> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dollarlabs.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dollarlabs.io/dollarback-store-credit/settings/cashback-calculation.md).

# Cashback Calculation

The first card on **DollarBack admin → Settings** defines "what order amount cashback is based on" and sets "any caps or rounding rules". Everything here applies to every cashback program at once, and the same base feeds percentage referral rewards.

## Base cashback on

| Option                    | Effect                                                            |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Order Total** (default) | "Calculate cashback from the full order amount, including taxes." |
| **Order Subtotal**        | "Calculate cashback from the subtotal before taxes and shipping." |

This is usually the single most impactful setting on the page: switching between the two changes every program's payout on tax-charging stores.

## Maximum cashback per order

A hard cap on the total cashback one order can earn, in your store currency. "Cap the total cashback awarded per order. Set to 0 for no limit." Default: 0 (no limit).

When the cap is hit, all matching programs and lines are **scaled down proportionally**; nothing is dropped outright. That keeps the per-line attribution intact, which matters later for refund clawbacks.

## Options

* **Include shipping costs in cashback calculation** (default: on): adds shipping charges into the base. "When unchecked, shipping charges are excluded from the calculated amount." Only meaningful in Order Total mode, since Order Subtotal excludes shipping by definition.
* **Round up cashback to the nearest whole number** (default: off): rounds the final credit up as the last step of the calculation (e.g. $8.19 becomes $9.00). Popular for keeping widget messaging clean ("Earn $9 back").

## Verify it works

Place a test order with tax and shipping, then compare the credited amount in **Analytics → Activity** against your base choice. If it looks off, walk the full pipeline in [How cashback is calculated](/dollarback-store-credit/earning-cashback-programs/how-cashback-is-calculated.md); discounts, gift cards, and competing programs are the usual suspects, not this card.

## Related articles

* [How cashback is calculated](/dollarback-store-credit/earning-cashback-programs/how-cashback-is-calculated.md)
* [Special Order Types](/dollarback-store-credit/settings/special-order-types.md)
* [Set up purchase cashback](/dollarback-store-credit/earning-cashback-programs/set-up-purchase-cashback.md)