Multi-Channel Ecommerce Bookkeeping: Shopify, Amazon & POS Under One Close Calendar
Run Shopify, Amazon, and POS under one close calendar. Channel payout mapping, consolidated reports, and CPA-reviewed month-end in QuickBooks or Xero.
Multi-channel growth breaks books when each platform speaks its own language. Our multi-channel ecommerce bookkeeping workflow runs Shopify, Amazon, and POS (plus gateways like Stripe/PayPal) under one close calendar with channel-level accuracy and a consolidated financial view. We standardize SKU mapping, convert each settlement into a consistent gross → fees → refunds/chargebacks → reserves = net deposit bridge, and reconcile every payout to bank statements. Inventory and COGS timing are aligned across channels (perpetual or periodic), and marketplace-facilitator tax is kept out of your liability while direct cart tax rolls to Sales Tax Payable by jurisdiction. Each month we reconcile all bank/credit/loan accounts, clear Undeposited Funds, tie AR/AP to the GL, and deliver a CPA-reviewed reporting pack (P&L by channel and consolidated, Balance Sheet, cash highlights) with a period-lock recommendation. The result: margins you can trust per channel, a single source of truth for lenders, and zero spreadsheet Frankenstein.
One Close Calendar That Doesn’t Slip
-
Weekly imports and exception clearing for each channel - Month-end hard dates for settlements, IMS/FBA valuation, and tax roll-forwards
-
CPA review and period-lock on a fixed timeline (no back-posting)
Channel Bridges That Always Reconcile
Shopify
Payout mapping: gross – platform/gateway fees – refunds/chargebacks ± reserves = net deposit → bank line
Amazon
Settlement mapping: gross – referral/FBA – refunds/claims ± reserves = net deposit → bank line
POS / In-Store
Z-reports/DSS mapping: gross sales – discounts – returns – tender fees = net deposit → bank; cash over/short tracked separately
Inventory & COGS Across Channels
- Single SKU master; channel aliases resolved to the master SKU
- Choose item-level COGS (perpetual) or periodic COGS (IMS/FBA export) and apply consistently
- Landed cost capitalization with a fixed allocation method (qty/weight/value)
Sales Tax Without Double-Counting
- Facilitator orders (e.g., Amazon) = not your liability; memo disclosure only
- Direct cart/POS = Sales Tax Payable by jurisdiction; reconcile to returns and bank payments
- Jurisdiction register with filing cadence and confirmations
Consolidated Reporting (What Execs & Lenders See)
- P&L by channel + consolidated P&L with fee and COGS bridges
- Inventory valuation vs Inventory Asset reconciliation summary
- Fee, refunds/chargebacks, and reserve dashboards by channel
- Cash waterfall from settlements to bank
Month-End Checklist
- Import and map all settlements (Shopify, Amazon, POS)
- Reconcile each payout to a bank line; UF = 0
- Validate fees against statements; isolate reserves and releases
- Compute/relieve COGS (perpetual) or compute periodic COGS from IMS/FBA
- Sales-tax roll-forward (facilitator vs direct) and filings calendar update
- CPA review → variance note → period-lock guidance
Fix the 7 Multi-Channel Failure Modes
- Duplicate revenue from gateway + platform feeds
- Fees logged twice (platform and gateway)
- Inventory not relieved on returns or restocks at wrong cost
- Reserves hitting expense instead of balance sheet
- Facilitator tax added to Sales Tax Payable
- Periodic COGS posted late, random margin spikes
- No single close calendar, never truly “closed”
Reports You’ll Trust
- Channel P&L bridges (gross to net)
- Consolidated P&L and Balance Sheet with variance notes
- Inventory/COGS tie-outs and trend lines
- Sales-tax jurisdiction roll-forward and filing register
Frequently Asked Questions
We define a single system of record per channel (platform settlement or POS Z-report) and exclude secondary feeds from revenue. Gateways map only to fee and cash movement.
Yes, when documented and consistent. We disclose the method per channel and align timing entries so consolidated margins are comparable.
We map BOPIS to the correct channel and tax profile, ensure inventory relief at pickup, and reconcile tender fees versus platform fees cleanly.
Yes, we reconcile settlements in settlement currency, book FX remeasurement at month-end, and tie cash to bank statements.