Separate the liability
Keep tax collected distinct from sales, fees, refunds, and the net payout deposited at the bank.
Shopify accounting topic hub
Shopify sales tax and VAT accounting
Keep Shopify tax liabilities separate from sales and cash while reconciling US sales tax or UK VAT in QuickBooks.
2 focused guides
What you will learn
Tax collected at checkout is not additional revenue, and the payout deposit is not the tax return. Shopify, the payment provider, QuickBooks, and the filing process each answer different questions, so their totals must be compared on the same dates, currency, and tax basis.
Use this hub to separate tax liabilities from payout cash, reconcile Shopify source reports to QuickBooks, and prepare a reviewable accounting record for the adviser responsible for the return.
Reconcile the reports
Compare Shopify and QuickBooks using consistent periods, currencies, jurisdictions, and tax treatment.
Prepare for review
Document differences and give the filing adviser clear source evidence without treating software as tax advice.
Continue through the topic
Every guide in this hub.
Follow the sequence or choose the specific accounting problem you need to solve.
A practical route
Use this hub in three passes.
- 01
Choose the sales-tax or UK VAT guide that matches the store's obligations.
- 02
Reconcile Shopify source reports to the relevant QuickBooks liability accounts.
- 03
Escalate filing positions and account-specific decisions to a qualified adviser.