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, products marked non-taxable in Shopify, or (US shops) the store is on Shopify Tax instead of Manual Tax (see below). |
US shop: services sync OK, physical product added → tax drops to 0.00 on the whole draft | Common on US stores using Shopify Tax. Custom service lines may calculate tax, but catalog products use Shopify's category-based engine and often return 0.00 on draft calculate. Switch to Manual Tax and set your state rate (see checklist step 2). |
Same total, different tax split | Often tax-inclusive vs tax-exclusive pricing, or Shopify applying tax differently to delivery vs goods. |
Tax and total both off by a few cents (e.g. 3¢) | Usually tax-exclusive in Shopify when Workshop is tax-inclusive — see fix checklist step 1. Not a rounding bug on our side. |
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 (Ireland / EU)
Workshop allows different non-zero rates on different lines (e.g. 23% parts and 13.5% labour in Ireland). Shopify sync sends each line as taxable or not taxable and Shopify applies per-product rates from your Admin settings. Mixing taxable and zero-rated / exempt lines is fine.
Mixed non-zero rates can sync when:
Each taxed line is a linked Shopify product or service (including services with a POS product ID), and
Each product has the correct VAT rate in Shopify — usually via manual collection tax overrides (see Shopify Collection Tax Overrides), and
Workshop has matching tax rates in Settings → Tax rates, and you have run Sync tax rates from Shopify under Configuration → POS & Accounting Integrations → Shopify Tax.
If Shopify’s calculation does not match the invoice, you get a tax/total mismatch (section 1) — not a “mixed rates blocked” message.
If sync still fails: Work through the fix checklist below and the collection tax overrides guide. Custom invoice lines with no Shopify link cannot get a reduced rate from Shopify; link the service to a Shopify product with POS product ID set in Workshop.
Other providers: Xero, Lightspeed, Saledock, and Square carry Workshop rates on the wire if you prefer not to rely on Shopify product tax setup.
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. …
US shops in states with no sales tax: if a service line is zero-rated / exempt in Workshop but the linked Shopify variant has Charge tax on this product turned on, sync fails with the product taxability message. The proper fix is to turn off tax on that variant in Shopify. Do not create a near-zero tax rate (e.g. 0.0001%) as a workaround — that mislabels the line as taxable and can break totals in taxed states.
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.
In Shopify Admin → Settings → Taxes and duties, scroll to the global settings at the bottom of the page and check Include sales tax in product price and shipping rate:
Checked = tax-inclusive pricing in Shopify (prices include VAT/sales tax).
Unchecked = tax-exclusive pricing (tax added at checkout).
This must match Workshop. If Workshop is tax-inclusive but this box is unchecked, sync often fails with tax and total both a few cents out (e.g. Shopify 12.28 / 152.28 vs Workshop 12.25 / 152.25) — enable the checkbox, then Retry sync.
Workshop tax rate (combined % or mixed rates)
Single-rate shops (US / Canada): In Settings → Tax rates, your Standard rate must match the combined percentage Shopify calculates — one rate per jurisdiction (e.g. 7.45% Utah, 14.975% Quebec). See US Manual Tax guide.
Mixed-rate shops (IE / EU): You need a Workshop tax class for each non-zero rate Shopify applies (e.g. 23% and 13.5%), plus Sync tax rates from Shopify in Configuration → POS & Accounting Integrations. See Collection tax overrides guide.
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.
United States only: switch to Manual Tax and set your state rate(s). Full walkthrough: Shopify (US/Canada) – Manual Tax Setup. In short: open United States → Manage (or Upgrade tax service). Select Manual Tax (the free option — "Tax rates must be set and updated manually"), not Shopify Tax. Then add your state/local rate under Manage tax rates. Workshop sync uses Shopify's draft-order tax calculation; Shopify Tax often returns 0.00 tax when the invoice includes catalog products even though custom service lines calculated tax correctly on their own. This is a Shopify configuration choice, not Workshop overwriting line tax.
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:
Example of US tax with manual tax used instead of Shopify tax:
Worked example: US shop — services OK, product line breaks tax
Situation: Utah shop. Invoice with two service lines syncs to Shopify with tax. Add a physical product from Shopify stock (e.g. a chain with "Charge tax: Yes"). Sync fails: Shopify would calculate $0.00 tax on $77.00 total; Workshop has $5.74 tax and $82.74 total. All Workshop lines still show 7.45% — Workshop is not zeroing tax; Shopify's draft calculation is.
Likely cause: Store is on Shopify Tax instead of Manual Tax. Service-only drafts can still get tax; mixed drafts with catalog variants often return zero tax from Shopify's calculate API until Manual Tax and state rates are set.
Steps:
Shopify Admin → Settings → Taxes and duties → United States → choose Manual Tax.
Manage tax rates → confirm Utah (or your state) rate matches Workshop (e.g. 7.45%).
Confirm Charge tax on this product on the variant.
Retry sync from Workshop.
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 | Seanic / CitrusLime only — those integrations cannot hold mixed rates. Shopify, Xero, Lightspeed, Saledock, and Square can. |
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 (IE 13.5% + 23%) — include your Shopify Tax → Collection tax rates table; see Collection tax overrides guide.
Include the invoice number, the full error text, and screenshots of the Shopify Sync dialog and the affected product(s) in Shopify Admin.