This guide explains the tax-related failure messages, what to check, and how to fix them. It applies to manual sync from the invoice and to auto-sync.
What you see in Workshop
Open the invoice and click Shopify Sync (or the sync chip on mobile).
When tax is the problem, you will usually see:
A red error banner with a short summary, for example:
Shopify tax does not match this invoice. Shopify would charge 0.00 tax (28.93 total); Workshop has 6.07 tax (35.00 total). Check Shopify tax settings, product tax settings, and tax inclusivity, then retry.
On Workshop web, when the error compares Shopify vs Workshop tax/total figures, a yellow warning banner with a step-by-step checklist (see below).
On mobile, or for other tax errors (mixed rates, named product), the red banner includes a link to this guide — there is no separate yellow checklist on mobile.
In Sync history, the same error is kept for reference.
Work through the checks, fix the cause, then click Retry.
Three types of tax failure
The message tells you which type you have.
1. Invoice total / tax mismatch (most common)
Workshop asked Shopify to calculate the draft order. Shopify returned different tax or total figures than your invoice.
Example message:
Shopify would calculate 0.00 tax on a 28.93 total. This invoice has 6.07 tax and a 35.00 total.
Typical causes:
What you see | What it usually means |
Shopify tax 0.00, Workshop tax higher | Shopify is not collecting tax for this sale — tax not enabled in Shopify Admin for the region, or products marked non-taxable in Shopify. |
Same total, different tax split | Often tax-inclusive vs tax-exclusive pricing, or Shopify applying tax differently to delivery vs goods. |
Shopify total lower than Workshop | A line may be non-taxable in Shopify but taxed in Workshop (or the other way around), shifting both tax and total. |
Customer in a different country from your shop | Workshop sends the customer’s country to Shopify for tax jurisdiction (street address is not required). If the country is missing on the customer record, Workshop falls back to your business country, which can make Shopify calculate tax for the wrong place. In the US, Canada, and Australia, postcode or province can also change the rate Shopify applies. |
Workshop cannot tell you which line caused this type of failure — Shopify only returns overall tax and total for the draft calculation.
2. Mixed tax rates on one invoice
Workshop allows different non-zero rates on different lines (e.g. 20% parts and 5% labour). Shopify draft orders only support taxable vs not taxable per line — Shopify applies its own rate from merchant settings. Mixing taxable and zero-rated / exempt lines on one invoice is fine.
Example message:
This invoice has different tax rates on different lines. Shopify draft orders only let Workshop send each line as taxable or not taxable… Use a single non-zero tax rate on this invoice before sending to Shopify, or send it to a provider that supports per-line tax (Lightspeed R-Series, Lightspeed X-Series, Saledock, Square, Xero).
Fix: Put the invoice on one non-zero rate for all taxed lines (Edit VAT → Apply to every line, replacing per-line rates), or use Xero/Lightspeed/Saledock/Square instead of Shopify for that sale.
3. Product tax setting mismatch (names the line)
Workshop read each linked product’s “Charge tax on this product” flag from Shopify and compared it to the tax on that invoice line. One line disagrees.
Example message:
Brake pads is set to charge tax on this Workshop invoice, but Shopify has that product variant set to not charge tax. Change the invoice line tax to a zero-rated or exempt rate, or enable tax on the Shopify product and sync stock before sending again.
Or the reverse:
Helmet is set to zero-rated or exempt on this Workshop invoice, but Shopify has that product variant set to charge tax. …
This message names the item. Fix that line (in Workshop, in Shopify, or both), then Retry. Workshop re-reads the product from Shopify on each sync attempt — you do not need a separate stock sync before retrying, even though the error text may mention one.
Fix checklist (invoice total / tax mismatch)
When you see the yellow banner or the summary comparing Shopify vs Workshop figures, work through these in order:
Tax inclusivity
Compare Settings → Invoice Settings → Tax inclusivity in Workshop with how prices are entered in Shopify (tax-inclusive vs tax-exclusive). A common pattern is the same total but different tax split between the two systems.
Shopify tax settings
In Shopify Admin → Settings → Taxes and duties, confirm tax collection is enabled for the regions you sell into. New shops or shops that have not finished tax setup often return zero tax until this is configured.
Product tax in Shopify
For each product on the invoice, open the variant in Shopify and check Charge tax on this product. It should match whether the Workshop line is taxed or zero-rated / exempt.
Workshop invoice lines
If tax genuinely should not apply, set the affected lines to zero-rated or exempt in Workshop (click the line’s tax rate or use Edit VAT on the invoice). See the Invoice Lines quick guide and Tax rates setup guide.
Customer country (cross-border only)
If the customer is outside your shop’s country, open the customer record in Workshop and confirm country is set correctly. Street address is optional for sync, but a missing country makes Workshop send your business country instead. In the US, Canada, and Australia, add postcode and province/state if Shopify’s rate still looks wrong.
Then Retry sync from the Shopify Sync dialog.
Where to change if you charge tax on a single product:
Example of tax enabled for the UK in shopify admin settings:
Example of tax not yet charged in the EU:
Fix checklist (product tax setting mismatch)
When the error names a product:
Open that line on the invoice in Workshop and note its tax rate and treatment (taxable vs zero-rated / exempt).
In Shopify Admin, open the linked product variant and check Charge tax on this product.
Align them — either:
Change the Workshop line tax to match Shopify, or
Change the Shopify product tax toggle.
Retry sync. Workshop reads the current Shopify flag on each attempt.
Only the named line needs to change unless retry fails with a different product name.
Other sync errors (not tax)
Not every failed Shopify sync is tax-related.
Message theme | Usually means |
Could not connect… credentials may have expired | Integration authorisation — reconnect Shopify in Configuration → POS/Accounting Integrations. |
Shopify already has a paid order… / Mark as completed | The draft was already converted in Shopify; use Mark as completed if the order is correct. |
different tax rates on different lines | Mixed non-zero rates on one invoice. Put the invoice on one rate (Edit VAT) or use Xero/Lightspeed/Saledock/Square. |
If the message does not mention tax or a product name, treat it as a separate issue from this guide.
Worked example: Shopify shows £0 tax
Situation: Invoice total £35.00 with £6.07 tax in Workshop. Sync fails: Shopify would calculate £0.00 tax on £28.93 total.
Likely cause: Regional tax is off in Shopify Admin, products are marked non-taxable in Shopify, or Workshop and Shopify disagree on tax-inclusive vs tax-exclusive pricing.
Steps:
Confirm Taxes and duties in Shopify Admin for your region.
Open one product from the invoice in Shopify and confirm it is taxable if the Workshop line is taxed.
Compare Settings → Invoice Settings → Tax inclusivity with how prices are set in Shopify.
If the customer is abroad, confirm their country is set on the customer record in Workshop.
Retry sync.
Why Workshop blocks the send
Shopify orders feed your till, reporting and often your accountant’s records. Sending an order where Shopify’s tax differs from the Workshop invoice would create two different truths for the same sale.
Workshop therefore refuses the send and shows both figures so you can fix configuration or the invoice before anything is created in Shopify. This is expected behaviour, not a system fault.
When to contact support
Contact Bikebook support if:
You have worked through the checklist and sync still fails with the same figures.
The error names a product you believe is already aligned in both systems (include the product name and a screenshot of the Shopify variant tax toggle).
You need help with mixed tax rates on one invoice and whether to split the sale.
Include the invoice number, the full error text, and screenshots of the Shopify Sync dialog and the affected product(s) in Shopify Admin.