For Merchant Wholesale and Retail Trades:
Sales - Sales is used to define the output from Merchant Wholesale and Retail trades. This item includes: merchandise sold for cash or credit; receipts from customers for freight, installation, maintenance, repair, alteration, storage, and other services; excise taxes which are levied on the manufactureres and included in the cost of goods purchased by wholesalers; subsity payments received for the sale of goods; gross value of sales made on a commission basis; and the sales of goods which are shipped by a wholesaler.
For Service Industries:
Receipts/Revenue (for firms subject to payment of federal income tax) - For businesses using accrual-based accounting, this includes the total amounts received from customers or clients for services rendered and merchandise sold during the calendar year whether or not payment was actually received during the year regardless of when services were rendered. Receipts do no include sales, occupancy, admissions, or other taxes collected from customers and remitted directly by the firm to a local, state or federal tax agency.
Revenue (for organizations exempt from federal income tax) - Revenue includes charges or billings to customers or clients for services rendered and merchandise sold during the calendar year whether or not payment was actually received during the year. Also, included are income from interest, dividends, contributions, gifts and grants, rents, royalties, dues and assessments from members and affiliates, and net receipts from fund-raising activities. Receipts from these organizations' taxable business activities, as well as tax-exempt activities, are included.