Canadian GST Holiday

This article outlines how to handle the Canadian GST holiday in Brew Ninja

The Government of Canada has announced a GST holiday from December 14 2024 - February 15 2025. Details on the tax break can be found at this link.

Depending on your unique setup and location, there are a few things you'll need to consider. 

Businesses Operating in Alberta

Sales Orders

Many Brew Ninja customers in Alberta are using a hard coded GST levy on sales orders. From December 14 2024 - February 15 2025, this levy should not be charged. Here's how to handle this in Brew Ninja.

  1. Head to Setup: Categories.
  2. Navigate to the Business Partners tab. Here you will see a list of business partner categories. On the right hand side, you will see a column for each levy. 
  3. Check off the 'GST Exempt' column for every single business partner category and click Save. You should now see a checkmark in this column for every business partner category. 

This will ensure that sales to any customer in Brew Ninja will be GST exempt. 

Retail Sales

Many Brew Ninja customers in Alberta are using a GST rate on retail sales in both Brew Ninja and Square. From December 14 2024 - February 15 2025, you will need to disable this rate. Here's how:

  1. Head to 'Setup: Price Sheets'
  2. Select your 'Retail' price sheet and click 'Edit'.
  3. Scroll past the 'Details' section and click 'Product SKU Categories' at the top of the next section. 
  4. Toggle to 'Edit Multiple'. Select all categories that will be GST exempt during the tax holiday. Click 'Edit Selected'. 
  5. Click 'Override Tax Code Values'. Select your 'Tax Exempt' tax code from the dropdown. 
  6. Click 'Bulk Update'. You should now see a 'modified' icon beside any product SKU category that was edited. Scroll up the page and click 'Save'. 

This ensures that products in the edited categories are tax exempt on Retail Sales in Brew Ninja. 

If you are integrated with Square Point of Sale, you should also bulk sync your Square catalogue after making these changes. Here's how:

  1. Head to 'Setup: Connections'.
  2. In the Square POS section of the page, click 'Upload Product SKUs'.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'Upload'.

This ensures that prices charged in Brew Ninja and Square continue to match. You should not complete this step until after your taproom closes on Friday December 13. 

This does not prevent Square from applying taxes on transactions. You will need to mark all applicable items 'Tax Exempt' in Square after completing this step.

Businesses Operating in a Province Using HST

Sales Orders & Retail Sales

For December 14 2024 - February 15 2025, you will need to disable your HST tax rate. Here's how:

  1. Head to 'Setup: Price Sheets'.
  2. Select the relevant price sheet and click 'Edit'.
  3. Scroll past the 'Details' section and click 'Product SKU Categories' at the top of the next section. 
  4. Toggle to 'Edit Multiple'. Select all categories that will be GST exempt during the tax holiday. Click 'Edit Selected'.
  5. Click 'Override Tax Code Values'. Select your 'Tax Exempt' tax code from the drop down. 
  6. Click 'Bulk Update'. You should now see a 'modified' icon beside any product SKU category that was edited. Scroll up the page and click 'Save'.

This ensures that any products in the edited categories are tax exempt when sold to any customer who uses the price sheet you have edited. Repeat this process for all price sheets. If there are select items that you need to charge GST on, the tax code used for these items can be edited at the Sales Order level.

Square Point of Sale Integration

If you are integrated with Square Point of Sale, you should also bulk sync your Square catalogue after making these changes. Here's how:

  1. Head to 'Setup: Connections'.
  2. In the Square POS section of the page, click 'Upload Product SKUs'.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'Upload'.

This ensures that prices charged in Brew Ninja and Square continue to match. You should not complete this step until after your taproom closes on Friday December 13. This does not prevent Square from applying taxes on transactions. You will need to mark all applicable items tax exempt in Square after completing this step. 

Businesses Operating in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, or Quebec

Since you are operating in a province with tax rates that are unique to the province, you will need to start by creating at least one new tax code in Brew Ninja. Here's how:

  1. Head to 'Setup: Taxes'.
  2. Scroll down to the 'Tax Codes' section. Click 'Add'.
  3. You will need to create a new tax code for any code that currently contains the GST rate. For example, if you usually use a 'GST/PST' tax code, you will need to create a new 'PST only' tax code. 
  4. Give the tax code a name, select the applicable rate(s), and then click 'Update'.

You have now created a tax code that is GST exempt but still allows you to charge any other applicable rates.

Sales Orders & Retail Sales

From December 14 2024 - February 25 2025, you will need to replace any tax codes that include GST with your newly created tax codes. Here's how:

  1. Head to 'Setup: Price Sheets'.
  2. Select a price sheet and click 'Edit'.
  3. Scroll past the 'Details' section and click 'Product SKU Categories' at the top of the next section. 
  4. Toggle to 'Edit Multiple'. Select all categories that will be GST exempt during the tax holiday. Click 'Edit Selected'. 
  5. Click 'Override Tax Code Values'. Select your new tax code from the drop down. 
  6. Click 'Bulk Update'. You should now see a 'modified' icon beside any product SKU category that was edited. Scroll up the page and click 'Save'.

This ensures that any products in the edited categories are GST exempt when sold to any customer who uses the price sheet you have edited. Repeat this process for all price sheets. If there are select items that you need to charge GST on, the tax code used for these items can be edited at the Sales Order level.

Square Point of Sale Integration

If you are integrated with Square Point of Sale, you should also bulk sync your Square catalogue after making these changes. Here's how:

  1. Head to 'Setup: Connections'.
  2. In the Square POS section of the page, click 'Upload Product SKUs'.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'Upload'.

This ensures that prices charged in Brew Ninja and Square continue to match. You should not complete this step until after your taproom closes on Friday December 13. This does not prevent Square from applying taxes on transactions. You will need to mark all applicable items tax exempt in Square after completing this step.