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How to set up STP in your accounting software – part 3 – Saasu

If you’re a small employer with 19 employees or less, you had until 30 September 2019 to connect your accounting software to the ATO for Single Touch Payroll (STP) purposes. If you haven’t yet done so because you simply don’t know how to do it, then this blog is for you! This is a four-part series and we began the series by looking at STP and Xero software and MYOB. Today we will review STP and Saasu. In the final part of this series, we will also cover QuickBooks Online.


Connecting your Saasu file for STP – or perhaps not!!

Saasu’s set up process for STP is probably the easiest of all the accounting software because there isn’t one – that’s right, you read right – there isn’t one! As per Saasu.com“There are no special settings that you need to enable STP in Saasu. It will be available on all files and the authentication with the ATO is done behind the scenes.”

In order to get ready for STP, all Saasu ask of you is that you review your current payroll and company set up and ensure the following is in place:

  • Confirm employee information is accurate – including name, address (including postcode), main phone number (including area code and no spaces), date of birth, and gender, on the Employee Details page (View > Employees > click ‘View or Edit Employee Details’ icon)
  • Confirm that your ABN or Withholding Provider Number (WPN), address (including postcode and state is in short form (i.e VIC, QLD etc) , and phone number (including area code and no spaces) is entered on the File Identity page (cog icon > Settings for this file > File Identity)
  • Check your payroll processes and ensure your pay items are correct and you are paying staff properly. Especially check pay items like allowances and deductions.
  • You must be using the payroll function in Saasu rather than entering payroll information via journal otherwise STP reporting will not work.

Once you have reviewed the above and are satisfied that your set up is adequate, then you are ready to report your first payrun to the ATO via STP – easy huh!

Reporting your payrun to the ATO

This following is taken from the Saasu website.

  1. Process your regular pay run
  2. Click on Reports > Single Touch Payroll
  3. Click on the cog icon, select Regular Pay Event, specify the report settings and click Run
  4. The data that matches your settings will be displayed and can be checked for accuracy
  5. Ensure that pays to be submitted are ticked (pay runs will be pre-ticked and can’t be modified), then click the Upload icon
  6. Before the report is submitted to the ATO you will need to authorise the submission by agreeing to “Sign declaration with my email address” (this is the email address you are signed into Saasu with) and click Submit
  7. The ATO has a standard response time of up to 72 hours before the upload is accepted and successful. At times, this may be quicker and could be as little as 10 minutes. You can move away from this screen and continue to work on other things in Saasu while the STP report is being processed.

Remember to come back to the Single Touch Payroll Report screen (Reports > Single Touch Payroll) about 10-15mins after you have submitted a regular Pay Event. This is to ensure the submission has been accepted by the ATO, and there are no errors that need further attention. If you haven’t moved away from this screen then you may need to refresh your browser to see the updated information.

Note: Once a Pay Event has been submitted to the ATO, you cannot submit any further Pay Events until the previous submission has been accepted or, if rejected, the submission result actioned.


So there you have it – there isn’t really any major set up of STP for Saasu which makes it very easy for users to comply with STP requirements. I must say I am a fan of this scenario given that other software do involve many more steps to enable STP connection which can be frustrating for users. Keep it simple stupid I say! In our final blog in this series, we will look at how to connect STP in Quickbooks Online.

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Single Touch Payroll – is your accounting/payroll software ready?

Single Touch Payroll (STP) is formerly starting on 1 July 2018 for employers of 20 or more staff. So if you fall into this category, do you know if your accounting software is going to be ready by the start date? In today’s blog, we outline who will be ready and who is lagging behind!


We wrote about STP in our blog in May last year and in that blog we explained what STP actually is:

“STP is a government initiative requiring employers to report their payroll information to the ATO including gross wages paid,  PAYG withholding tax and superannuation at the time a payrun is created i.e. every payrun. The reporting will occur directly from your chosen payroll software solution.”

So basically, each time a pay run is completed, the information about who was paid, how much they were paid, the super accrued and the tax withheld, is sent electronically to the ATO via your accounting software (or other external payroll software). If you are a large employer, your business needs to start using STP from 1 July 2018 and you can only do this if your accounting or payroll software is going to be ready on time. Here is a list of the software companies who claim that they will be ready by 1 July 2018………. and those who won’t be ready! Also included are links to the various software blogs which explain their STP status and what you need to do now if you use that software.


Who will be ready on time?

From MYOB link above: “Single Touch Payroll is almost here and MYOB is working directly with the ATO to ensure that you’re ready to go when it becomes mandatory on 1st July 2018 for businesses with 20 or more employees. All of MYOB’s payroll enabled solutions will be compliant prior to the reporting date and deliver an easy-to-use solution to make this transition as smooth as possible.”

From the QBO link above:

“Will QuickBooks Online Payroll powered by KeyPay support Single Touch Payroll?

 
Yes, absolutely! We’re already investigating the requirements for STP reporting and will commence our implementation soon. The ATO are planning to release more information for software developers in Oct 2017 so as soon as that is available, we’ll begin our build.

We don’t have an ETA on when it’ll be ready to use, however we will definitely be ready before July 1 2018.”

From the Saasu link above: “We have already started work on Single Touch Payroll reporting within Saasu. We don’t have a fixed date on when it will be ready to use, but we will definitely be completed before July 1, 2018. We’ll make sure you know when the STP reporting functionality gets rolled out. STP will be included in your file automatically, without you needing to update, and without additional upgrade costs.”

From the Reckon link above: “All Reckon products with Payroll functionality will be STP enabled and ATO certified by 1 July 2018. This includes Reckon One, Reckon Accounts Desktop, Reckon Accounts Hosted and Payroll Premier. Reckon is part of the Australian Business Software Association who are working collaboratively to help shape and influence the design and implementation of Single Touch Payroll.”

From the CP link above: “STP reporting comes into effect on the 1st July 2018 and will be offered as part of CloudPayroll’s standard services.”

Who won’t be ready on time (and has applied to the ATO for a deferral)?

From the Xero link above: “Australia’s 1 July deadline to adopt Single Touch Payroll (STP) is fast approaching. But if you or your clients are on Xero, there’s some good news: You may have extra time. Thanks to the ATO, Xero subscribers will have a deferral of as much as six months to ensure a smooth rollout of STP.”

So basically, some Xero users will have access to STP on 1 July 2018 and others will be introduced to it later via a rollout system: “The Xero platform will invite you to use STP when it’s time to make the switch. Until then, you can process payroll as normal, without incurring any penalty. It’s that simple.”

From the MYOB other link above: “Clients who are unable to move to an STP enabled version of AccountRight, because they are currently using multi-currency, negative inventory, multi location inventory, M-Powered Payment or ODBC and those using AccountEdge, have been granted an STP reporting deferral until 31 May 2019. Others are encouraged to move to the latest version of AccountRight to ensure you are ready to meet your STP reporting obligations. “

What can I do if my software will not be ready for STP implementation by July 1 2018?

If your software isn’t going to be ready for STP by 1 July 2018, it’s developers will apply for a deferral and will be able to provide you with a deferral reference number (DRN) which you can then quote to the ATO to advise re the delay.

NB! If your business will not be ready for STP and the reason is not related to software delays, then you will have to apply to the ATO for a separate deferral yourself. If you engage a registered BAS or Tax Agent, then he/she can apply for a deferral on your behalf – see notes from the ATO below:

“Deferrals

Employers who won’t be ready to start STP reporting from 1 July 2018, or by their software provider’s start date, will need to apply to us for a deferral.

Registered agents providing a payroll service, or supporting employers to transition to STP, can apply for a deferral for their clients. This includes registered tax agents, registered BAS agents and payroll service providers.

You must be a registered tax or BAS agent external Link to report through STP for your clients or apply for a deferral on their behalf.


So in summary, most of the popular accounting software giants will be ready for STP come 1 July 2018 and some won’t be so ready! If your software or business won’t be ready, then a deferral application to the ATO is required. If you would like more information re STP and/or assistance with the deferral application, please get in touch – we’d be happy to assist!

[highlight color=”blue”] NB! If your chosen accounting/payroll software isn’t listed here in this blog, we advise that you contact that software immediately to find out their STP status! [/highlight]

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New! Header accounts added to Saasu

A feature I’ve been waiting for in Saasu (and other online accounting software products) has finally arrived! Saasu has introduced header accounts. Header accounts are used to group like-accounts together so that they are grouped on the profit and loss report with a total amount showing for each group. This is very useful and makes reading (and understanding) the profit and loss report much easier!

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How to make journals in Saasu & Xero more useful

One of the most useful features found in cloud-based accounting software such as Xero and Saasu is the ability to upload and attach documents to various transactions. This is great because it means that not only are you complying with your record keeping requirements, but you can also verify your purchases with others. By “others” I mean your accountant, bookkeeper and yes, the ATO should they ask for supporting evidence. Most Saasu and Xero users will be aware that they can upload and attach source documents to sales and purchase invoices. What they may not be aware of is that you can also attach documents to journal transactions. Today I will show you how this done in Saasu.

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How to speed up data entry in Saasu by using the duplicate feature

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Data entry into your accounting software is a menial and thankless task but one that most of us have to do on a regular basis regardless. I think most of us don’t like it because it’s so time-consuming and let’s face it, who’s got time to waste these days! If you are using Saasu accounting software, I have good news for you. There is a way to speed up the entry of sales and purchase invoices by using the “duplicate” feature. Watch this “how to” video I prepared to see how it’s done.

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Virtual Bookkeeping? Please Explain?

Okay so you run a small business and things are super busy! You’ve got lots to organise – employees, clients, projects, supplies, website, marketing and dare I say it, yes, the bookkeeping and tax compliance tasks! Some business owners prepare their own books but many are outsourcing the task to professional bookkeepers instead. Some prefer to employ an onsite bookkeeper but others have chosen to use the services of virtual bookkeepers. They have done this for various reasons, the main ones being:

  • As small business owners, they are probably operating a home-based business and do not want someone regularly coming into their home/family space.
  • They operate from a formal office which does not have the space for another worker, desk and equipment etc. or
  • Their business is primarily mobile and as such, they don’t really utilise a physical office.
So just what is a virtual bookkeeper and how does virtual bookkeeping work? What are the pitfalls or cons or virtual bookkeeping? Today we answer these questions and more……..

A virtual bookkeeper is someone who works remotely, utilising current technologies and the internet to complete bookkeeping and other tasks for his clients. Virtual bookkeeping is not location-dependent. A virtual bookkeeper can offer services to clients Australia-wide (or perhaps worldwide), without leaving his office. The internet, current technologies and cloud services all make this possible. At e-BAS Accounts, while we do have some local clients whom we see in person, we are essentially virtual bookkeepers and maintain clientele in several Australian states even though we are Victorian-based. To ensure the virtual relationship runs smoothly, we use a system which we will share with you today. Here is a summary of how our virtual bookkeeping system works. If  you would like to read the extended version, head here.

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How to Set up Items in Saasu

We are trying something different this week for our blog (well different for us anyway!). We have created a video blog as part of our “How to” series for Saasu. Hope you like it. Please leave your comments below and let us know how we can improve our videos or any changes you think should be made etc.

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How to Create a Sales Invoice in Saasu

Today I am starting a new blog series of “How To’s” in Saasu (and eventually in Xero too :-)). Today’s blog explains how to create a sales invoice in Saasu. Follow these easy-to-follow steps and you’ll be raising invoices by the dozen in no time at all!

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