Profit and Loss - Cash basis

In addition to the standard, accrual-basis profit and loss page, you can include a cash-basis profit and loss page within your report. This page shows the revenue, cost of sales and OPEX values based on payments and receipts.

Please note that due to differences in how each accounting system handles cash data, the information used for this report is different depending on the accounting system you're linking to. For Xero, QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, the information used is taken from the cash trial balance. For MYOB and Sage 50 Accounts, we calculate the cash values based on cash receipt, payment, credit and refund transactions. General journals are not included, as these can be wholly or partially accrual based. This may result in unexpected values if linking to MYOB or Sage 50 Accounts - if this happens, we recommend using the accrual basis report.

• The page types available
• To add a cash basis Profit and Loss page
• To check if your profit and loss is accrual or cash basis
• To amend the page

The page types available

You can choose the Cash option for all of the profit and loss page types within Spotlight Reporting and Spotlight Multi. The option is available in both the old style layouts and the new account groupings pages.

• Profit and Loss Analysis
• Tracking Profit and Loss Analysis (individual organisations only)
• Entity Analysis

To add a cash basis Profit and Loss page

Note: Existing profit and loss pages cannot be switched to cash basis.

1. From the Customise Layout tab, click Add Page.
2. From the Page Type screen, choose the profit and loss page you want to add.
3. For the Page Basis setting, select the Cash option.
   
   

4. If required, amend the page name and choose the page after which you want to place the new one, then click Save.

To check if your profit and loss is accrual or cash basis

If your report already contains a profit and loss page, you can quickly check the basis of the report from within the page settings.

1. From the Customise Layout tab, click to customise the profit and loss page.
2. Click Show Settings.
3. The 'Page Basis' section then shows whether the page is Cash or Accrual based.
   
   Note: If the Page Basis option doesn't appear, your profit and loss page was added to the report before the cash basis options were available, and is an accrual-based page.
   
   

To amend the page

Once you've added the Cash basis profit and loss page, you can amend it using the same methods as working with the accrual basis report. You can find further information on this here.

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