subtotaal

Subtotaal is a financial term used in Dutch to denote the sum of prices for goods or services listed in a cart, invoice, or receipt, before taxes and other charges. It reflects the amount due for the merchandise itself, separate from value-added tax (BTW) and any shipping or handling fees.

Calculation: The subtotaal is usually the sum of the line-item totals. Each line total equals unit price multiplied by quantity, possibly after item-level discounts. The subtotaal is typically shown before tax and shipping. Depending on the system, some discounts may already be applied to the subtotaal; others apply discounts to the final total. The important point is that taxes and shipping follow the subtotaal.

Usage and context: Subtotaal is commonly seen on invoices, receipts, and e-commerce carts. It allows customers to review the cost of merchandise separately from tax, shipping, or other charges. In Dutch accounting practice, the subtotaal is distinguished from the final 'totaal' that appears after all adjustments.

Etymology: The term subtotaal is borrowed from the English 'subtotal', itself from Latin roots, combining sub- (under) with total.