Global-e Reconciliation: Spreadsheet to Daily Summary Guide | Build with Bookkeep
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This document explains how Bookkeep reads your Global-e reconciliation spreadsheet and transforms it into a daily summary journal entry. It covers which tabs and columns are used, how tax and shipping are handled, and how the final journal entry amounts are calculated.
Overview
Global-e provides a reconciliation spreadsheet (Excel) with multiple tabs. Bookkeep reads specific columns from each tab, stores every line item, then groups them by date to produce a daily summary. That summary becomes a balanced journal entry with credits (revenue) on one side and debits (expenses/reductions) on the other.
Spreadsheet Tabs Used
Bookkeep reads six tabs from the Global-e spreadsheet:
| Tab Name | What It Contains |
|---|---|
| Summary | File-level totals (Sales Total, Refunds Total, Shipping Subsidies, Taxes Recoup, fees, etc.) |
| Service Fee | Fee percentages and bases used to calculate per-order service and reconciliation fees |
| Products | Individual product line items for each order |
| ShippingPerParcel | Shipping details per parcel, including shipping costs, subsidies, duties, and taxes |
| RefundsComponents | Refund line items with amounts and reasons |
| Returns | Return shipping costs |
Tab-by-Tab: Columns Used
Summary Tab
The Summary tab uses a simple two-column layout. Column A contains the label, Column B contains the value.
| Column A (Label) | Column B (Value) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Total | Dollar amount | Total net sales from the Products tab |
| Refunds Total | Dollar amount | Total refunds issued |
| Amount to Invoice | Dollar amount | Sales minus refunds |
| Service Fee | Dollar amount | Global-e's service fee |
| Reconciliation Fee | Dollar amount | Global-e's reconciliation fee |
| Shipping Subsidies | Dollar amount | Merchant-paid shipping costs (the subsidy you pay for customer shipping) |
| Taxes Recoup | Dollar amount | Duties/taxes that were included in the product price and recouped by Global-e |
| Handling Fee | Dollar amount | Handling fee charged by Global-e |
| Returns | Dollar amount | Cost of returns |
| Services and Fees | Dollar amount | Total of all fees and expenses |
| Currency | 3-letter code | Currency for all amounts (e.g., USD) |
| Period Start Date | Date | Start of the reconciliation period |
| Period End Date | Date | End of the reconciliation period |
Service Fee Tab
This tab has a header row followed by a single data row. Bookkeep reads these columns by header name:
| Column Header | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Product Paid by Customer | Product amount paid by the end customer |
| Shipping Paid by Customer | Shipping paid by the end customer |
| D&T Paid by Customer | Duties & Taxes paid by the end customer |
| Total Order Value | Sum of the above three columns |
| Base for Service Fee | The base amount on which the service fee percentage is applied |
| Service Fee Percentage | The percentage rate (e.g., 0.03 = 3%) |
| Service Fee | Calculated service fee amount |
| Base for Reconciliation Fee | The base amount for reconciliation fee calculation |
| Reconciliation Fee Percentage | The percentage rate for reconciliation fee |
| Reconciliation Fee | Calculated reconciliation fee amount |
Products Tab
Each row is a product line item within an order. Bookkeep reads these columns by header name:
| Column Header | Used For |
|---|---|
| GE Order# | Links this product line to its order |
| Date Created | When the order was placed |
| Date Received In Hub | The date used for daily summary grouping |
| Merchant Order# | Your internal order number |
| Destination Country | Where the order shipped to |
| Delivery Method | Shipping method used |
| Quantity | Units sold |
| Product | Product name (rows with "Total:" are skipped) |
| SKU | Product SKU |
| Product Reference | Product category/reference (used for product-level sub-totals in the journal) |
| Gross Item Price | Full retail price before discounts |
| Total Product Discount | Discount amount applied |
| Net Item Price | Gross Item Price minus discounts. This is the key sales amount. |
ShippingPerParcel Tab
Each row represents a shipping parcel. Bookkeep reads these columns by header name:
| Column Header | Used For |
|---|---|
| GE Order# | Links to the associated order |
| Merchant Order# | Your internal order number |
| Destination Country | Used for country-level sub-totals |
| Date Received In Hub | Date used for daily summary grouping |
| Shipping Paid By Customer | Shipping income (what the customer paid for shipping) |
| Shipping Cost | Total cost of shipping the parcel |
| Shipping Subsidies | The portion of shipping cost paid by the merchant (you) |
| Total Duties and Taxes | Total duties and taxes on this parcel |
| Taxes Recoup | Duties/taxes that were embedded in the product price |
| Duties Paid By Customer | Duties that the customer paid separately |
| Handling Fee | Per-parcel handling fee |
RefundsComponents Tab
| Column Header | Used For |
|---|---|
| GE Order# | Links to the original order |
| Refund Id | Unique refund identifier |
| Refund Date Created | Date used for daily grouping when no hub date exists |
| Refund Reason | Why the refund was issued |
| Refund Status | Current status of the refund |
| Refund Component | What part of the order was refunded |
| Refund Amount | The refund dollar amount |
Returns Tab
| Column Header | Used For |
|---|---|
| GE Order# | Links to the original order |
| RMA Number | Return merchandise authorization number |
| Total Return Cost Merchant Currency | The cost of the return in your currency |
How the Daily Summary Is Calculated
Bookkeep groups all order data by Date Received In Hub (for orders and shipping) or Refund Date Created (for refunds when no hub date exists). For each day, it calculates the amounts below.
Step 1: Start with Net Item Price from the Products Tab
The starting point is the Net Item Price column from the Products tab. This is already net of discounts:
Net Item Price = Gross Item Price - Total Product Discount
Step 2: Remove Tax, Duties, and Shipping from Product Amounts
The Net Item Price on the Products tab includes amounts that are not truly product revenue. It contains:
- Shipping amounts that the customer paid (which belong in a separate "Shipping Income" line)
- Duties that the customer paid (which belong in a separate "Duties" line)
- Taxes/duties that were embedded in the product price ("Taxes Recoup" from the ShippingPerParcel tab)
To get to the true Product Revenue, Bookkeep subtracts these:
Product Revenue = Sum of Net Item Price (Products tab) - Shipping Paid by Customer (from order records) - Duties Paid by Customer (from order records) - Taxes Recoup (from ShippingPerParcel tab)
Step 3: Understand Shipping Subsidies
Shipping costs are split between the customer and the merchant:
Shipping Cost = Shipping Paid by Customer + Shipping Subsidies
- Shipping Paid by Customer = what the customer paid for shipping (shown as Shipping Income on the journal)
- Shipping Subsidies = what you (the merchant) paid for shipping (shown as Merchant Shipping Costs on the journal)
If a customer sees "Free Shipping" or discounted shipping, the difference between the actual shipping cost and what the customer paid is the Shipping Subsidy — your expense.
Step 4: Calculate Duties and Taxes
Duties and taxes are tracked two ways:
- Duties Paid by Customer = duties the customer paid at checkout (separate from the product price)
- Taxes Recoup = duties/taxes that were embedded in the product price (from ShippingPerParcel)
The total that Global-e paid on your behalf:
Duties & Taxes Paid (by merchant) = Duties Paid by Customer + Taxes Recoup
Step 5: Calculate Fees
Fees are calculated per order using the percentages from the Service Fee tab:
Per-Order Service Fee = (Net Item Price + Shipping Paid by Customer + Duties Paid by Customer) × Service Fee Percentage
Per-Order Recon Fee = (Net Item Price + Shipping Paid by Customer + Duties Paid by Customer) × Reconciliation Fee Percentage
These per-order fees are summed for the daily total.
Example: Spreadsheet to Journal Entry
Example Spreadsheet Data (Single Day: 2026-04-15)
Products Tab — 5 orders received in hub on April 15:
| GE Order# | Product Reference | Gross Item Price | Total Product Discount | Net Item Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE-1001 | Shirts | $150.00 | $0.00 | $150.00 |
| GE-1002 | Shirts | $80.00 | $10.00 | $70.00 |
| GE-1003 | Accessories | $45.00 | $0.00 | $45.00 |
| GE-1004 | Accessories | $60.00 | $5.00 | $55.00 |
| GE-1005 | Shirts | $200.00 | $20.00 | $180.00 |
| Totals | $535.00 | $35.00 | $500.00 |
ShippingPerParcel Tab — shipping details for the same orders:
| GE Order# | Shipping Paid By Customer | Shipping Cost | Shipping Subsidies | Total Duties and Taxes | Taxes Recoup | Duties Paid By Customer | Handling Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE-1001 | $12.00 | $20.00 | $8.00 | $18.75 | $12.50 | $6.25 | $1.00 |
| GE-1002 | $10.00 | $15.00 | $5.00 | $8.75 | $5.83 | $2.92 | $1.00 |
| GE-1003 | $0.00 | $12.00 | $12.00 | $5.63 | $3.75 | $1.88 | $0.50 |
| GE-1004 | $8.00 | $12.00 | $4.00 | $6.88 | $4.58 | $2.30 | $0.50 |
| GE-1005 | $15.00 | $25.00 | $10.00 | $22.50 | $15.00 | $7.50 | $2.00 |
| Totals | $45.00 | $84.00 | $39.00 | $62.51 | $41.66 | $20.85 | $5.00 |
RefundsComponents Tab — one refund on this date:
| GE Order# | Refund Date Created | Refund Amount |
|---|---|---|
| GE-0998 | 2026-04-15 | $25.00 |
Returns Tab — no returns on this date.
Service Fee Tab — fee percentages:
| Service Fee Percentage | Reconciliation Fee Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0.03 (3%) | 0.01 (1%) |
Calculation Walkthrough
1. Product Revenue
Net Item Price total (Products tab) $500.00 - Shipping Paid by Customer (order records) -$45.00 - Duties Paid by Customer (order records) -$20.85 - Taxes Recoup (ShippingPerParcel) -$41.66 -------- = Product Revenue $392.49
2. Shipping Income (what customers paid)
= $45.00
3. Duties Paid by Customer
= $20.85
4. Duties Included in Price (Taxes Recoup)
= $41.66
5. Refunds
= $25.00
6. Returns
= $0.00
7. Duties & Taxes Paid by Merchant
= Duties Paid by Customer + Taxes Recoup = $20.85 + $41.66 = $62.51
8. Merchant Shipping Costs (Shipping Subsidies)
= $39.00
9. Service Fees (3% of base per order, summed)
Base per order = Net Item Price + Shipping Paid by Customer + Duties Paid by Customer
Total base = $500.00 + $45.00 + $20.85 = $565.85
Service Fee = $565.85 × 3% = $16.98
10. Reconciliation Fees (1% of base)
= $565.85 × 1% = $5.66
11. Handling Fees
= $5.00
12. Due from Global-e (Accounts Receivable)
Total Credits - All Expenses = AR balance
Resulting Journal Entry
| Line | Description | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Product Revenue (Net of Tax/Duties/Shipping) | $392.49 | |
| — Shirts | ($313.43) | ||
| — Accessories | ($79.06) | ||
| 2 | Shipping Income | $45.00 | |
| 3 | Duties & Taxes Income (Paid by Customer) | $20.85 | |
| 4 | Duties Included in Price (Taxes Recoup) | $41.66 | |
| Total Credits | $500.00 | ||
| 5 | Refunds | $25.00 | |
| 6 | Returns | $0.00 | |
| 7 | Duties & Taxes Paid (Merchant Expense) | $62.51 | |
| 8 | Shipping Costs - Merchant (Subsidies) | $39.00 | |
| 9 | Service Fees | $16.98 | |
| 10 | Reconciliation Fees | $5.66 | |
| 11 | Handling Fees | $5.00 | |
| 12 | Due from Global-e (AR) | $350.85 | |
| Total Debits | $500.00 |
The journal always balances: Total Credits = Total Debits.
The Due from Global-e line is the plug — it represents the net amount Global-e owes you after subtracting all fees, refunds, returns, and expenses from your total revenue.
Quick Reference: Key Formulas
| What | Formula |
|---|---|
| Product Revenue | Sum(Net Item Price) - Sum(Shipping Paid by Customer on orders) - Sum(Duties Paid by Customer on orders) - Sum(Taxes Recoup from ShippingPerParcel) |
| Shipping Income | Sum(Shipping Paid by Customer) across all records |
| Shipping Subsidies (Merchant Cost) | Sum(Shipping Subsidies) from ShippingPerParcel |
| Shipping Validation | Shipping Paid by Customer + Shipping Subsidies must equal Shipping Cost |
| Duties & Taxes Paid (Merchant) | Sum(Duties Paid by Customer) + Sum(Taxes Recoup) |
| Duties Validation | Duties Paid by Customer + Taxes Recoup must equal Total Duties and Taxes |
| Per-Order Fee Base | Net Item Price + Shipping Paid by Customer + Duties Paid by Customer |
| Service Fee | Fee Base × Service Fee Percentage |
| Reconciliation Fee | Fee Base × Reconciliation Fee Percentage |
| Due from Global-e | Total Credits - (Refunds + Returns + Duties Paid + Shipping Subsidies + Service Fees + Recon Fees + Handling Fees) |
Why Product Revenue Looks Lower Than Net Item Price
The most common source of confusion: the Net Item Price on the Products tab is $500.00, but Product Revenue in the journal is only $392.49.
That's because Net Item Price includes:
- Shipping the customer paid ($45.00) — moved to the Shipping Income line
- Duties the customer paid ($20.85) — moved to the Duties Income line
- Taxes embedded in the price ($41.66) — moved to the Duties Included in Price line
All of this money is still accounted for — it just appears on separate lines in the journal instead of being lumped into product revenue. The total credits ($500.00) still match the full Net Item Price.
Why Shipping Costs Don't Show the Full Shipping Cost
This is the most common question about the Global-e journal entry. When you look at your P&L, you see two shipping lines:
- GlobalE Shipping Income (credit/revenue) — what the customer paid for shipping
- GlobalE Shipping Costs (debit/expense) — the shipping subsidy (what the merchant paid)
You do not see a single line for the full actual shipping cost. Here's why.