tax on invoices to customers. CCH keeps tax rates up to date so we do not have to worry about whether we are invoicing the correct tax amount.” – Manager in Corporate, Wholesale, 1001-5000 employees
“In my opinion, sure tax can be better adapted to handle USE TAX as opposed to SALES TAX. It sure helps us when we are preparing sales/use tax returns since we don’t have to pull actual invoices to get transactional data.” – Employee in Corporate, Airlines/Aviation, 10,001+ employees
Automation and Integration
User feedback on CCH® SureTax®’s automation and integration features is generally positive, with many users appreciating the efficiency and accuracy it brings to their tax processes. The integration with ERP systems and the use of APIs for automation have been highlighted as key strengths, streamlining operations and reducing manual efforts. Some users have suggested improvements in terms of better integration for e-commerce platforms and enhanced support for specific regions, but overall, the consensus leans towards the effectiveness of CCH® SureTax® in automating tax calculations and integrating with existing systems. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“Saves resources; Provides automation; Improves accuracy; Minimizes training required” – Manager in Finance and Accounting, Real Estate, 5001-10,000 employees
“The quirk of having to manually set up the next accounting period causes occasional errors during invoice close that could’ve been easily avoided; Perhaps consider building a lightweight API for customers with simpler taxation needs.” – Professional in Engineering, Computer Software, 201-500 employees
“Even accounting for t&m, we save 70-80% on keeping our sales and use tax up to date vs. using a third party add-on to our ERP.” – Manager in Information Technology, Retail, 51-200 employees
Time and Resource Savings
Users consistently highlight the significant time and resource savings provided by CCH® SureTax®. They appreciate the automation that streamlines processes, leading to improved efficiency and reduced labor hours. The software’s ability to handle complex tax calculations across various jurisdictions efficiently is a key factor in saving time and resources for businesses. Additionally, users find peace of mind in the accuracy of the system, which minimizes the need for manual intervention and reduces the chances of errors. The integration of SureTax into billing platforms is also noted to save a considerable amount of time, allowing users to manage all tax-related tasks within a single interface. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
“Streamlined compliance; definitely saved us time and resources. Billing interface has definitely improved billing accuracy and saved numerous billing adjustments.” – Team Lead in Finance and Accounting, Telecommunications, 201-500 employees
“Some months it saves us time but we have to be very thorough with reviewing the returns because, in our experience, they aren’t always correct. The main time saver was having them register for the tax accounts on our behalf.” – Account Manager in Finance and Accounting, Automotive, 201-500 employees
“We use it daily with our MIS. It saves so much time and wasted money on trying to manually calculate taxes. Our employees are much happier now!” – C-Level Executive in Information Technology, Printing, 51-200 employees
Compliance Support and Integration
Compliance and Audit Support
Users generally appreciate CCH® SureTax®’s support and accuracy in tax calculations. When it comes to compliance and audit support, opinions vary. Some users praise the platform for streamlining compliance processes and providing real-time updates, while others express concerns about the accessibility of support and the time taken to resolve issues. Despite these mixed reviews, many users find comfort in the stability and informational value that CCH® SureTax® offers in terms of compliance and audit support. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
“The biggest reason why I would recommend CCH® SureTax® is the stellar support. I am able to submit support tickets for complicated use of CCH® SureTax®, detailing different business cases or technical issues, and I receive a response to properly resolve the issue very quickly (usually within 1 day).” – Executive in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 51-200 employees
“Support needs to be much more accessible; can’t hide behind the support portal and never talk to your customers by telephone. Sometimes or a lot of times, an actual conversation is much more productive at solving a problem than through messages on a portal.” – Manager in Corporate, Wholesale, 1001-5000 employees
“SureTax has been the perfect solution; not only are they readily available to fix any and all of your questions, but they are also extremely attentive regarding the information requested. They are the best when it comes to entrepreneurs who are entering into a space that they are not fully aware of from a state and local tax compliance perspective.” – Employee in Legal, Telecommunications, 11-50 employees
Telecom Taxation
User sentiment regarding CCH® SureTax®’s telecom taxation capabilities is generally positive, with users highlighting the software’s effectiveness in handling the complexities of telecommunications taxes. Reviewers appreciate the accuracy and efficiency that SureTax brings to telecom tax calculations, making it an essential tool for ensuring compliance with tax regulations in the telecommunications industry. Users find the detailed tax calculations and the ability to track taxes across different states and jurisdictions particularly valuable when using CCH® SureTax® for telecom taxation purposes. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
“It is a must have for telecommunications taxing. It would be practically impossible to calculate the correct telecom taxes without a product like SureTax. It is also beneficial to be able to drill down into how the taxes are calculated, especially when questioned by customers.” – Manager in Corporate, Telecommunications, 5001-10,000 employees
“Telecommunications tax is a very complex issue. It almost requires a PHD in federal, state, and local taxes just to properly collect and pay. It is a nightmare for MSPs (Managed Service Providers) to understand and properly collect and them pay all the different taxing authorities. They have helped us tremendously.” – C-Level Executive in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 11-50 employees
“CONS: More people other than David Rubenstein that understand Telecom.; System is a bit outdated.; Informational detail.” – Employee in Legal, Telecommunications, 11-50 employees
