Ask for the EU VAT identification number on the registration form

We have to print the EU VAT number of the participants on the invoices created by ConfTool. Is it possible to ask for the participant’s VAT during the registration process and then later include it on the automatically created invoice?

First of all, please allow us two comments on this question:

• Please note that only some EU organizations and companies have EU VAT numbers, not all of them.
  Private persons usually don’t have such a number at all.
  Therefore, the VAT number of the receiver of the invoices can usually not be a mandatory item on invoices.
• Furthermore, the VAT number of the receiver of the invoices is usually only needed on intra-community invoices
  if both parties want to apply the reverse-charge procedure to avoid VAT.
  However, conference fees are excluded from this procedure, please see:
  Which place of taxation (VAT) applies to participants from other European countries?

If you still require the VAT number of your clients/participants that are from the EU, please go to:
Overview => Settings => Main Settings for Participant Registration
In the section "Invoices and Taxes" enable the option "Ask for EU VAT ID of the Receiver of the Invoice" by setting it to "Yes, optional" (see Image 1).
We do not recommend using "Yes, required" as many people might not have an identification number at all.

Now, users will be prompted to enter their EU VAT ID when they register for participation.
The ConfTool software will run a check to see if the VAT number is valid. It will try to contact the VIES system of the EU to verify if the number exists in the official EU database. However, the EU system is often overloaded and usually offline during nighttime. In these cases, this test will be skipped.

The EU VAT ID will also be printed on all invoices.

If you require the VAT number of your clients/participants that are not from the EU or any other identification number, you can use the "Reference ID" field of ConfTool Pro to ask for an identification number to be printed on the invoice.

Please go to:
Overview => Settings => Main Settings for Participant Registration
In the section for “Participant Registration Options” enable the option “Ask for Reference ID” by setting it to “Yes, optional” (see Image 1). Please do not set it to “Yes, required” as some people might not have an identification number.

In a second step, you need to rename the “Reference ID” field by updating it in “Wording and Phrases”.

Please go to:
Overview => Settings => Wording and Phrases
... and enter S_PARTICIPATE_REFERENCE to search for the related text (see Image 2).
Now you can update the wording of the field title (S_PARTICIPATE_REFERENCE) and of the related explanation (S_PARTICIPATE_REFERENCE_HINT).

We recommend entering phrases such as:
S_PARTICIPATE_REFERENCE: "Identification Number"
S_PARTICIPATE_REFERENCE_HINT: "Please enter your identification number for tax purposes."

To alter the text on the invoice, please use the code "S_INVOICE_REFERENCE".