Download the campaign spend report, the ads invoice or tax document, and the settlement report for the same period. Check that the ad deduction in the settlement equals campaign spend plus applicable tax, after adjusting for credits, refunds and cut-off dates. Any gap you cannot explain goes to Flipkart seller support with the supporting reports and dates.
First, confirm how your ad spend is billed
Before you compare numbers, find out how ad spend reaches you. Depending on your account setup and campaign type, ad costs may be deducted from the marketplace payout, paid from a prepaid balance, or invoiced separately. Do not assume that every rupee of ad spend appears in your settlement.
Check your seller agreement, the advertising terms accepted in Seller Hub and the latest Flipkart communication on ad billing. Terms change, so confirm the current position with your account manager or seller support. Write down the billing method for each campaign type so you know which deductions to expect.
Collect the records you need
You need three sets of records covering exactly the same dates:
- Campaign or ads performance report: spend by campaign and by day, downloaded from the ads dashboard.
- Ads invoice or tax document: the invoice number, taxable value, tax charged and invoice date.
- Settlement or payment report: the payout cycle's line items, including the ad-related deduction, with dates and reference IDs.
Report names and layouts change from time to time, so use whatever Seller Hub currently offers. Export to Excel or CSV so you can filter and total the figures.
Step-by-step: match the deduction
- Fix the period. Note the settlement cycle's start and end dates, then filter campaign spend to the same dates.
- Total campaign spend. Sum daily spend across all campaigns for that period. Exclude paused campaigns that show no spend.
- Add tax as per the invoice. Take the tax amount from the invoice itself. Do not apply a percentage from memory. If you are unsure how the tax is treated, ask your tax adviser.
- Find the deduction line. Locate the ad-related entry in the settlement report and note its amount and reference.
- Adjust for credits and reversals. Subtract any ad credits, promotional balances or invalid-click adjustments shown in your account.
- Compare. Expected deduction = campaign spend + invoice tax - credits. Compare it with the settlement line.
- Record the difference. Even a zero difference should be logged against the cycle, so you can show it was checked.
Why the numbers often do not match
Most gaps come from timing and presentation, not errors. Check these before raising a dispute:
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Deduction higher than dashboard spend | Tax added on top, or spend from an earlier period | Invoice tax and invoice date |
| Deduction lower than spend | Credits applied, or spend carried to the next cycle | Ad credits and cut-off dates |
| One large combined line | Several days or campaigns billed together | Daily spend totals |
| Charge for a paused or ended campaign | Late-reported spend, or a campaign still active | Campaign status and change history |
| No invoice for a deduction | Invoice not yet generated, or a different billing entity | Invoice section in Seller Hub |
Raise a dispute with evidence
If a gap remains after allowing for timing, raise a ticket through Seller Hub support. Include:
- The settlement cycle and the reference ID of the deduction line
- Your campaign spend export for the exact dates
- The invoice number and amount
- Your calculation showing the difference
- Screenshots of campaign status or budget settings, if relevant
Keep the ticket number and follow up in writing. Note the date you raised it, because recovery windows and escalation steps depend on your agreement and current policy. Confirm those with Flipkart.
Make the check routine
Checking ad deductions once is useful. Checking them every cycle stops small leaks from piling up. Keep one sheet per month with columns for period, campaign spend, invoice tax, credits, expected deduction, actual deduction, difference and ticket status. Review it alongside your commission and fee checks.
If you sell across several marketplaces, doing this by hand gets slow. MarketplaceMetrics by Fundle reconciles marketplace sales and settlements, checks fees against agreed terms and tracks recovery cases. Myntra Excel reports are reviewed today, and other marketplaces are in scope discussion, so ask about your specific setup. Pricing is a tailored quote.
Worked example
Illustrative example only. These figures are not real rates or results.
| Item | Amount (₹, illustrative) |
|---|---|
| Campaign spend for the cycle (dashboard export) | 40,000 |
| Tax as shown on the ads invoice | 7,200 |
| Ad credits applied | (1,000) |
| Expected deduction | 46,200 |
| Deduction in settlement report | 48,700 |
| Unexplained difference | 2,500 |
You then check whether ₹2,500 of spend from the previous cycle's last day was billed in this cycle. If the daily export shows that, the difference is a timing carry-over and it reverses in the next cycle's check. If not, raise a ticket with the reports above.
Questions and answers
Are Flipkart Ads charges always deducted from the settlement?
Not necessarily. Billing depends on your account setup, campaign type and current terms. Some spend may be paid from a prepaid balance or invoiced separately. Check your advertising terms in Seller Hub and confirm the current billing method with Flipkart seller support.
Which reports do I need to verify ad deductions?
You need the campaign spend report for the cycle, the ads invoice or tax document, and the settlement or payment report showing the deduction. Make sure all three cover identical dates, and export them to Excel so you can total and compare.
Why is my ad deduction different from dashboard spend?
Common reasons are tax added on the invoice, ad credits, cut-off date differences, and several days or campaigns billed as one line. Rule these out first. If a gap remains, raise a ticket with your calculation and the supporting exports.
How often should I reconcile Flipkart Ads charges?
Do it every settlement cycle, while the data is fresh and any dispute window is still open. A monthly summary sheet helps you spot repeated differences. Confirm any time limits for raising ad billing disputes in your seller agreement or with Flipkart support.