0-CodeKit

Overview

This node verifies the validity of a VAT (Value Added Tax) ID for a business. It supports two input formats: directly via a full VAT ID, or by specifying a country code and an ID separately. The node is useful in scenarios where you need to validate customer or supplier VAT numbers for compliance, invoicing, or tax reporting purposes.

Practical examples:

• Automatically check if a customer's VAT ID is valid before processing an order.
• Validate supplier VAT IDs during onboarding to ensure they are legitimate businesses.
• Integrate with CRM or ERP systems to keep business partner records up-to-date and compliant.

Properties

Output

The output will be a JSON object containing the result of the VAT ID verification. While the exact structure depends on the API response, it typically includes fields such as:

{
  "valid": true,
  "countryCode": "DE",
  "vatNumber": "123456789",
  "requestDate": "2024-06-01",
  "name": "Example Company GmbH",
  "address": "Example Street 1, 12345 Berlin"
}

• valid: Boolean indicating if the VAT ID is valid.
• countryCode: The country code checked.
• vatNumber: The VAT number that was validated.
• requestDate: Date of the validation request.
• name: Registered name associated with the VAT ID (if available).
• address: Registered address associated with the VAT ID (if available).

If the VAT ID is invalid or not found, the valid field will be false, and other fields may be empty or missing.

Dependencies

• External Service: Requires access to the CodeKit API for VAT validation.
• API Key: You must configure the codeKitApi credential in n8n for authentication.

Troubleshooting

Common issues:

• Invalid or missing credentials: If the codeKitApi credential is not set up correctly, the node will fail to connect.
• Incorrect input format: Supplying the wrong combination of fields (e.g., providing only a country code without an ID) will result in errors.
• API errors: If the external service is down or unreachable, you may receive error messages such as "Request failed" or "Invalid response".

Error messages and resolutions:

• "Missing required parameter": Ensure all required fields for the selected VAT Format are filled.
• "Invalid VAT ID": Double-check the VAT ID or country code/ID pair for typos or formatting errors.
• "Authentication failed": Verify your API key in the n8n credentials.

Links and References

• European Commission VIES VAT Number Validation
• n8n Documentation: Credentials
• CodeKit API Documentation (link to vendor documentation if available)