Need to run a Sales Tax Liability Report in QuickBooks Online or Desktop? Follow easy steps or call +1‑866‑513‑4656 for assistance.

If your sales tax payments or filings don’t match your expected totals, missing or inaccurate numbers in the Sales Tax Liability Report in QuickBooks Online might be to blame. Many business owners find discrepancies after filing tax returns, only to realize their report wasn’t run or customized correctly. The good news — you can fix this quickly with the right steps, whether you use QuickBooks Online or Desktop.

Learn how to run a Sales Tax Liability Report in QuickBooks Online or Desktop to track sales tax accurately. Call +1‑866‑513‑4656 for help.

If your report still doesn’t match after following these steps, call +1‑866‑513‑4656 to connect with a QuickBooks Expert Team member for live assistance.

Why Your Sales Tax Liability Report May Be Incorrect

The Sales Tax Liability Report shows how much sales tax you owe based on taxable sales, tax collected, and adjustments. But incorrect setup or data entry issues can cause inaccurate results. Below are the most common causes.

1. Incorrect Tax Agency or Tax Rate Setup

If a new tax rate or agency was added but not mapped properly, QuickBooks can’t calculate tax correctly. You may see wrong totals or missing line items in your report.

2. Transactions Missing Sales Tax Codes

Invoices, sales receipts, or bills without correct tax codes are excluded from the liability report. This often happens when users manually edit transactions or import data from apps.

3. Wrong Reporting Period Chosen

Running the report for the wrong date range or filing period can cause confusion, especially when reviewing prior tax quarters.

4. Unrecorded or Deleted Sales Tax Payments

If you recorded a payment outside the automated tax module or deleted one accidentally, QuickBooks may still show it as unpaid.

5. Data File or Sync Errors (Online Sync Issues)

Integrations or disconnected apps can cause delayed updates. If real‑time sync fails, the latest transactions might not reflect in the report.

How to Run a Sales Tax Liability Report in QuickBooks Online

Follow these steps to access and customize your sales tax details in QuickBooks Online.

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Online as an admin.
2. Go to Reports from the left‑hand menu.
3. In the search bar, type Sales Tax Liability Report.
4. Select the report when it appears.
5. Choose the Report period (e.g., “Last Month” or “Custom”).
6. Click Run Report.
7. Review taxable sales, non‑taxable sales, and tax collected by agency.

To refine the view, use the Customize button to add filters like date, customer type, or tax agency.

How to Run a Sales Tax Liability Report in QuickBooks Desktop

If you use QuickBooks Desktop, here’s how to generate the same report.

1. Open QuickBooks Desktop and go to the Reports menu.
2. Select Vendors & Payables.
3. Click Sales Tax Liability.
4. Choose a Date Range for your filing period.
5. Press Refresh or Run Report.
6. Review column totals for taxable sales and sales tax collected.

You can also memorize this report for future filings by clicking Memorize Report at the top of the toolbar.

How to Record or Delete a Sales Tax Payment

Record a Sales Tax Payment in QuickBooks Desktop

1. Go to the Vendors menu.
2. Choose Sales Tax, then Pay Sales Tax.
3. Select the correct Tax Agency and Date.
4. Enter the Payment Amount and click OK.

Delete a Sales Tax Payment in QuickBooks Online

1. Go to Taxes > Sales Tax.
2. Under Sales Tax Payments, find the payment you want to delete.
3. Click the Dropdown arrow, then choose Delete.
4. Confirm deletion.

Behind the scenes, QuickBooks debits your Sales Tax Payable account and credits your Bank Account when you record the payment correctly.

Prevention Tips to Keep Reports Accurate

Always check that all taxable transactions have correct sales tax codes.

Regularly reconcile the Sales Tax Payable account each month.

Avoid manual journal entries to sales tax accounts unless verified.

Memorize the Sales Tax Liability Report for each filing period.

Review and update sales tax agency rates whenever local or state changes occur.

FAQs About the Sales Tax Liability Report

1. How do I find the Sales Tax Liability Report in QuickBooks Online?

Navigate to Reports, type “Sales Tax Liability,” and open it to view tax owed by agency.

2. What if my QuickBooks Online Sales Tax Liability Report is wrong?

Verify that each taxable transaction includes the correct sales tax code and that payments were recorded using the automated tax feature.

3. Can I see non‑taxable sales separately in QuickBooks Online?

Yes. In the report customization panel, add columns for Non‑Taxable Sales to review exempt transactions.

4. How do I run a Sales Tax Report in QuickBooks Desktop instead?

Go to Reports > Vendors & Payables > Sales Tax Liability and specify your desired date range before running the report.

5. What happens behind the scenes when I make a sales tax payment in QuickBooks?

QuickBooks automatically debits the Sales Tax Payable account and credits your bank account, reducing your liability balance.

6. How do I fix missing transactions on my report?

Check for invoices or receipts without a tax code. Edit and reapply the tax code so the transaction appears in the next report run.

Final Note

With the right setup and accurate reporting period, it’s easy to understand the Sales Tax Liability Report in QuickBooks Online and ensure compliance each filing cycle. If reports still show wrong totals or you can’t locate certain payments, don’t stress — call +1‑866‑513‑4656 for expert guidance on resolving tax liability issues quickly and confidently.