Stripe, Square, Shopify and PayPal Payouts: Documents Bookkeepers Need
A payout from a payment processor is sales minus fees, refunds and holds, so it never matches revenue. The reports to collect and how a clearing account makes it reconcile.
Quick answer: Payment processor deposits are net amounts: gross sales minus processing fees, refunds, chargebacks, reserves and sometimes taxes collected. Recording the deposit as revenue understates sales and hides fees. Bookkeepers need each processor's payout report (or balance transaction report) showing gross sales, fees, refunds and adjustments per payout, and usually record them through a clearing account so each bank deposit ties back to the detail.
Key takeaways
- Never record a processor deposit as revenue without the payout detail.
- Ask for monthly payout or settlement reports, not just dashboards or screenshots.
- A clearing account per processor makes deposits reconcile to the penny.
- Read-only or reporting access is better than monthly report requests.
Why deposits don't match sales
- Processing fees deducted before payout
- Refunds and chargebacks
- Rolling reserves or holds
- Payout timing across month end
- Sales tax or marketplace facilitator amounts
- Currency conversion
What to request
| Processor | Ask for |
|---|---|
| Stripe | Monthly payout reconciliation or balance report showing gross, fees, refunds and payouts |
| Square | Monthly sales summary and transfer report |
| Shopify | Monthly payouts report and sales report |
| PayPal | Monthly activity or statement report, including fees |
| Marketplaces | Monthly settlement or payment reports |
Report names change as platforms update their dashboards, so describe what you need (gross sales, fees, refunds and payouts for the month) as well as naming the report.
The clearing account method
- Record gross sales to revenue and the clearing account
- Record fees, refunds and chargebacks against the clearing account
- Record each bank deposit as a transfer out of the clearing account
- At month end, the clearing balance should equal funds in transit or held by the processor
Get access, not reports
Ask for read-only or accountant access during onboarding. It removes a monthly request and gives you the detail directly. When access isn't possible, add the payout reports to the monthly list alongside bank and card statements.
Correctdocs requests each processor's monthly report by name and period, checks the upload covers the right month, and follows up until it's in.
Correctdocs is in early access. The first 10 US accounting, bookkeeping and tax firms get a free 30-day pilot on real client requests. Request early access.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't my Stripe deposit match my sales?
Because payouts are net of fees, refunds, chargebacks and reserves, and may cover sales from different days.
What is a clearing account for payment processors?
A temporary balance sheet account where gross sales, fees and refunds are recorded, so each bank deposit reconciles to the processor's detail.