Amazon FBA Bookkeeping in Google Sheets
Proper bookkeeping is essential for Amazon FBA sellers to track true profitability after all fees, costs, and expenses. This guide shows you how to set up a complete Amazon FBA bookkeeping system in Google Sheets with automated transaction imports.
Why Amazon FBA Needs Specialized Bookkeeping
Amazon FBA has unique expenses that generic bookkeeping systems miss:
- Amazon Referral Fees - 15% commission on most categories (varies by category)
- FBA Fulfillment Fees - Storage, picking, packing, and shipping costs
- Long-Term Storage Fees - Charges for inventory in Amazon warehouses over 365 days
- Advertising Costs - Amazon PPC (Sponsored Products, Brands, Display)
- Product Costs (COGS) - Supplier costs, shipping to Amazon, prep services
- Returns & Reimbursements - Lost or damaged inventory claims
Hidden Costs Add Up
Many FBA sellers think they're profitable until they add up all fees. Amazon fees typically range from 30-45% of your selling price. Your spreadsheet needs to track every fee to calculate true net profit.
Essential Sheets for Your FBA Bookkeeping System
Set up these tabs in your Google Sheets workbook:
1. Sales & Revenue Sheet
Track every order with: Order ID, Date, Product, Units Sold, Selling Price, Total Revenue
Import from Amazon Seller Central settlement reports or sync bank deposits via SheetLink
2. COGS & Inventory Sheet
Track: Product, Supplier, Unit Cost, Quantity Purchased, Shipping to Amazon, Total COGS
Link to supplier invoices stored in Google Drive
3. Amazon Fees Sheet
Track: Date, Fee Type (Referral/FBA/Storage), Amount, Related Order/Product
Download from Amazon Seller Central Transaction View or sync bank charges
4. Operating Expenses Sheet
Track: Date, Category, Description, Amount (PPC, software, VA, shipping supplies, etc.)
Auto-import business bank/credit card transactions with SheetLink
5. Profit & Loss Dashboard
Summary sheet calculating: Gross Revenue, COGS, Amazon Fees, Operating Expenses, Net Profit
Uses formulas to pull from other sheets and calculate margins
Calculating True Amazon FBA Profit
Here's the correct profit calculation formula:
FBA Profit Calculation
| Gross Sales | $50,000 | |
| - Amazon Referral Fees (15%) | =Gross Sales * 0.15 | -$7,500 |
| - FBA Fulfillment Fees | =SUM(FBA Fees) | -$8,000 |
| = Net Revenue | $34,500 | |
| - Cost of Goods Sold | =SUM(COGS) | -$15,000 |
| = Gross Profit | $19,500 | |
| - Amazon PPC Ads | =SUMIF(Category,"PPC") | -$6,000 |
| - Storage Fees | =SUMIF(Fee Type,"Storage") | -$500 |
| - Other Expenses | =SUM(Other) | -$2,000 |
| = Net Profit | $11,000 | |
| Net Margin | =Net Profit / Gross Sales | 22% |
Automating Transaction Imports with SheetLink
Manual data entry from Amazon Seller Central is time-consuming and error-prone. Use SheetLink to automatically sync business expenses:
- Connect your business bank account - Link the account where Amazon deposits your payouts
- Connect business credit cards - Link cards used for supplier payments, PPC ads, and business expenses
- Sync to your Operating Expenses sheet - All business transactions automatically appear in your bookkeeping sheet
- Categorize transactions - Tag expenses as COGS, PPC, Software, etc.
What About Amazon Fees?
Amazon fees are deducted before your payout, so they won't appear in your bank transactions. Download monthly settlement reports from Seller Central and manually import those fees into your Amazon Fees sheet, or use accounting software like A2X that automatically syncs Amazon data.
Key Metrics to Track
Monitor these metrics monthly in your P&L Dashboard:
| Metric | Formula | Good Target |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | (Revenue - COGS - Amazon Fees) / Revenue | 40-50% |
| Net Margin | Net Profit / Revenue | 15-25% |
| ACoS | Ad Spend / Ad Sales | <25% |
| TACoS | Ad Spend / Total Sales | <10% |
| Inventory Turnover | COGS / Average Inventory Value | 6-8x per year |
Tax Preparation for FBA Sellers
Proper bookkeeping makes tax time much easier:
- Separate business and personal - Use dedicated business accounts
- Track quarterly estimated taxes - Set aside 25-30% of profit for taxes
- Deductible expenses - COGS, Amazon fees, PPC ads, software, home office, shipping supplies, mileage
- Sales tax nexus - Amazon collects sales tax, but you may need to file returns in multiple states
- Inventory accounting method - Choose FIFO, LIFO, or weighted average (consult CPA)
When to Upgrade from Spreadsheets
Google Sheets works well for most FBA sellers, but consider dedicated FBA accounting software when:
- You're doing over $500K/year in revenue
- You have 50+ SKUs to track
- You sell on multiple marketplaces (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, eBay, Shopify)
- You need real-time P&L by product
Popular FBA accounting tools: A2X (Amazon to QuickBooks/Xero), Link My Books, Finale Inventory
Automate Your FBA Expense Tracking
SheetLink automatically syncs business bank accounts and credit cards to Google Sheets. Perfect for tracking supplier payments, PPC charges, and operating expenses. $39.99/year.
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