Description: Learn about the key metrics you will find across DataNow reports. Understanding how each figure is calculated will help you interpret your sales data accurately, avoid common misinterpretations, and reconcile DataNow figures against external sources such as processor or gateway reports.
The most important thing to know before you start: When comparing DataNow figures to your payment processor or gateway reports, always use Amount Settled — not Gross Sales or Net Sales. This is the most common source of reconciliation confusion and is covered in detail below.
Note: Before reviewing sales metrics, it is important to understand that items are configured as either tax exclusive or tax inclusive. This affects how several metrics are calculated.
| Tax Type | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Tax Exclusive | Tax is calculated separately and added on top of the item price at checkout. |
| Tax Inclusive | Tax is already built into the item price — what the guest sees is what they pay. |
Where tax treatment affects a calculation, both versions are shown below.
Note: All timestamps in DataNow are displayed in the timezone configured in your DataNow viewer settings. You can review and adjust this in the top-right corner of any report. If you are reviewing data across venues in different timezones, confirm the viewer timezone is set correctly before drawing conclusions from date-filtered reports.
Core Sales Metrics
Gross Sales
What it is: The total value of all sales before any refunds or discounts are applied. For tax-exclusive items, tax is included in this number. For tax-inclusive items, tax is embedded in the item price.
How it is calculated:
| Tax Type | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Tax Exclusive | (Item Price + Tax) x Quantity Sold |
| Tax Inclusive | Item Price x Quantity Sold |
| Scenario | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Tax Exclusive: $5.00 item, $0.20 tax, qty 5 | ($5.00 + $0.20) x 5 | $26.00 |
| Tax Inclusive: $6.00 item, qty 10 | $6.00 x 10 | $60.00 |
When to use it: Gross Sales gives you the broadest view of total sales activity. Use it to understand top-line revenue before adjustments. It is not the right figure to compare against your processor or gateway settlement reports. Tips and service charges are not included in Gross Sales.
Net Sales
What it is: The total value of sales after refunds and discounts have been applied. For tax-exclusive items, tax is not included in this number. For tax-inclusive items, tax is extracted out of the item price.
Note: In the calculation below, discounts are added rather than subtracted because discount values are stored as negative numbers in the system.
How it is calculated:
| Tax Type | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Tax Exclusive | ((Item Price + Discounts) - Refunds) x Quantity Sold |
| Tax Inclusive | ((Item Price + Discounts) - Tax - Refunds) x Quantity Sold |
| Scenario | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Tax Exclusive: $5.00 item, -$0.50 discount, $1.00 refund, qty 5 | (($5.00 + -$0.50) - $1.00) x 5 | $17.50 |
| Tax Inclusive: $6.00 item, -$0.50 discount, $0.20 tax, $1.00 refund, qty 10 | (($6.00 + -$0.50) - $0.20 - $1.00) x 10 | $43.00 |
When to use it: Net Sales is the most accurate representation of realized revenue from sales activity. Use it for operational reporting and comparing revenue across periods. It is not the right figure to compare against your processor or gateway settlement reports.
Important: Gross Sales vs. Net Sales — Common Confusion: Gross Sales includes tax (for tax-exclusive items) and excludes refunds and discounts. Net Sales excludes tax and includes the impact of refunds and discounts. Neither figure will match your processor settlement report. For payment reconciliation, always use Amount Settled.
Discounts
What it is: The total value of discounts applied to orders after accounting for any refunded discounts.
How it is calculated: Total Discounts - Refunded Discounts
Example: $30.00 in discounts - $15.00 refunded discounts = $15.00 net discounts
When to use it: Use Discounts to evaluate the financial impact of promotions. This figure reflects only discounts that were applied to completed, non-refunded transactions. For a deeper breakdown of discount activity by promotion name, revenue center, or employee, refer to the F&B Sales report.
Refunds
What it is: The total value of refunds processed, including the tax component of those refunded items.
How it is calculated: (Refunded Item Price + Tax) x Refunded Item Quantity
Example: ($5.00 item + $0.20 tax) x 2 items = $10.40 in refunds
When to use it: Use Refunds to monitor the volume and value of post-sale returns. A high refund rate relative to Gross Sales may indicate operational issues, guest experience problems, or employee misuse. Refund details including approver name and reason are available in the F&B Sales report.
Refunds vs. Voids: A Refund occurs after an order has been completed and payment has been settled. A Void occurs before the order is completed — no payment is taken or the payment is reversed before settlement. Both reduce overall sales figures but are tracked separately in DataNow.
Net Tax
What it is: The total tax collected after subtracting any tax that was refunded.
How it is calculated: Total Tax - Refunded Tax
Example: $0.50 total tax - $0.25 refunded tax = $0.25 net tax
When to use it: This figure reflects only the tax that was retained after all refunds are accounted for. For tax-inclusive items, tax is embedded in the item price and extracted from Net Sales rather than added on top.
Service Charge
What it is: The total value of service charges collected after subtracting any refunded service charges.
How it is calculated: Total Service Charges - Refunded Service Charges
Example: $500.00 - $20.00 = $480.00 net service charge
When to use it: Service charges are automatically applied based on your venue configuration and appear as a separate line item in sales reports. Service charges are not included in Gross Sales or Net Sales — they are tracked as a standalone metric. Service charges are not the same as tips.
Tips
What it is: The total tip amount collected after subtracting any refunded tips.
How it is calculated: Total Tips - Refunded Tips
Example: $5.00 - $1.00 = $4.00 net tips
When to use it: Use Tips to review gratuity totals by employee, revenue center, or service type. Tips are not included in Gross Sales or Net Sales — they are tracked separately. Tip reporting by employee is available in the F&B Sales, and Sales Hub reports.
Payment Metrics
These metrics relate to payment transactions rather than sales activity. They are the correct figures to use when reconciling DataNow against your payment processor or gateway reports.
Amount Authorized
What it is: The total amount that was approved by the payment processor to be charged for a transaction. This is not the final charged amount.
How it is calculated: Total Authorized Amount - Authorized Refunded Amount
Example: $400.00 authorized - $100.00 authorized refund = $300.00 net authorized
When to use it: Amount Authorized represents the hold placed on a guest's payment method at the time of purchase. Authorization amounts include tax, tips, donations and service charges. Because authorizations can differ from final settlement amounts — particularly when tips are added after authorization — this figure will not always match Amount Settled.
Amount Settled
What it is: The total amount that was actually charged to the guest's payment method and processed for settlement.
How it is calculated: Total Settled Amount - Refunded Settlement Amount
Example: $500.00 settled - $20.00 refunded = $480.00 net settled
When to use it: Amount Settled is the definitive payment figure and the correct metric to use when reconciling DataNow against your payment processor or gateway reports. Settlement amounts include Net Sales + Service Charges + Donations + Tax + Tips.
Important: This is the most important distinction in DataNow reporting: if your DataNow figures do not match your processor report, confirm you are comparing Amount Settled — not Gross Sales or Net Sales.
| Metric | Includes Tax | Includes Tips | Includes Service Charge | Includes Discounts | Use For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Sales | Yes (tax-exclusive only) | No | No | No | Top-line sales overview |
| Net Sales | No | No | No | Yes | Realized revenue reporting |
| Service Charge | N/A | No | N/A | No | Service charge tracking |
| Tips | N/A | N/A | No | No | Gratuity tracking |
| Amount Authorized | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Pre-settlement payment review |
| Amount Settled | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Gateway & processor reconciliation |
Quick Reference Summary
| Metric | Tax Included | Tips Included | Service Charge Included | Discounts Applied | Refunds Applied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Sales | Yes (tax-exclusive) | No | No | No | No |
| Net Sales | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Average Order Amount | Yes (tax-exclusive) | No | No | No | No |
| Net Tax | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Service Charge | N/A | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Tips | N/A | N/A | No | No | Yes |
| Discounts | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Refunds | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Amount Authorized | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Amount Settled | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't my Gross Sales match my processor settlement report?
Gross Sales and settlement amounts measure different things. Gross Sales reflects the value of items sold (including tax for tax-exclusive items), before discounts and refunds, and excludes tips and service charges. Your processor report reflects what was actually charged and settled, including tips, service charges, and donations. Always use Amount Settled for processor reconciliation.
Why is my Net Sales lower than my Gross Sales?
Net Sales excludes tax and reflects the impact of discounts and refunds. Gross Sales includes tax (for tax-exclusive items) and does not deduct discounts or refunds. The difference between the two represents your combined tax, discount, and refund activity for the selected period. Service charges and tips are excluded from both figures.
Why do my tips and service charges not appear in Gross or Net Sales?
Tips and service charges are collected separately from the item sale and are not included in either Gross or Net Sales. They are each tracked as standalone metrics and are included in Amount Authorized and Amount Settled.
Why does Amount Authorized sometimes differ from Amount Settled?
Authorization is the hold placed at the time of purchase. Settlement is the final charge. These can differ when tips are added after the initial authorization, when partial refunds are processed, or when an authorization expires before settlement completes.
What is the difference between a Refund and a Void?
A refund occurs after an order is completed and payment has settled. A void occurs before completion — the payment is cancelled before it reaches settlement. Both are tracked in DataNow but appear in different report sections.
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