Start with the paid Shopify payout
Open Payouts and select the payout that matches the Shopify payout ID, settlement date, currency, and destination bank account. Scheduled and in-transit payouts remain non-postable until Shopify finalizes them.
Treat the payout as one cash settlement to explain. Individual order dates can differ from the payout date, but the included activity must reconstruct the exact net amount Shopify sent.
1. Review the payout components
- Gross captured sales and shipping
- Discounts and refunds
- Shopify Payments fees
- Sales tax evidence
- Disputes, reserves, and adjustments
- The resulting net payout
2. Investigate any variance
The expected payout should equal the final Shopify payout. A difference can indicate missing activity, a late adjustment, incomplete provider evidence, or a classification problem.
Do not add a manual balancing line simply to make the journal equal. Open the variance evidence and resolve or document the underlying difference.
3. Confirm the mappings
Every accounting category needs an approved, type-compatible QuickBooks account. Pay particular attention to the Shopify clearing account, destination bank account, revenue, refunds, fees, tax liability, and disputes.
4. Review and post the journal
Inspect the proposed lines before posting. Debits must equal credits, the clearing amount must equal the payout, and the payout ID should remain attached to the accounting evidence.
Only approved live data can post to QuickBooks. Sample-workspace payouts are permanently separated from provider posting.
5. Match the bank deposit
When the deposit appears in the QuickBooks bank feed, match it against the payout entry rather than recording new income. Confirm the date, currency, amount, and destination account.
A completed reconciliation has an explained Shopify payout, a balanced journal, and a matching bank deposit with no unexplained clearing balance.