Profit & Loss setup

Five steps. Then you can stop.

Set up the facts that affect profit. Leave the advanced tools alone until you need them.

Open Profit & Loss Start the guide
Start with Last 30 days Paid orders Products lens
Required

Set up these five things

Do them in order. Each step answers one question.

1
Forms

Which sales belong in this report?

Required

Open each form’s Form Settings → Profit & Loss. Turn on only the forms you want included.

RecommendedStart with one form

It is easier to spot missing costs before combining everything.

LaterAdd the rest

Use All P&L forms when each form is ready.

2
Product costs

What does one unit cost you?

Required

Add the cost to make or buy one sellable unit. This is not the selling price.

  • Use the product’s P&L tab or Missing Costs.
  • Add a cost for every variant you sell.
  • Leave a cost blank if you truly do not know it. EZFormz will mark profit incomplete instead of guessing.
Old orders do not change automatically.A new catalogue cost applies to future orders. Preview an old-order update before applying it to history.
3
Shipping

Should shipping make or lose profit?

Important

Use the guided recommendation on the P&L page. Pick the first statement that matches your records.

A

I have actual postage for every applicable orderUse Actual shipping economics. EZFormz subtracts recorded postage and optional insurance.

B

I do not have reliable postage costsUse Pass-through. Shipping collected is neutralized instead of being counted as profit.

C

I record postage myselfUse a saved cost on each order or shipping expenses for the report period.

Avoid “Assume no shipping cost”Use it only when shipping truly costs you $0. Otherwise it can overstate profit.
4
Payment fees

What does each payment method charge?

Required for Orders

In Settings → Payment Fee Rules, enter the fee charged by your payment processor.

Start hereSet one account default

Choose None, Flat, Percent, or Percent + flat.

Only if differentAdd an override

Override one form or payment method when its fee differs.

No fee?Confirm None. Unconfigured means unknown—not $0.
5
Coverage

Is the answer safe to use?

Final check

Open Overview → Coverage. Fix warnings in this order:

  1. 1
    Product costsResolve missing costs that affect the period.
  2. 2
    Shipping costsConfirm the formula matches your records.
  3. 3
    Payment feesReview every method used in the period.
  4. 4
    Refunds and data qualityResolve anything marked Needs review.
Stop here

Your basic setup is ready when…

✓

The right forms are included.

✓

Important product costs are present.

✓

Shipping matches how you pay postage.

✓

Payment methods have reviewed fee rules.

✓

You understand any remaining warning.

✓

The displayed formula makes sense.

You do not need to configure saved views, schedules, custom categories, exports, or Google Sheets to use P&L.

Use my report
Reading P&L

Choose the question you are asking

Products

Did my products make money?

Product sales − discounts/refunds − product costs

Use for pricing and product decisions.
Orders

What did my orders contribute?

Product profit + shipping profit/loss − payment fees

Use for order and fulfillment decisions.
Business

What remains after other expenses?

Order contribution + other income − other expenses

Use for the broadest management view.

What the status means

CompleteRequired facts are available.

EstimatedA confirmed estimate or policy is used.

IncompleteA required fact is missing. It is not treated as $0.

Needs reviewResolve the named issue before relying on it.

Optional

Add these only when they help

Expenses

Add overhead, supplies, software, or one-off corrections.

Saved views

Remember filters and controls. Totals always refresh from live data.

Comparisons

Compare this period with the prior period or prior year.

Exports

Create CSV, Excel, or print/PDF reports.

Snapshots

Freeze one generated report for 30 days.

Schedules

Email the owner a secure link to a stable saved view.

Only when needed

Advanced help

Open only the topic you need.

Older orders are missing product costsHistorical costs and backfills
  • Saving a catalogue cost affects future orders.
  • Use Preview old-order update to see exactly what would change.
  • Apply only if that cost is reasonable for those historical orders.
  • Edit individual orders when historical costs were different.
An expense may already be countedAvoid duplicate shipping, fee, insurance, or refund costs
  • Replacement: use this instead of an existing cost.
  • Supplemental: add this on top of an existing cost.
  • Independent: separate overhead.
  • Already counted: keep it visible but exclude it from totals.
Report assumptionsOrder, date, category, shipping, and insurance choices
  • Paid orders + settled date: recommended for normal reporting.
  • Submitted orders + created date: use for booked or expected orders.
  • Saved category: preserves the category recorded with the order.
  • Current category: reorganizes history using today’s catalogue.
  • Change one assumption at a time and reread the formula.
Saved views, snapshots, and schedulesKnow what changes and what stays frozen
  • A saved view remembers controls—not totals.
  • A snapshot freezes one generated report for 30 days.
  • A schedule uses one exact saved-view version and emails only the account owner.
  • If the view or access changes, delivery stops for review.
Switching between previous and new P&LYour data does not move or disappear
  • Both versions read the same orders, costs, settings, and saved financial facts.
  • Switching changes presentation only.
  • It never changes buyer totals or charges.
  • V2-only saved views and schedules remain stored if you temporarily return to V1.