Automating W-9/W-8 Forms with a Public URL- A Complete Workflow

Managing W-9 and W-8 forms is a crucial part of tax compliance for businesses that work with vendors, contractors, and payees. The process can become time-consuming, especially for companies managing a high volume of vendors. TaxBandits API provides multiple automation options to simplify W-9/W-8 collection, reducing manual effort and ensuring accurate submissions.

Businesses have different use cases when it comes to vendor tax forms. Some require unique, trackable links for individual vendors, while others prefer a public, reusable link for broader outreach. TaxBandits API offers four primary methods to automate W-9/W-8 collection:

• RequestByEmail – Sends a W-9/W-8 request directly to a vendor's email.
• Drop-in UI – Embeds a ready-to-use W-9/W-8 form interface into your application.
• RequestByUrl – Generates a unique, secure URL for each payee.
• RequestByBusinessUrl – Provides a single, public URL that multiple payees can use.

Each method caters to specific business needs, ensuring that organizations of all sizes can efficiently collect and manage tax forms. You can read more about RequestByEmail, RequestByUrl, and Drop-in UI to understand how they work. In this blog, we’ll focus on RequestByBusinessUrl, exploring how it works, its benefits, and how to integrate it seamlessly into your workflow.

What is RequestByBusinessUrl, and How Does It Work?

RequestByBusinessUrl is a highly efficient method for collecting W-9/W-8 forms from multiple vendors without needing to send individual requests. Instead of generating unique links for each vendor, this method provides a single, reusable URL associated with a payer (or DBA). Vendors can access the link and complete their tax forms independently, reducing administrative overhead.

Key Features of RequestByBusinessUrl

• Reusable Public Link: A single URL can be used by multiple vendors.
• Wide Distribution: The link can be embedded on websites, shared via email, or included in portals.
• Custom Branding: Businesses can customize the submission portal with logos, colors, and branding elements.
• Simplified Vendor Engagement: No need for businesses to manually send invitations to individual vendors.
• Set URL Expiry Date: You can set an expiry date for the link, ensuring it remains active only for a specified period.

Common Use Cases for RequestByBusinessUrl

1. Websites – Companies can place the public URL on their vendor registration websites, enabling vendors to complete their W-9/W-8 forms seamlessly.

   Example

   A logistics company onboarding independent drivers can include the link in their registration system.

2. Mass Communication via Email – Businesses managing multiple vendors can send out a single email containing the RequestByBusinessUrl link for W-9/W-8 submission.

   Example

   An affiliate marketing platform sending out an email to all partners requesting their W-9/W-8 forms.

3. E-commerce and Marketplace Sellers – Online platforms hosting third-party sellers can provide the link for easy W-9/W-8 form submission.

   Example

   An e-commerce company allowing new sellers to complete W-9/W-8 before listing products.

4. QR Code Integration for Easy Access – Businesses can convert the RequestByBusinessUrl into a QR code, which can be printed or shared digitally. This provides an easy way for vendors to access the form submission portal directly from their mobile devices.

   Example

   A retail store can display a QR code on vendor invoices or product packaging, allowing vendors to quickly scan and complete their W-9/W-8 forms on the spot.

RequestByBusinessUrl vs. RequestByUrl: What’s the Difference?

While both methods automate the W-9/W-8 form collection, they serve different purposes.

Criteria	RequestByUrl (iFrame Integration)	RequestByBusinessUrl
Usage	Individual, secure URLs per payee	Single public URL for multiple payees
Best For	Specific vendors needing unique invites	Mass vendor onboarding and bulk submissions
Integration	Embedded as an iFrame within software or portals	Embedded on websites, included in portals, or sent via email blast
Flexibility	Highly tailored for specific payees	Simplifies broad vendor engagement

If your business requires individual tracking and secure vendor-specific links, RequestByUrl is the better choice. However, if you need a simple, scalable way to collect tax forms from a large number of vendors, RequestByBusinessUrl is the ideal method.

How to Automate W-9/W-8 Collection Using RequestByBusinessUrl?

Implementing RequestByBusinessUrl involves a few straightforward steps:

Step 1: Preliminary Procedures

Before initiating the W-9/W-8 automation, you must complete a few preliminary procedures.

• OAuth 2.0 Authentication - This is a common step for every endpoint. Before using any endpoint, you must get the access token. This access token must be provided in the request header as the ‘Bearer‘ token. For detailed information, click here.

• Webhook Configuration - As you may know, TaxBandits API employs webhooks to provide you with status updates regarding your filings. You can enable webhook notifications for different types of events. To receive updates related to W-9/W-8, you must configure the 'Form WhCertificate Status Change' webhook. This webhook payload will also contain the TIN matching status if it is opted as part of a W-9/W-8 request. If you prefer to opt for TIN Matching separately, then you must configure the ‘TIN Matching Status Change’ webhook as well.

• Business Creation - Using the Business/Create endpoint, you can create the business for which you need to collect W-9/W-8 forms.

{
    "BusinessNm": "Snowdaze LLC",
    "FirstNm": null,
    "MiddleNm": null,
    "LastNm": null,
    "Suffix": null,
    "PayerRef": "Snow123",
    "TradeNm": "Iceberg Icecreams",
    "IsDefaultBusiness": true,
    "IsEIN": true,   
    "EINorSSN": "23-3456789",
    "Email": "james@sample.com",
    "ContactNm": "James Smith",
    "Phone": "6534567890",
    "PhoneExtn": "123",
    "Fax": "9834567890",
    "BusinessType": "ESTE",
    "SigningAuthority": {
        "Name": "James Smith",
        "Phone": "9934567890",
        "BusinessMemberType": "ADMINISTRATOR"
    },
    "KindOfEmployer": "FEDERALGOVT",
    "KindOfPayer": "REGULAR941",
    "IsBusinessTerminated": false,
    "Form1042SDetails": {
        "WHAgtCh3Cd": "11",
        "WHAgtCh4Cd": "16",
        "WHAgtGIIN": null,
        "FTIN": "12345",
        "Country": "AL"
    },
    "IsForeign": false,
    "USAddress": {
        "Address1": "3576 AIRPORT WAY",
        "Address2": "UNIT 9",
        "City": "FAIRBANKS",
        "State": "AK",
        "ZipCd": "99709"
    },
    "ForeignAddress": null,
    "ACADetails": {
        "FirstName": "Kingston",
        "MiddleName": "Walman",
        "LastName": "ADMINRATOR",
        "Suffix": "Jr",
        "Phone": "8834578906",
        "IsGovernmentalUnit": true
    }
}   

Step 2: Generate a Public URL Using RequestByBusinessUrl Endpoint

Once the OAuth 2.0 process is complete, you can use the [POST] WHCertificate/RequestByBusinessURL endpoint. You can include the following parameters in your API request.

• Access Token - As described earlier, you must include the JWT you obtained through the OAuth 2.0 process in the header of any API request.
• Business Identifier - When you created the business earlier, TaxBandits would have generated a Business ID in the response. You can provide either that or TIN in this request. If you fail to provide the business ID in this request, the W-9/W-8 collected from the payee will be stored under the default business, i.e., the first business added to your account.
• DBA Reference (Optional) - If the business has multiple DBA names, you can mention the DBA name you want to use as the Requester Name on the W-9/W-8 Forms.

In addition to these, you can opt for TIN Matching in the same API request. All you need to do is set the 'IsTINMatching' to True.

{
    "SubmissionManifest": {
        "IsTINMatching": true,
        "UrlValidity": "12/12/2025",
        "CustomizationId": null,
        "Customization": {
            "BusinessLogoUrl": "https://www.spanenterprises.com/Content/Images/span.png",
            "LogoPosition": "RIGHT",
            "InterviewFlow": false,
            "PrimaryColor": "#21DF9A",
            "SecondaryColor": "#323F92"
        }
    },
    "Requester": {
        "BusinessId": "32416f37-b16c-4a6e-9c73-9f974ace75b6",
        "PayerRef": null,
        "TIN": null
    }
}

Customization Options

TaxBandits API provides you with a wide range of options to showcase your brand identity wherever applicable. Here, when requesting a W-9/W-8 using the RequestByBusinessUrl method, you will have the option to customize the form completion page with your branding elements. To do so, you can provide the following parameters in the API request.

• Business Logo - Provide the logo you want to be displayed on the page. Also, mention its position.
• Color Theme - Provide the primary and secondary colors of the page to align with your branding.
• Interview-Style - As an alternative to the traditional way of entering the information directly on the form, you can opt for interview-style W-9 completion.

Step 3: Distribute the URL

Once the URL is generated, share it via:

• Website – Embed it on your vendor registration page.
• Email – Send a mass email to vendors requiring W-9/W-8 forms.
• QR Code – Generate a QR code from the URL and make it available for vendors/payees to complete their W-9/W-8 forms.

Step 4: Track Submissions

Enable Webhook notifications to get real-time updates when vendors complete their forms.

{
    "FormType": "FormW9",
    "WebhookRef": "6l97fcaa-fbda-4bf6-8210-46de3479fe48",
    "FormW9": {
        "SubmissionId": "81ac3d1b-6f4d-4ed7-95b9-4b508e3cb55d",
        "Requester": {
            "BusinessId": "16b7bbmc-1865-4740-9ef9-a0de62157af3",
            "PayerRef": "Snow123",
            "BusinessNm": "Snowdaze LLC",
            "FirstNm": null,
            "MiddleNm": null,
            "LastNm": null,
            "Suffix": null,
            "TINType": "EIN",
            "TIN": "XX-XXX6789",
            "DBAId": null,
            "DBARef": null
        },
        "PayeeRef": "Pe1310",
        "RecipientId": "f2fc48bb-e6b2-4ecc-b706-3c547c44a6c4",
        "W9Status": "COMPLETED",
        "StatusTs": "2024-11-25 01:48:46 -05:00",
        "TINMatching": null,
        "FormW9RequestType": "COMMON_URL_API",
        "PdfUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/taxbandits-sb-api/ba8f8005-5bfb-43fc-bc39-73feaf0c670b.Pdf",
        "Email": null,
        "FormData": {
            "Line1Nm": "James",
            "Line2Nm": "Dairy Delights LLC",
            "FirstNm": null,
            "MiddleNm": null,
            "LastNm": null,
            "Suffix": null,
            "TINType": "EIN",
            "TIN": "62-3768479",
            "Address": {
                "Address1": "71 SAINT NICHOLAS DR",
                "Address2": null,
                "City": "NORTH POLE",
                "State": "AK",
                "ZipCd": "99705"
            },
            "AccountNum": "PL1310",
            "FederalTaxClassification": "Individual or Sole proprietor or Single-member LLC",
            "IsLine3b": false,
            "ExemptPayeeCd": null,
            "ExemptFromFATCA": null,
            "IsBackUpWH": false
        },
        "Errors": null
    },
    "FormW8Ben": null,
    "FormW8BenE": null
}

URL Parameterization for Tracking Vendor Submissions

To facilitate better tracking of W-9/W-8 submissions, TaxBandits API allows you to add a reference to the common secure URL. By appending a PayeeRef parameter to the secure URL, you can associate submissions with specific vendors.

• Example: If the generated SecureURL is: https://snowda_388311.esignw9.com

• Example: You can append PayeeRef as shown below: https://snowda_388311.esignw9.com/?payeeref=user001

This ensures that when a vendor submits a form, the PayeeRef is returned in the webhook response, allowing businesses to track submissions accurately. Learn More.

Conclusion

RequestByBusinessUrl is an efficient way to automate W-9/W-8 collection for businesses managing a large number of vendors. By providing a single, reusable link, companies can streamline vendor onboarding, reduce manual work, and enhance compliance.

Ready to automate your W-9/W-8 collection? Explore TaxBandits API today and take control of your vendor compliance workflow. For further details, check out the official developer documentation.