This article explains what platform variances are, why they occur, and how to interpret positive and negative variance values in your Swap Dashboard.
What is a platform variance?
The Swap Global Dashboard shows the order values used to calculate taxes, VAT, duties, and import fees. Occasionally, Swap's calculations are based on information that differs slightly from the final checkout total in Shopify.
When this happens, the difference is recorded as a platform variance. Shopify is the source of truth for the order total, and the variance ensures your order totals in Swap align with Shopify.
Why variances occur
The most common causes are:
Checkout discounts that Shopify doesn't share with Swap at the time of quoting (most common)
Taxes added by third-party apps that aren't visible to Swap
Shopify currency conversion fees
Shipping buffers set in Shopify rather than in Swap Global
Shopify price rounding on converted prices
Negative variances
A negative variance means Swap's calculated order total was higher than the final Shopify total. The most common cause is a discount applied at checkout that Shopify doesn't pass to Swap during quoting.
Example: A €100 order has a 10% discount applied at checkout, reducing the item price to €90. Swap calculated duties, taxes, and fees based on the original €100, adding €12 in charges. Swap's total is €112; Shopify's total is €102. A −€10 variance is recorded so both totals align at €102.
Positive variances
A positive variance means Swap's calculated order total was lower than the final Shopify total. This is typically caused by Shopify price rounding or currency conversion fees applied at checkout.
When Shopify converts prices to a local currency, it rounds values to consumer-friendly numbers (such as whole integers or amounts ending in .95 or .99). The small additional amount this creates wasn't included in Swap's original calculation, and is captured as a positive variance.