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Managing Multiple Sales Channels in a Single Entity

Bookkeep makes it easy to manage accounting for multiple sales channels—such as Shopify, Square, Amazon, Toast, and more—within a single entity. This guide walks through how connections work, how postings are tracked per channel, and best practices for account mappings.

Connecting Multiple Channels to One Entity​

  • Each sales channel (e.g., Shopify, Amazon, Toast) can be connected to the same Bookkeep entity.

  • Once connected, Bookkeep will create daily journal entries for each channel.

  • These entries flow into your accounting system separately, preserving visibility by sales channel while rolling up to the same entity.

How Postings Are Separated or Tagged​

  • Per-channel journal entries: Bookkeep posts a separate journal entry for each sales channel every day. If transactions occur in multiple currencies on the same day, each currency is recorded in its own entry to ensure accuracy. 

  • Tags and naming: Each entry includes the channel name in the memo/description for easy identification. You can also use dimensions, classes, or tracking categories in your accounting platform for more detailed reporting and tracking.

  • Payout handling: Each channel’s deposits or payouts are posted separately, making it easier to match to bank deposits.

Recommendations for Account Mappings​

To keep your books organized and simplify reconciliations, we recommend:

  • Channel-specific clearing accounts

    • Example: Shopify Clearing, Amazon Clearing, Toast Clearin

    • This makes it easy to tie out payouts from each channel to bank deposits

  • Revenue account

    • Option 1: Use a single revenue account for all channels if consolidated reporting is preferred

    • Option 2: Create channel-specific revenue accounts (e.g., Shopify Sales Revenue, Amazon Sales Revenue) for greater visibility and performance tracking

  • Expense and fee accounts

    • Map fees (payment processor, commissions, platform fees) separately by channel to track true profitability.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid​

  • Mixing clearing accounts: If multiple channels share the same clearing account, it can make reconciliation with payouts difficult. Always set up separate clearing accounts per app connection.

  • Overlooking channel-specific fees: Amazon commissions, Toast processing fees, and Shopify payment fees differ. Ensure each fee type is mapped properly.

  • Reconciling net vs. gross sales incorrectly: Bookkeep posts gross sales along with discounts, refunds, taxes, and fees. Ensure your mappings allow you to see both gross and net figures clearly.

  • Not matching timing of payouts: Some channels (like Amazon) may pay out less frequently than others (like Shopify). Be mindful when reconciling clearing balances to bank deposits.

Best Practice Summary

  • Always use channel-specific clearing accounts.

  • Decide whether you want consolidated or channel-specific revenue accounts.

  • Map fees separately for full visibility.

  • Regularly reconcile clearing accounts to bank deposits to confirm all postings are accurate. At a minimum, we recommend once per month.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact support@bookkeep.com.