This article walks you through the full setup process for A2X for TikTok Shop. Follow each step in order and you will have your first payout posted to your accounting system in no time.
Step 1: Create your A2X account
To create a new A2X for TikTok account, go to www.a2xaccounting.com/tiktok/signup
Go to the TikTok Shop signup page to create your account. There are three sign-in options - it does not matter which you choose, but keep in mind you will need to use the same method each time you sign in to A2X in the future.
Data protection - Your data and privacy are important. All A2X data is secured and encrypted. A2X stores your data within Google Cloud, taking advantage of its world-leading security technology, which meets rigorous security and privacy standards.
If you already have an existing A2X account, you will be asked to confirm that you wish to create a new account. So, this is where you need to choose 'Continue with New Account'.
The next screen will ask you to input some details including your first name, last name, and a description of your role. We recommend filling these in as it makes identifying your account easier in the future.
Note: If you are an accountant or bookkeeper setting this up on behalf of your client, you can use delegated access to invite your client to connect their TikTok Shop without needing their login credentials. See Request TikTok Shop owner to connect to TikTok Shop for more information.
You will then be taken to your A2X dashboard:
That's it! You’ve successfully created a new trial account. You’re ready to get your account set up.
Step 2: Connect to your accounting system
Click Connect next to your accounting system - Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage or NetSuite. You will be redirected to your accounting system to grant A2X permission, and then returned to A2X once the connection is complete.
Note: If you already use A2X for another sales channel and have an existing accounting system connection, choose to share that existing connection rather than create a new one.
If you ever need to reset your connection, refresh your cache (to bring in new accounts, tax rates or tracking categories from your accounting system), or disconnect your accounting from A2X, go to Settings > Connections.
Step 3: Connect to your TikTok Shop
Once your account is created, you will be prompted to connect to your TikTok Shop. You will see two options:
I have access - select this if you are the owner of the TikTok Shop account or have the login credentials. Click Connect and you will be redirected to TikTok to authorise A2X.
Request access - select this if you are an accountant or bookkeeper and your client needs to make the connection themselves. Enter the client's name and email address and A2X will send them an invitation to connect.
Once you have authorised A2X, you will be redirected back to A2X and your settlement history will begin importing. This usually takes 10 to 20 minutes, though it can take longer for larger accounts.
Note: A2X imports up to 12 months of TikTok Shop history, depending on your plan level. Once imported, you will see your payouts listed in A2X.
Step 4: Set up Accounts and Taxes
Before posting any payouts, you need to configure how A2X maps your TikTok Shop transactions to your chart of accounts. Go to the Accounts and Taxes page.
A2X will offer to create a set of default TikTok Shop accounts in your accounting system. Click Confirm to allow A2X to create these. The default accounts include:
Note: If some of these accounts already exist in your accounting system, A2X may pick them up automatically. If you want to start fresh, you can rename or archive the existing accounts in your accounting system, refresh the cache in A2X, and reset the questionnaire.
Once the accounts are created, work through the Assisted Setup questionnaire. This guides you through the mapping based on your country and VAT or tax registration status.
UK sellers: choose GB as your base country, confirm your VAT registration status, and select Assisted Setup
US sellers: choose US as your base country and follow the guided setup
For more information about account and tax mapping for TikTok Shop, see TikTok Shop transactions: what they mean and how to account for them. If you have specific requirements that are not covered, please contact the A2X support team.
Step 5: Send your first payout
Once your payouts have imported and your mapping is configured, you are ready to send your first payout to your accounting system.
You can see your payouts either from the Home tab or from the Settlements page. Click Review on any payout to see the breakdown of transactions before you post it.
When you are happy with the mapping, click Post to Xero to post the payout to your accounting system.
In Xero and Sage, the transaction appears as a draft invoice (or draft bill if the payout is negative), where it can be approved and then matched to the bank deposit.
In QuickBooks Online and NetSuite, the transaction appears as a journal entry in the bank register, where it can be reconciled against the deposit.
Note: If a payout is negative - meaning your fees and refunds exceeded your sales for that period - TikTok will charge the balance to your registered payment method.
Step 6: Choose the right plan
A2X for TikTok Shop plans are based on your monthly TikTok Shop order volume. To find the right plan for your business, visit our pricing page or contact the A2X team.
Step 7: Enable Cost of Goods Sold reporting
COGS reporting is available on the Basic plan and above. To enable it, go to Settings > Cost of Goods Sold and click 'Enable'
Once enabled, you will need to:
Map your COGS accounts
A2X will need to know which accounts to post the Cost of Goods Sold entries to. You will need to map two accounts:
Cost of Goods Sold expense account - your accounting system may already have one of these. If so, you can link it directly to A2X.
Inventory asset account - we recommend creating a new current asset account called TikTok Inventory in your accounting system rather than using the default inventory account, which is typically reserved for your accounting system's own inventory functions.
Upload your Product Costs
Once your accounts are mapped, you will need to provide A2X with the cost price for each of your products. There are two ways to do this:
Upload a CSV file with your SKUs and cost prices
Enter costs manually per product
Once your costs are uploaded, A2X will include a COGS entry with each payout, deducting the cost of goods sold from your inventory asset account and posting it to your COGS expense account.
Note: If a customer returns an order and you want A2X to reverse the COGS entry, enable the Refunds as Returns option in Settings > Cost of Goods Sold.
That's it! If you have any questions at any stage, contact the A2X support team and we will be happy to help.