Data Integration

Compliance calculations are only as good as the data behind them. Most companies store packaging information across multiple systems: product master data in SAP or Oracle, BOMs in PLM systems, sales volumes in CRM or BI tools, supplier specifications in spreadsheets, and trade item data in GS1 data pools.

TaxSync connects to all of these sources and normalises the data into the formats required by European tax authorities and EPR schemes. Beyond traditional ERP integration, TaxSync now supports full GS1 GDSN data synchronisation and EANCOM EDI processing, bridging the gap between trade item management and environmental compliance.

Supported Integrations

SAP (ECC and S/4HANA)

TaxSync reads material master records, BOMs, and sales transaction data directly from SAP. The integration handles SAP unit of measure codes (EH, ST, PAL, SMU) and normalises them to the weight-based units required by tax authorities. You can set up a scheduled extraction or trigger imports on demand.

 

Oracle (E-Business Suite and Cloud ERP)

For Oracle environments, TaxSync connects via REST API or database link. The platform maps Oracle item categories to the material classifications used by European regulators and pulls transaction data for sales volume calculations.

 

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Native connector for Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain. TaxSync reads item records, packaging specifications, and sales orders, converting Dynamics data structures into the format needed for compliance reporting.

 

CSV and Excel Imports

For companies without direct ERP integration or for supplementary data (e.g., supplier packaging specs), TaxSync accepts structured CSV and Excel files. The import engine validates column mappings, checks for missing fields, and flags data quality issues before processing.

 

RESTful API

For custom or in-house systems, TaxSync provides a documented REST API. You can push packaging data, trigger calculations, and retrieve results programmatically. The API uses standard authentication (OAuth 2.0) and returns JSON responses.

Data Quality and Validation

Bad data leads to wrong calculations, which leads to penalties or overpayments. TaxSync includes a data quality layer that runs every time new data arrives.

 

Completeness checks: the system verifies that every product has the required fields: material type, weight per component, packaging level (primary, secondary, transport), and market destination. Missing fields are flagged and routed to the responsible team for correction.

 

Consistency checks: if a product's total packaging weight changes by more than 20% between imports, the system raises an alert. This catches data entry errors, unit-of-measure mismatches, and BOM changes that have not been properly reflected in master data.

 

Material classification validation: TaxSync maps your internal material codes to the standard classifications used by each EU scheme (e.g., plastic subcategories for CONAI in Italy, paper grades for CITEO in France). If a material code cannot be mapped, it is queued for manual review rather than silently defaulting to a generic category.

 

Duplicate detection: the platform identifies duplicate product records and consolidates them to prevent double-counting in declarations.

GS1 GDSN and EDI Integration

EANCOM EDI (all 5 message types)

TaxSync processes all major EANCOM message types used in European packaging supply chains. PRICAT messages bring in product catalogue data with packaging specifications. DESADV messages capture shipment and dispatch details. ORDERS, INVOIC, and INVRPT messages provide the transaction volumes needed for accurate tax and EPR calculations. The platform parses inbound messages and generates outbound messages in the same format, enabling full bidirectional communication with trading partners.

 

GS1 GDSN (Global Data Synchronisation Network)

TaxSync connects to the three major European data pools: 1WorldSync, Sinfos (Germany), and SA2 Worldsync. When a supplier publishes or updates a trade item through their data pool, TaxSync receives the Catalogue Item Notification (CIN) and extracts the packaging attributes relevant for compliance: material composition, dimensions, weights, recycled content percentages, and recyclability codes. This keeps your compliance data aligned with the trade item master data used by retailers and distributors.

 

GS1 Code Lists

The platform includes a comprehensive registry of GS1-standardised code lists for packaging types, material codes, recycling process types, and measurement units. Bidirectional mapping translates between your internal codes (SAP material types, custom SKU categories) and the GS1 standard codes expected by data pools and trading partners. You can browse, search, and validate codes directly in the platform.

 

GTIN and GLN Management

Every product in TaxSync can carry a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and every company a Global Location Number (GLN). These identifiers link your compliance records directly to the GS1 global registry, ensuring traceability from the Declaration of Conformity through to the data pool publication. The platform validates GTIN check digits and GLN formats before accepting them.

Data Architecture

TaxSync stores your packaging data in a normalised relational model optimised for compliance queries. The key entities are:

 

Products: your SKU catalogue with market-specific attributes (where it is sold, who is responsible for EPR in each market).

 

Packaging Components: individual components linked to products. Each component has a material type, weight, recycled content percentage, recyclability assessment, and packaging level (primary, secondary, transport).

 

Transactions: sales or production volumes per product, per market, per period. These drive the quantity-based calculations for EPR fees and tax declarations.

 

Regulatory Rules: the fee tables, tax rates, exemption criteria, and reporting requirements for each jurisdiction. These are maintained by the TaxSync regulatory team and versioned so you can see which rules applied to any historical calculation.

 

All data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Access is controlled by role-based permissions, and every read or write operation is logged for audit purposes. Your data never leaves the EU.

Implementation Timeline

A typical TaxSync integration takes 4 to 8 weeks depending on the complexity of your systems and the number of markets you operate in.

 

Week 1-2: Discovery and mapping. Our integration team reviews your ERP structure, identifies the relevant data sources, and maps your fields to TaxSync's data model.

 

Week 3-4: Connector setup and initial data import. The technical integration is configured, test data is imported, and the first calculations are run in a sandbox environment.

 

Week 5-6: Validation. Your compliance team reviews the calculations against known reference points (previous declarations, manual calculations). We resolve discrepancies together.

 

Week 7-8: Go-live. The integration moves to production, automated schedules are activated, and your team receives training on the dashboard and reporting tools.

 

For companies with simpler setups (one ERP, fewer than 5 markets), implementation can be completed in as little as 2 weeks using CSV imports while a direct integration is being configured in parallel.