WooCommerce Tax Report Error: Duplicate Rows

WooCommerce Tax Report: The Duplicate Row Dilemma

Hey guys, if you're using WooCommerce and WooPayments, you might have stumbled upon a frustrating issue: duplicate tax rows in the Analytics → Taxes report. This can make it super tricky to get accurate tax totals for filing, especially when you're dealing with multiple tax rates in the same state or province. Let's dive into this problem, what causes it, and how to hopefully find a solution.

The Bug: When Taxes Go Rogue

The main issue is that the Analytics → Taxes report in WooCommerce is showing duplicate rows for taxes when multiple tax rates are applied in the same state/province, even if the order itself has calculated the taxes correctly. Imagine you're selling stuff to Quebec, where you have both GST (5%) and PST/QST (9.975%). After a completed order, the tax report might show several rows for the GST and PST/QST, with incorrect totals, or even rates from other provinces. This means you can't accurately split your GST and PST/QST for filing because the numbers are all over the place. This also makes it impossible to see what the totals should be, like in our case, the total amount should match the order.

For example, on a brand new WordPress site with WooCommerce and WooPayments enabled, after a single completed order to a Quebec shipping address, the issue will appear. The tax configurations were set up as: the GST (5%) and PST/QST (9.975%). The order itself showed correct tax calculations, but the taxes report was showing multiple rows for the same tax codes with incorrect totals. Changing the tax name to QC GST and QC PST solves the problem of other provinces appearing on the tax report, but the issue of duplicate rows still persists. You're essentially left with a messy report that's hard to trust.

How to Reproduce the WooCommerce Tax Report Issue

Let's get into how you can experience this yourself. It's pretty straightforward. Here's a step-by-step guide to reproduce the bug:

1. Start Fresh: Begin with a brand-new WordPress site. This ensures a clean slate and helps pinpoint the source of the problem.
2. Install the Basics: Install and activate WooCommerce. Then, install and activate WooPayments, leaving it in test mode to avoid real transactions during testing.
3. Set Up Your Taxes: Navigate to WooCommerce → Settings → Tax → Standard rates. Import the provided tax CSV. This CSV should contain the QC GST (5%) with Priority 1 and QC PST (9.975%) with Priority 2. Other provinces may also be present if they were included in the export.
4. Import Some Products: Import the provided product CSV. This sets up some products to sell.
5. Place an Order: Place an order, either through the frontend of your site or manually from the backend, ensuring it ships to a Quebec address. Mark the order as “Completed.” This triggers the tax calculations.
6. Check the Report: Open Analytics → Taxes. Observe the duplicate rows for QC GST/PST with differing amounts. Only two rows should be “correct” and match the order; any others are erroneous.

What WooCommerce Should Do: Expected Behavior

Here’s what you should see in the Analytics → Taxes report, according to what we'd expect:

• With a single QC order using two QC tax rates, Analytics → Taxes should show exactly two rows (one for QC GST 5% and one for QC PST/QST 9.975%) with amounts matching the order.
• No extra rows, no rows with amounts corresponding to other provinces/rates, and no “per-order duplicates” for the same code. It should be clean and accurate.

Potential Solutions and Workarounds

Unfortunately, there isn't a simple fix available at the moment. The best course of action is to follow the issue in the WooCommerce core or to report the issue.

Environment Details

• Operating System/Device: The information listed in the original question, includes Windows, MacOS, Linux, iPhone, Samsung, etc.
• Browser: Includes Desktop Edge, Desktop Chrome/Chromium, Desktop Safari, Mobile Edge, Mobile Chrome/Chromium, Mobile Safari, etc.
• WooCommerce Version: Make sure your WooCommerce plugin is updated to the latest stable version.
• WooPayments: Ensure you have the latest version of the WooPayments plugin.

This should give you a pretty good understanding of the WooCommerce tax report duplication issue. It's a known bug, and hopefully, the WooCommerce team will address it soon. In the meantime, keep an eye on your reports and double-check your tax calculations to make sure everything adds up correctly.

For more information, check out the WooCommerce documentation on tax setup. This will help to understand more about tax calculations in WooCommerce and how to set them up correctly.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for personalized advice.