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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.

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## 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.

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## 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 |

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## 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** |

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## 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.

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## 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.

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## 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) |

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## 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:

1. **Shipping** the customer paid ($45.00) — moved to the Shipping Income line
2. **Duties** the customer paid ($20.85) — moved to the Duties Income line
3. **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.

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## 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.