Common Accounting Mistakes Restaurant Owners Make

Here are ten checks when sales, payments and accounting seem inconsistent. Start with a specific receipt or voucher and compare the same restaurant, date and amount.

1. Wrong product group or service mode gives wrong VAT

VAT follows the product group and current service mode. Check Meny → Produkter → Alla artiklar and Varugrupp. Review the group under Bokföring → Verifikat & export → Varugrupper and settings under Bokföring → Moms. Changing menu settings does not automatically correct old receipts.

2. Purchase costs are missing from profitability analysis

Current cost information is needed to assess food costs and margins. Compare product costs with purchases. An analysis cost field does not replace bookkeeping of the supplier invoice.

3. Daily closing or voucher is missing

Check Bokföring → Dagsavslut → X/Z-rapporter, then Verifikat & export → Verifikat. Automatic Z settings are under Dagsavslut → Automatisk Z. Investigate missing reports using dates and receipts; a day without sales does not call for an invented POS purchase.

4. Cash counting is confused with accounting

Count through Växelkassa → Räkna kassa or Stäng pass in the POS menu. Compare the same shift, including deposits, withdrawals and returns. Record discrepancy notes. Saving a count does not automatically book its discrepancy on 3740.

5. Gift card issuance is treated as ordinary goods revenue

Vendion’s multi-purpose cards create gift card liability at issuance. Redemption records revenue and VAT on the items. Reconcile liability with issuance, redemption, returns and expiry; monthly card sales are not remaining balances.

6. Records never reach the books — or arrive twice

Assign responsibility for export or checking Fortnox transfers. For a range, use Dagsavslut → Periodrapport → Från/Till → Visa period → Ladda ner SIE. Record the import. Do not send the same Z voucher by direct integration and SIE without reconciling.

7. Charts of accounts do not match

Review Verifikat & export → Kontoplan with your accountant before the first transfer. Compare revenue, VAT, payment, gift card and fee accounts. Save and inspect an actual voucher. Account changes do not automatically update existing vouchers.

8. Card receivables are confused with bank or cash

Vendion defaults to 1580 for card receivables,1930 for bank,1910 for cash and 1581 for Swish. Card payouts can cover multiple days and be reduced by fees. Check settlement records before concluding sales are wrong.

9. Discounts and payment benefits are treated alike

Register price discounts on the order before payment so receipt and charged amount describe the same purchase. Loyalty and stamp rewards can appear as discounts or payment methods depending on the flow. Check the actual order and accounting records before assuming their effect on VAT or discount accounts.

10. Invoice status is mistaken for bank reconciliation

Under Försäljning → Fakturering → Underlag, Markera betald updates the base’s status. First verify payment and matching in the bookkeeping system. Track partial payments and bad debts there rather than hiding them by marking an entire base paid.

Getting help

Collect restaurant, date, receipt or voucher number, amount and a description of the difference. Vendion support helps with product functions and records. Your accountant helps with account choices, corrections and returns. Check how to correct a filed VAT period before changing it.