Manually validating a high volume of US supplier Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) is often a time-consuming and expensive process. That can lead to compliance issues, payment delays, and exposure to risks from fraudulent suppliers or inaccurate tax information.

The Unimarket TIN Validation feature is designed to address these challenges directly by automating the verification process. With a single click, users can instantly verify a supplier's TIN, ensuring the information is accurate and legitimate. This functionality integrates seamlessly into your existing procurement workflow, providing real-time checks as new suppliers are onboarded.

Key Benefits

TIN Validation Step

TIN validation is a paid feature and must be enabled by Unimarket Staff.

• If your community is interested in using the TIN validation feature, please reach out to your Unimarket Customer Success Manager.

• Once the feature is enabled, the TIN Validation component will be visible on all supplier profile screens (both Registered and Lite).

Important Notes

• The TIN status is only visible on the supplier profile screen.

• The feature is available for both Registered and Lite suppliers.

• Temporary Unavailability: On rare occasions, if the upstream validation service cannot provide a definitive response. The following message will be displayed: “Validation is temporarily unavailable. Please try again at [48 hours later].” The Run Validation icon will be disabled for this period.

Permissions

The following user roles can initiate the validation check:

• Community Administrator

• Community Supplier Administrator

• Create Invoices

Note: All other roles will still have visibility of the supplier’s TIN status.

TIN Validation Status Reference

Use this table to understand the meaning of each TIN Validation status and the actions available to users.

TIN Validation Status Images

Valid	Not Valid	Not Checked

 

Run a TIN Validation for an Individual Supplier

Before you begin, ensure the following are TRUE:

• The supplier profile has a Legal Business Name
• The supplier's profile has a Tax ID Number (EIN) and
• The supplier has completed the profile registration

Validation Process

1. Go to the Administration module.
2. Click Suppliers and select the Suppliers tab.
3. In the State field, select Pending.
4. Select the box next to the desired individual supplier's profile name.
5. Click Actions and select Validate TIN.

6. The Bulk TIN Verification pop-up box will appear.
7. Check the "I agree to the additional costs" box.
8. Select Run Verification.

9. Wait for the validation process to complete and review the returned status
   • If the status is Not Valid and suggested business names are returned:
     • Select the appropriate business name suggestion.
     • The supplier business name is updated.
     • The TIN is automatically validated.
     • The supplier receives an email notification requesting they review the updated information.

• If the status is Not Valid and no suggested names are available:
  • Review the supplier's Legal Business Name and EIN for accuracy.
  • Update any incorrect information.
  • Wait 24 hours before attempting another validation.

Bulk TIN Validate Multiple Suppliers

Before you begin, ensure the following are TRUE:

• The supplier profile has a Legal Business Name
• The supplier's profile has a Tax ID Number (EIN) and
• The supplier has completed the profile registration

Validation Process

1. Go to the Administration module.
2. Click Suppliers and select the Suppliers tab.
3. In the State field, select Pending.
4. Locate the desired suppliers and select the associated boxes next to their names.
5. Select Actions and click Validate TIN.

6. The Bulk TIN Verification pop-up box will appear.
7. Check the "I agree to the additional costs" box.
8. Select Run Verification.

9. Wait for the validation process to complete and review the returned status
   • If the status is Not Valid and suggested business names are returned:
     • Select the appropriate business name suggestion.
     • The supplier business name is updated.
     • The TIN is automatically validated.
     • The supplier receives an email notification requesting they review the updated information.

• If the status is Not Valid and no suggested names are available:
  • Review the supplier's Legal Business Name and EIN for accuracy.
  • Update any incorrect information.
  • Wait 24 hours before attempting another validation.

Validation Attempts and Control

Because each validation attempt incurs a cost, a control is in place to prevent users from validating too frequently.

Revalidation Period Setting

In settings, the default period for which a valid TIN cannot be revalidated is 3 months. This can be adjusted to:

• 6 months

• 9 months

• 12 months

This setting disables the validation button for the defined period. And a message notifies the user of the date when it can be next validated.

Overriding the Control

The Community Administrator and Community Supplier Administrator roles can override this control by clicking Reset TIN Validation.

Attempts to Change Tax Detail of Validated Suppliers

If a user attempts to change the tax details of a supplier with a Valid TIN status. They will be presented with a warning message that this action will invalidate the TIN.

• A pop-up box will appear asking for confirmation to proceed.

• If the user proceeds, the TIN status will revert to Not Checked.

Troubleshooting