GST / HST
Preparing a GST/HST report from WooCommerce orders
If you need a GST/HST report from WooCommerce, begin with the tax lines attached to orders and refunds. The goal is a clear record of what the store recorded, with enough detail to explain every total to the person preparing your return.
The short answer
TaxPack groups stored WooCommerce tax lines using your rate-ID mappings. Map GST and HST separately, choose the report period and province address source, then review order tax and signed refund tax by currency and province. Export the supporting records alongside the summary.
Keep GST and HST identifiable
TaxPack classifies each stored rate ID into a reporting category you select. Several IDs can map to GST, and several others can map to HST. This lets you retain the original IDs and labels in the tax-line export while organizing the summary into recognizable categories.
An HST line stays an HST line. TaxPack does not split it into invented federal and provincial components. Likewise, a tax-free-looking order is not proof of an exemption: it is an order with no recorded tax, which may need investigation.
Review the IDs used by older orders as well as those in current settings. An unmapped historical ID can explain a missing amount in the category you expected, even when the overall recorded amount is still present under UNMAPPED.
Make the period and status choices explicit
TaxPack uses order creation dates, not payment dates. The start and end dates are inclusive in the store timezone. Its default order statuses are processing, completed, and refunded; review your selection for the report you are preparing.
Refunds are selected by their own creation dates independently of the parent order’s status. A refund in October can therefore appear in October’s report even if the original order was created in September. Tell your accountant about this date basis before comparing the output with another system.
A simple GST/HST reconciliation example
These fictional CAD figures illustrate the report arithmetic. They are not tax rates or amounts to enter on a return.
| Group | Order tax | Signed refund tax | Net recorded tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB / GST | 350.00 | −15.00 | 335.00 |
| ON / HST | 780.00 | −65.00 | 715.00 |
For the Alberta group, 350.00 plus −15.00 gives 335.00. For the Ontario group, 780.00 plus −65.00 gives 715.00. Each group retains its source event IDs. Shipping tax is already part of these amounts, and a stored discount’s tax effect must not be deducted again.
Investigate differences before changing a total
- Check that both reports use the same dates, timezone, order statuses, and currency.
- Look for refund events whose original orders fall outside the period.
- Review UNMAPPED rate IDs and UNRESOLVED provinces.
- Compare recorded order-level tax with the tax-line total and inspect any flagged difference.
- Check whether a payment-provider report includes settlement delays, fees, or other amounts outside this report’s scope.
Do not force the tax summary to match a bank deposit. It describes stored tax records rather than cash received. Keep an explanation of a difference with the report instead of silently editing away an exception.
A store report is one input to return preparation
The Canada Revenue Agency describes input-tax credits in relation to eligible business purchases and expenses. Those purchase-side records are separate from the sales tax lines in your WooCommerce store.
TaxPack does not calculate input-tax credits, determine filing obligations, or produce a tax-payable figure. Send the summary and its supporting CSVs to your accountant along with any other records they need. The English and French worksheets organize the review; they do not replace an official return.
Official references
These guides explain reporting workflows. TaxPack does not provide tax advice, calculate tax payable, or file returns.