Verifying a business customer:GUS, VIES, white list.

Each register answers a different question and each fits a different moment. Checking by hand at every order is unrealistic, and checking once forever gives false security, because a company's status changes.

Three registers, three questions

• GUS (REGON, the Polish business register): does a company with this tax number exist, what is its name and address.
• VIES: does a customer from another EU country have a valid EU VAT number, which decides the rate on the invoice.
• The Polish VAT white list: is the company an active VAT payer and which account you may pay to for larger amounts.

When to check

• At account registration: GUS, so company data is real and fills in by itself.
• On an order from a company in another EU country: VIES, before you invoice without Polish VAT.
• Before paying to a counterparty's account above the threshold: the white list, on the day of payment.
• Always: record the result with a date, because in a dispute what counts is what you can show.

Why it belongs in the sales system

A check a sales rep does in a browser leaves no trace. A check the system does at registration or checkout stays with the customer and the order, with a date and a result. In an audit or a dispute that is the difference between "we checked" and "here is the proof".

How it looks in Torveo

In Torveo company data is fetched from GUS when the tax number is entered at registration, and the EU VAT number is checked in VIES with the result saved on the customer. Torveo does not check the white list today: check counterparty accounts in your accounting or banking software.

Verification that happens on its own at registration and checkout is the only kind that works with hundreds of customers.