BAS and bookkeeping for market stall and food vendors, without the Sunday-night spreadsheet
A stallholder’s weekend is cash in the float, tap payments that land as a single net payout on Monday, a stall fee paid to the market, a supplier run on Friday, packaging and labels, a council permit, a food safety supervisor certificate, and fuel for the van or trailer. If you sell food, some of it is GST-free and some of it is taxable, sometimes on the same table.
FlowFi reads the bank statement, records the payouts as income so you can reconcile them to your point-of-sale report, sorts stock from stall fees from packaging, flags GST where it applies, and prepares the BAS. Cash takings go in with a tap so G1 is the whole picture.
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
What FlowFi does for market stall and food vendors
Reconciles card payouts to gross sales
Square, Tyro and bank terminal payouts are recognised as income and the merchant fees captured so G1 matches what customers paid.
Sorts stock, packaging and stall fees
Supplier runs, packaging, labels, market fees and permits land in the right categories without you touching them.
Handles GST-free and taxable sales
Mark product lines as GST-free (fresh produce) or taxable (hot food, drinks, cakes) so 1A only carries the GST you actually collected.
Cash-flow forecast for the quiet weeks
Rain, winter and cancelled markets show up in a forecast built from your history, so the stock order and the BAS are both covered.
Prepares the BAS from your statement
Upload the quarter, add cash takings, review the pre-filled figures and copy them into ATO Online.
How it works
Upload your bank statement
Export a CSV or PDF from your bank (CBA, Westpac, NAB, ANZ, Macquarie and most others) and drop it into FlowFi. No bank login, ever.
AI sorts every transaction
Income, expenses, equipment and transfers are categorised, GST is worked out on each line and likely deductions are flagged for you to confirm.
Review and lodge your BAS
Check the pre-filled labels, copy them into ATO Online in about five minutes, or export the pack for your accountant. FlowFi does not lodge for you.
Common deductions for market stall and food vendors
Expenses market stall and food vendors often claim. FlowFi flags these categories as they appear in your statement so you can confirm each one.
- Stock, ingredients and materials sold, subject to trading stock rules at year end
- Stall and site fees, market memberships, council permits and food business registration
- Gazebo, tables, display stands, scales, eskies, urns, coffee machine and generator, written off or depreciated
- Packaging, labels, bags, cups, napkins and cleaning supplies
- EFTPOS reader, merchant fees and point-of-sale software
- Van, ute or trailer running costs on the business-use portion, and trailer registration
- Public and product liability insurance, food safety supervisor training and hand-wash station
- Commercial kitchen hire, or a share of home running costs if you prepare at home, and sun protection for outdoor days
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Email me the quarterly BAS checklist
The checklist now, then a few short notes on getting your BAS done. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Pricing
Flat monthly pricing. No percentage of your income, no lock-in, cancel any time. Every account starts with 14 days of Pro free, no card needed.
Pro
or $290 a year (two months free). 14-day free trial, no card.
- Unlimited transactions and uploads
- Unlimited invoices with automatic reminders
- Full AI categorisation and deduction flags
- BAS preparation with a copy-guide for ATO Online
- Receipt scanning, mileage and cash-flow forecast
- One-click accountant export
Business
or $590 a year (two months free). For anyone with a bookkeeper or partner in the books.
- Everything in Pro
- Unlimited bank accounts
- Up to 5 users with role-based access
- Advanced AI insights
- AI support and API access
Questions market stall and food vendors ask
Which of my food sales carry GST?
Basic food such as fresh fruit and vegetables, bread and most raw ingredients is GST-free. Hot takeaway food, prepared meals, drinks, confectionery, cakes and pastries, and food sold for eating at the stall are taxable. A coffee cart is almost entirely taxable; a produce stall is almost entirely GST-free; a bakery stall is mixed. Use the ATO’s GST food classification guidance for your lines and set each product accordingly.
How do I keep cash sales straight?
Count the float at the start and end of each market and record the day’s cash takings the same day, either as a manual entry in FlowFi or by banking the cash. Cash is income, counts toward the $75,000 threshold, and the ATO compares small business results to industry benchmarks, so a stall that shows only card sales stands out.
The card payout is less than what I sold. Which figure is income?
The gross sales, as shown on your point-of-sale report. The difference is merchant fees, which are an expense with GST you can claim. Enter the gross figure and let the payouts reconcile against it.
Can I claim my home kitchen?
Running costs for the hours you prepare stock at home can be claimed under the home office methods. Occupancy costs such as rent or mortgage interest are only claimable if the space is a place of business, which has capital gains consequences if you own the home. Commercial kitchen hire is fully deductible and simpler.
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Keep reading
FlowFi for related trades
Pack down the stall, not a spreadsheet
Upload one bank statement and see payouts, stall fees, stock, packaging and GST already categorised.
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