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What this checklist is for
Canadian businesses may collect GST/HST and claim input tax credits (ITCs), subject to their circumstances and the accounting method. Some registrants use the CRA Quick Method; rules and treatment can differ. Cashflow Pilot records and reports can assist review but do not replace tax advice.
1. Confirm business tax settings
Check the business's tax status and registration details, fiscal period, province, and whether you are using an applicable tax method. Do not infer registration or eligibility from the presence of a tax category. Ask your accountant how transactions should be treated if using the Quick Method.
2. Review sales and credits
Compare invoices and credit notes with receivables and sales reports for the filing period. Inspect the tax treatment of exempt, zero-rated and taxable transactions and any adjustments. A suggestion from automatic categorization is not a tax determination.
3. Review purchases
Check that the supporting supplier invoice or receipt is present, the expense is business-related, and any ITC is eligible under the applicable rules. Do not treat every HST-looking amount as recoverable.
4. Cross-check totals
Illustrative arithmetic only: If taxable sales are $2,000 before a 13% tax, tax charged would be $260. That does not mean $260 is necessarily the net return amount: adjustments, ITCs, the Quick Method and provincial rules may affect what is owed.
5. Prepare the review package
- Export or save the relevant transaction, invoice and ledger reports.
- Separate supporting invoices and receipts from summary reports.
- List exceptions: questionable tax codes, missing source documents, credit notes and unusual entries.
- Confirm final reporting amounts and filing/payment responsibilities with an authorized preparer.
For official guidance, consult CRA GST/HST for businesses ↗. Also review accountant reports.
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