Payout-to-bank reconciliation
Map sales, fees, refunds and adjustments through settlement exports, provider balances, bank transfers and clearing accounts.
Books, margins and planning
Turn financial records into a clear next step.
Use reconciliation schedules to explain payouts, contribution reports to assess products and channels, and budgets and cash plans to evaluate the next commitment.
Explain the payout. Close the period.
Connect store and marketplace transactions to the bank, the ledger and inventory costs.
Period reports
A reconciliation schedule, open-items list and close checklist support the P&L, balance sheet and cash movement view.
Records to bring
Ledger reports, bank and card statements, settlement exports, invoices, product costs and inventory movements.
Close responsibilities
Set the accounts, period and accounting basis. Assign open questions and agree which checks must be complete before finalising reports.
See what each product and channel contributes.
Compare net revenue with the costs of selling the product, then trace the lines that explain a weak margin.
The cost bridge
Separate sales, discounts and refunds. Deduct COGS, channel and payment fees, fulfilment and acquisition costs, with a clear rule for shared allocations.
The analysis
A SKU and channel contribution view, cost-allocation notes and a short list of costs or definitions to investigate.
Records to bring
Order and refund exports, product costs, fee records, fulfilment invoices, return-handling costs and acquisition spend for the same period.
The next decision
Use the cost drivers to design a pricing, promotion or channel test. Acquisition analysis needs customer and attribution data on the same basis.
Customer refunds reduce net revenue once. Return handling is a cost; contribution is before fixed operating expenses.
Put the operating plan beside the payment dates.
Test inventory orders and operating choices against both the expected result and the cash available when payments fall due.
Budget and performance
Set sales and cost assumptions, compare the 12-month budget with period results and explain the changes.
Cash and inventory
A 13-week forecast places expected receipts, supplier deposits, balances and operating payments on their dates.
Decision scenarios
Compare pricing, marketing, hiring or funding choices, including the demand and timing assumptions each option needs.
Records to bring
Opening cash, period reports, payout schedules, supplier terms, purchase orders, lead times and operating commitments.
Inventory payments belong in the cash schedule; COGS reflects the cost of units sold.
Assign preparation, review and business decisions.
Use the same task list whether finance preparation is part of the engagement or stays with your bookkeeper.
Scroll horizontally to compare all columns.
| Task | Finance preparation | With your bookkeeper |
|---|---|---|
| Records and cost updates | Brand supplies documents and answers operating questions | Brand and bookkeeper supply records and cost updates |
| Bookkeeping and payout reconciliation | Assign a preparation owner for accounts and settlements | Bookkeeper prepares; assign any additional reconciliation checks |
| Close and adjustments | Assign preparation and review of accounting judgements | Bookkeeper prepares; agree review and adjustment responsibilities |
| Contribution and financial reporting | Build the reports from the reconciled period records | Build analysis from the bookkeeper’s period records |
| Budget and cash forecast | Use the brand’s assumptions, commitments and payment dates | Combine the team’s reports with the brand’s commitments |
| Decision scenarios | Set the question, options and measures for the analysis | Use the same decision brief alongside your team’s records |
| Approval and implementation | Brand decision maker approves and assigns the action | Brand decision maker approves and assigns the action |
Separate the diagnostic from the work that follows.
The initial audit and findings discussion are free. Setup, historical cleanup, implementation and recurring work have their own scope and fee.
Setup and historical cleanup
List the accounts, backlog, missing records and reporting tasks before pricing the work.
Tax and statutory assurance
Tax filings, jurisdiction-specific advice and statutory assurance require separate specialist arrangements.
Entities and specialist reports
Define consolidation, multi-currency, lender, fundraising or exit-reporting requirements as separate assignments.
Business approval
Assign operating decisions and payment authority to the brand’s authorised owners.
Questions about the records and the work.
Clarify inputs and responsibilities before choosing a package.
How does the work fit with my bookkeeper?
Build the analysis and cash plan around your existing records. Assign bookkeeping, close preparation and review to named owners, then reflect that division of work in the scope and fee.
What if product costs are incomplete?
Obtain purchase invoices, landed-cost support and inventory cost layers. Show any unresolved cost separately so a partial contribution figure is not used as a complete margin.
Do all my systems have to be connected?
Start with the reports each system can export. Agree the required coverage, dates and access method before transferring records.
Why separate refunds from return handling?
A refund reduces net revenue. Return handling is a cost. Keeping them separate prevents the same refund from being deducted twice.
How do Core and Growth differ?
Core groups books, contribution reporting, budgeting and cash planning. Growth adds CFO strategy, decision scenarios and planning reviews.
Your next financial question
Put numbers behind the next move.
Start with the decision ahead and the reporting you have today.