Shopify payout close guide
Handle Shopify refunds, disputes, and month-boundary exceptions without guessing
An exception is not a nuisance to hide so the month turns green. It is evidence that the ordinary rule is insufficient. Keep the source row, identify the missing decision, and allocate only after a reviewer can support the treatment.
Reviewed September 17, 2026
Separate source facts from policy
The export can establish a transaction type, date, amount, fee, payout relationship, and order reference where present. It cannot always establish which revenue, tax, receivable, reserve, or prior-period account should receive the effect. That second question is accounting policy and ledger context.
Use reviewed allocation for supported exceptions
When the engine identifies an allocatable exception, the reviewer can break its exact amount into allowed account roles and attach a rationale. The components must add to the source amount. The tool retains the allocation as a human-reviewed decision and reruns the close; it never invents an order destination or account.
- Open the source context and confirm the exact transaction.
- Locate the order, refund, dispute, or processor evidence that explains it.
- Determine the policy and period with the authorized reviewer.
- Enter only the supported components and keep the rationale with the workpaper.
Respect month boundaries
Transaction date, payout date, bank date, refund date, and accounting period can differ. Do not move a row merely to make the current month balance. Use the store timezone, opening/closing Shopify Payments balances, transit control, and source-specific policy to explain the boundary.
Stop when evidence is insufficient
Unsupported transaction classes, incomplete sources, ambiguous matches, impossible chronology, or a remaining control difference stay blocking. The right output may be a finding list and no journal. Obtain the missing source or professional decision, then rerun; do not weaken the rule so a package can be sold.