If you're running a freight brokerage or transportation company in Canada, managing GST, HST, and QST correctly isn't optional—it's part of doing business. Unfortunately, many transportation management systems either don't support Canadian taxes properly or leave you calculating them manually after the load is complete.

AscendTMS changes that.

With built-in support for Canadian sales taxes, AscendTMS automatically applies the appropriate GST, HST, and QST rates to your loads, invoices, and accounting workflows, helping reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and save valuable time. Whether you operate within a single province or move freight across Canada every day, your tax calculations stay consistent and organized.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to configure your Canadian tax settings so your loads, invoices, and financials work exactly the way they should from day one.

Begin by selecting the Settings tab found on the left side of your AscendTMS screen

Locate the Company Settings section, then select GST/HST/Taxes Settings

Getting started is easy because AscendTMS comes preconfigured with the most common Canadian sales taxes already in place. We've included the current GST, HST, and QST tax rates along with the provinces and territories where they apply, so most companies can begin using Canadian taxes with little or no setup required.

Of course, tax requirements can change, and every business is a little different. That's why every preconfigured tax item can be edited at any time. If tax rates change or your business has unique requirements, simply update the existing tax item to match your needs.

Need to charge an additional tax or surcharge? No problem. Click Add Tax Item to create your own custom tax. For example, you might create a 5% Fuel Tax that can be applied to income items whenever needed.

If applicable, select the province(s) where the new tax should be applied. AscendTMS will then automatically calculate the tax based on the province where the load is delivered.

If there are specific pay items that should not be included in tax or fee calculations, click Click here to edit your pay items. This will take you to the Edit Pay Items settings page, where you can mark individual pay items as tax exempt or remove the exemption at any time.

Once you're on the Pay Items Settings page, locate the GST/HST column. Simply check the Exclude from GST/HST Taxes box next to any pay item you don't want included in tax calculations.

AscendTMS will automatically exclude that pay item whenever GST, HST, or other applicable taxes are calculated.

Once your Canadian tax settings are configured, you can stop thinking about tax calculations altogether. AscendTMS automatically determines the appropriate GST, HST, and QST based on the load's delivery province or territory and applies the correct taxes to the load's income. Any custom taxes you've created are applied automatically as well - eliminating manual calculations, reducing errors, and saving time on every single load.

Need to review, reconcile, or export your Canadian tax data? AscendTMS makes it easy.

Navigate to the Reporting tab and select Load Reports.

Choose the reporting criteria and filters that meet your needs.

For example, you may want to generate a report showing all GST, HST, and QST collected on Delivered loads from the previous month for month-end reconciliation or accounting purposes.

In the Column Layout section, select Extended - Charge Types in Columns

Click Search Loads / Preview Report.

The report will display each taxable pay item, including GST, HST, QST, and any custom taxes you've created, as its own column. This gives you a clear breakdown of taxes by load, making it easier to reconcile transactions, prepare reports, and export data for accounting purposes.

With your Canadian tax settings configured, AscendTMS takes care of the rest. From automatically determining the correct GST, HST, and QST based on a load's destination, to displaying taxes on invoices, excluding tax-exempt pay items, and providing detailed tax reporting, everything works together to eliminate manual calculations and reduce errors.

The result? Less time spent managing taxes, greater confidence in your invoices, and more time focused on serving your customers and growing your business.

It's one more way AscendTMS helps Canadian transportation companies simplify operations through smart automation.

Yes. Once your Canadian tax settings have been configured, AscendTMS automatically determines which taxes apply based on the load's delivery province or territory. The appropriate taxes are then calculated and added to the load, eliminating manual calculations and reducing the risk of errors.

Absolutely. While AscendTMS comes preconfigured with the current GST, HST, and QST rates and their applicable provinces, you have complete control. Tax rates, territories, descriptions, and other settings can all be updated at any time to reflect changes in legislation or your company's requirements.

Yes. In addition to the standard Canadian taxes, you can create an unlimited number of custom taxes or fees. Whether you need to add a fuel tax, environmental fee, or another customer-specific charge, simply create a new tax item and assign the provinces where it should automatically apply.

Yes. Individual pay items can be marked as tax exempt from the Pay Items Settings page. Once configured, AscendTMS automatically excludes those pay items whenever taxes are calculated, so you only have to configure the exemption once.

Yes. AscendTMS clearly displays all applicable taxes on both the Load Financials screen and the customer invoice it generates. Each tax is itemized separately, giving your customers complete visibility into exactly what taxes were calculated and collected while making it easy for your accounting team to reconcile invoices.

Yes. Load Reporting includes support for Canadian tax reporting. By selecting the Extended - Charge Types in Columns layout, each tax—including GST, HST, QST, and any custom taxes you've created—appears in its own column, making reconciliation, exports, and month-end reporting fast and straightforward.

No. That's one of the biggest advantages of AscendTMS. Once your taxes have been configured, they're applied automatically whenever a load qualifies based on its delivery province or territory. No manual calculations. No remembering which province uses which tax. AscendTMS handles it for you.

No problem. Tax rates and province assignments can be updated in just a few clicks. Once saved, AscendTMS immediately begins using the new rates for future loads.

Yes. Whether you operate in a single province or across Canada, AscendTMS automatically determines which tax rules apply based on the load's destination. Your team doesn't have to memorize provincial tax requirements—AscendTMS takes care of it behind the scenes.