Tax Settings
Module: Settings | Platform: Web
Tax Settings lets you define the tax rates available across your Appello instance. Configured rates appear as options when creating invoices, estimates, and in the Default Tax Rate selector within Business Settings.
Navigation
Sidebar → Settings → Tax Settings
Overview
The Tax Settings page displays all tax rates configured for your organization. Each rate has a name, abbreviation, and percentage. Rates can be activated, archived, or searched. The default tax rate (used when creating new invoices or estimates) is set in Business Settings and pulls from this list.
Table Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Descriptive name for the tax rate (e.g. "HST", "No Tax"). |
| Abbreviation | Short code used in tables and invoices (e.g. "NT", "HST"). |
| Rate | The tax percentage applied. |
Actions
- Create Tax Rate — add a new tax rate with name, abbreviation, and percentage.
- Search — filter tax rates by name.
- Filter — toggle between All, Active, and Archived.
Creating a tax rate
- Click Create Tax Rate at the top of the Tax Settings page.
- Enter a Name — a descriptive label such as "HST – Ontario" or "GST".
- Enter an Abbreviation — a short code like "HST" or "GST" that will display on invoices and tables.
- Enter the Rate — the tax percentage (e.g., 13 for 13%).
- Click Save to add the rate to your active list.
The new rate immediately becomes available as an option on invoices, estimates, and other financial records.
Canadian tax configuration (HST / GST / PST)
Appello supports the tax structures used across Canadian provinces:
| Tax Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| HST | Harmonized Sales Tax — a combined federal/provincial rate used in ON, NB, NS, NL, PE. | 13% (Ontario) |
| GST | Goods and Services Tax — the federal component, used in provinces without HST. | 5% |
| PST | Provincial Sales Tax — the provincial component, used alongside GST in BC, SK, MB, QC. | 7% (BC) |
| QST | Quebec Sales Tax — Quebec's provincial tax, applied alongside GST. | 9.975% |
| No Tax | Zero-rate entry for exempt items or out-of-province work. | 0% |
To handle combined GST + PST scenarios, create separate tax rate entries for each component or a single combined entry depending on your invoicing requirements.
Applying tax rates to invoices and estimates
| Context | How tax is applied |
|---|---|
| Creating an Invoice | Select the applicable tax rate from the dropdown on the invoice form. The tax amount is calculated automatically based on the subtotal. |
| Creating an Estimate | Select the tax rate when adding line items. The estimate total reflects the tax calculation. |
| Default Tax Rate | Set in Business Settings, the default rate is pre-selected on new invoices and estimates. Users can override it per document. |
| Line-Item Tax | Some configurations allow different tax rates per line item for mixed-tax scenarios. |
| Expenses | When recording expenses, select the applicable tax rate to track input tax credits (ITCs). |
Applying tax rates to expenses
When entering expenses in Appello, selecting the correct tax rate ensures:
- Accurate tracking of input tax credits (ITCs) for GST/HST recovery.
- Proper categorization when expenses sync to QuickBooks or your accounting system.
- Consistent reporting in financial summaries and tax filings.
Managing tax rates
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Edit | Click a tax rate row to modify the name, abbreviation, or percentage. Changes apply to future documents only — existing invoices are not retroactively updated. |
| Archive | Archive a tax rate to remove it from the active dropdown while preserving it in historical records. |
| Restore | Restore an archived tax rate to make it available again. |
| Search | Use the search bar to quickly find a tax rate by name. |
| Filter | Toggle between All, Active, and Archived views. |
How tax settings connect to other features
| Feature | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Invoicing | Tax rates are selected on each invoice and used to calculate the tax amount and total. |
| Estimates | Estimates use tax rates to present accurate totals to customers before project approval. |
| Expenses | Expense entries reference tax rates for ITC tracking and accurate cost recording. |
| QuickBooks Integration | Appello tax rates are mapped to QuickBooks tax codes during integration setup. Mismatches can cause sync errors. |
| Business Settings | The default tax rate for your organization is configured in Business Settings and pulls from this list. |
| Billing Report | Tax amounts on invoices are reflected in billing and financial reports. |