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Tax Canada

GST/HST Return Preparation & Filing Template (Canada)

Canadian GST/HST workflow covering period confirmation, conditional records collection, reconciliation, draft approval, external filing and payment follow-up. Configure recurrence for each client.

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Use this template to manage GST/HST work from records collection through accepted filing and payment instructions. It combines a conditional client questionnaire with internal reconciliation and review steps, followed by a separate draft approval.

Configure each reporting period

Confirm the business, RT account, reporting period, filing frequency and payment dates before setting recurrence. The client can save progress, identify missing records and submit the questionnaire. Conditional follow-ups are available on plans with conditional logic; other plans show the follow-up questions.

Review, approve and file

Prepare and review figures in your accounting or tax software. Share the draft through the client portal, resolve changes and file through the appropriate tax authority. Keep the acceptance receipt and payment correspondence with the Job. Client approval in Tidyflow does not grant tax-account access or make a payment to CRA.

Coordinate provincial work

For Quebec accounts, confirm whether Revenu Quebec administers the return and whether combined GST/HST-QST filing applies. Other provincial sales-tax returns require their own coordination. Avoid duplicating requests when a bookkeeping workflow already includes filing.

Check current CRA reporting requirements and Revenu Quebec guidance for each account.

What's included in this checklist

11 steps and 2 client requests.

  1. 1

    Confirm the account, reporting period and deadlines

    Verify the legal entity, Business Number and RT account, reporting frequency, accounting method and period dates. Confirm filing and payment deadlines separately from CRA or Revenu Quebec records; annual individual filers can have different dates. Configure the Job due date and repeating schedule for this client before deployment.

  2. 2

    Confirm responsibility and coordinate bookkeeping

    Confirm who prepares, reviews, files and arranges payment. If bookkeeping or catch-up Jobs already include sales-tax filing, use one filing Job for this period and remove duplicate filing and approval requests from the other workflow.

  3. 3

    Review intake and resolve outstanding records

    Review the questionnaire, collect missing records and identify a nil period. A registered business may still need a nil return; confirm the account status and any exceptions.

  4. 4

    Reconcile books and GST/HST control accounts

    Reconcile sales, purchases, bank accounts and GST/HST collected and recoverable balances to supporting records and prior returns. Confirm the reporting basis and method before using accounting-system totals.

  5. 5

    Review tax coding, input tax credits and adjustments

    Review taxable, zero-rated and exempt activity, input tax credit support, unusual transactions, asset changes, credits, bad debts, rebates and instalments. Assess eligibility and elections in the accounting/tax system; this checklist does not calculate tax.

  6. 6

    Coordinate Quebec and other provincial filings

    Confirm whether Revenu Quebec administers this account and whether a combined GST/HST-QST return applies. Track any other PST/RST return and payment separately; do not treat GST/HST as covering all provincial sales taxes.

  7. 7

    Prepare and internally review the draft return

    Prepare the return in the accounting or tax software, check the reporting period and reconcile the refund or balance owing. Attach the reviewed draft to the approval request.

  8. 8

    Confirm approval and filing authority

    Resolve requested changes and retain the client approval. Separately confirm the firm has the authority and access required to file; portal approval alone does not grant CRA or Revenu Quebec account access.

  9. 9

    File through the appropriate tax authority

    File using the supported CRA or Revenu Quebec channel for the account. Record acceptance and the confirmation reference in this Job; Tidyflow does not submit the tax return.

  10. 10

    Provide payment instructions and confirm responsibility

    Confirm the tax amount, payment deadline, account/reference and who will arrange payment. Distinguish tax payments to the authority from fees invoiced by the firm. Review instalments separately where applicable.

  11. 11

    Save confirmation and complete the period

    Store the filed return, acceptance receipt, approval, reconciliations and payment correspondence. Record unresolved issues and verify the next reporting period and repeating schedule before completion.

What to request from the client

Built-in client requests so you collect everything in one go.

  • Provide your GST/HST records

    A reusable client request with conditional questions, uploads and save-and-submit.

  • Review and approve draft GST/HST return

    A reusable client request with the draft return for approval or requested changes.

Frequently asked questions

No. Use your supported filing channel and retain the confirmation with the Job.

Yes. Set the schedule for the client after confirming the reporting period and the separate filing and payment deadlines. The library template does not assume a universal cadence.

Assign one workflow responsibility for filing each period. If this Job handles filing, remove duplicate sales-tax filing and approval requests from the bookkeeping Job.

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