How to calculate sales tax and add it to the total amount?

This is a common question from small shops and food businesses who have to charge sales tax. You need the tax on each order to be right and your customers need to see it before they pay. A Google Form cannot work out a percentage of the order amount, so you calculate the tax for every order by hand. With Neartail, you can add a Tax with your rate. Your customers will see the tax and the total amount to be paid as they order. Even better, your orders sync to Google Sheets, so you can share them with whoever does your accounts.

Let's start. Create your order form and follow the steps below.

How to calculate the taxes based on order amount?

  • On the page that opens, click "Enter your form name". Type your form's name, click Generate and wait about a minute.
  • Check the outline it suggests and click Proceed.
  • Once you create the form, you will land on the form's "Edit" tab. If it asks "Do you want to preview this form?", click No.
The tabs Edit, Preview, Share and Orders, with Edit marked
  • Your form comes with products, an Order Amount question that adds up by itself and an Order Quantity question. Click on each product and check its name and price, because a generated product can have no name and a price of 0.
If you know the tax rates that you need to charge your customers and pay the local tax authority, you can easily add them. Otherwise, you can check with your accountant to confirm the tax rates. Let's say the sales tax is 7%.
  • Click on the Order Quantity question, then click Add price field in the toolbar on the right
The form in the editor, with the Add price field icon marked in the toolbar on the right
  • Add price field screen will be displayed. Select Tax and click Next
The Add price field list, with Tax selected and Next marked
  • Check that Insert after says Order Quantity. If it does not, click the pencil and select it or the field will land where you last clicked, which can be in the middle of your products
  • Select Percentage % and click Next
The Tax settings with Insert after Order Quantity and Percentage % selected, marked with Next
  • Enter 7, check that Of says Order Amount and click Create
  • Field settings screen will be displayed. Click Save
The Percentage box with 7, Of Order Amount and the Create button marked

How to calculate the total amount including taxes?

Add a Net Amount price field. It adds the Tax by itself. Without it, the tax shows on the bill but your customers are not charged for it.
  • Click on the Tax question, then click Add price field. Select Net Amount and click Next
The Add price field list, with Net Amount selected and Next marked
  • Check that Insert after says Tax. Select Standard calculation using NETTOTAL() and click Next
The Net Amount settings with Insert after Tax and Standard calculation using NETTOTAL() selected, marked with Next
  • Click Create
  • Field settings screen will be displayed. Click Save
The Standard calculation box with NETTOTAL() and the Create button marked
Your customers will see the Order Amount, the Tax and the Net Amount to be paid as they order. Your customers pay the Net Amount.
The Bakery order form with two cupcakes ordered, Order Amount $20.00, Tax $1.40 and Net Amount $21.40

Summary

If you charge sales tax, a Google Form cannot calculate it from the order amount. With Neartail, you add a Tax with your rate and the form shows the tax and the total amount to be paid as your customers order. Create your order form and complete the steps above. If you have any questions, write to support.

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