The Gap State High School P & C conducts commercial activities, and must produce trading statements for each commercial activity at least each once per term. The trading statement is an expanded version of sales portion of the profit and loss statement. The trading statement shows sales, cost of sales and gross profit.

Ideally, trading statements should be generated monthly to quickly identify and address any unusual trends before the financial position becomes difficult.  The following may be indicators of fraud, and must be investigated – Financial reports not being consistently presented at P&C Association meetings;  Commercial activities, such as tuckshops, uniform shops or Outside School Hours Care operating at a loss, or decreasing profits.