Update to Reckon Accounts Hosted GovConnect

Rav

On Thursday 10 March 2016 11am (AEDT), there will be a Reckon Accounts Hosted 2015 R2 application update for Reckon Accounts Hosted GovConnect users.

As you may know, the ATO has introduced a new cloud software authentication requirement ("AUSkey in the Cloud”) for lodging BAS or Payment Summaries, and we’ve now updated Reckon Accounts Hosted to incorporate this new process.

From 31 March 2016, you’ll need to switch from the previous method of submitting your BAS and Payment Summary to the new Software ID method.

Read the important information below or visit the ATO website to learn more about this ATO compliance update. This includes new and additional validation requirements when submitting via the Standard Business Reporting (SBR) channel.


What’s changed
When you log into Accounts Hosted 2015 R2 update on Thursday and open your company file, you will find a new Software ID field in the Company Information window.  This unique Software ID is used to identify the BAS & Payment Summary lodgements from you to the ATO via Reckon Accounts Hosted. 

This is the new method to be used when submitting your BAS and Payment Summary to the ATO from Reckon Accounts Hosted. To aid in transition, you may continue submitting your BAS lodgements using your AUSKey (previous method) up until 31 March 2016. After this time, you must convert to the new method (Software ID) to submit any SBR lodgments

Please note: Submitting via the existing AUSkey method will not be accepted by the ATO from 1 April 2016 onwards. This lodgement method will be removed in the Accounts Hosted 2016 R1 release.

Before you can perform your BAS or Payment Summary lodgments, you must first nominate your Software ID with the ATO either via the phone (1300 85 22 32) or online via the ATO Access Manager. This is a one-off notification only. For more information on how to nominate, please click here. To familiarise yourself with the Software ID nomination using the ATO Access Manager, the ATO have provided a presentation which you can download.  


Remember

• You must remove any AUSKey files you have uploaded onto your Accounts Hosted storage (Q drive, B drive or in the Shared folders). Reckon recommends that you download the files before removing from your Accounts Hosted storage. 

• You will not be able to submit the BAS lodgements using the previous method (AUSKey) from 31 March 2016 onwards on the Accounts Hosted 2015 R2 service. 

• This change only applies to Accounts Hosted users. If you are using Reckon GovConnect installed on your desktop, you may continue to use your AUSkey to submit lodgements.

• This legislation update will be rolled out without the need for any downtime.

• You will be able to open your company file in the updated release without going through a Data File Upgrade process. 

 
If you’d like to know more about this update, contact us via Reckon Community, email[email protected] or call 1300 799 150.


We have also prepared a how-to video which might help you understand the process. 

Christopher Donohue

I hope that this will not mean that Reckon Accounts Hosted is offline for users from 11.00am on Thursday 10 March 2016 as there are many people who process their Payroll of a Thursday. Also, to be given notice about this update at 6.41pm the evening before the Update seems to be a bit unfair.

John G

Hi Christopher,

Welcome to the Reckon Community.

When you log in after 11:00am today you won't see any difference.  You will see the same buttons on the Hosted Desktop, there is no update to the application itself and there is no need to upgrade company files.   Only when you go to Company > Company Information > Company Identification, will you see a new Software ID line under the Tax Rego ID.

If you are using your company file at 11:00am there will be no changes to your company file and there will be no change or interruption to the Hosted service.  Only when you log in the next time will you see the addition.

I hope this clarifies what will happen at 11.00am today.


regards,
John

Beth

No change or interruption, really?? I can log into Reckon, open the company file, but when I try a do a bank rec, the page is blank, there are no visible transactions. When I try and view employees, the history is totally blank, this is the case with anything I do?? They are transaction there but not visible to me at all. Once again a very frustrating time with Reckon hosted.  When will these issues be fixed, only last week and a very crucial time (eom) I had no access at all the the accounts for hours. It is getting ridiculous. Please tell me this will be fixed soon. I have Committee reports that have to be sent out by 3pm.

John G

Hi Beth,

Welcome to the Reckon community.

There are no system issues that could account for your experience.

Please close your company file, log off Hosted and close down your browser.  Relaunch it after a couple of minutes and try again.  If you are getting the same symptoms then please call Technical Support immediately for one-to-one attention to this problem.

Hope to see you running smoothly soon.


regards,
John.

thereAreNoStupidQuestions

John I just ran a large bank rec with no issues and can see my employees. Might be a issue local to Beth only.

Candice Share

when is Reckon going to develop the ability to submit electronic financial year tax return threw GovConnect

Melinda Jane Koth

I have obviously missed something explaining these ato changes.... is the a youtube video explaining what is happening. As the ATO site doesn't really explain this to well

Rav

Hi Melinda,
Check out the YouTube video link at the bottom of the main post or alternatively right here

Cheers
Rav

Heather L

Hi, 
I have logged onto the portal (via Internet explorer), notified the ATO via Access Manager of the Software ID but when I go to lodge the BAS the ATO portal still tells me that the Java isn't installed correctly (which it is, I've just run the update).
I have had this same problem since using reckon hosted since I use it on Chrome and the ATO portal only seems to support Internet Explorer - is this a common problem? and how do I fix it?
Any help would be much appreciated.  
Thanks in advance.
Heather

Jacquie Stumpf

Thanks Heather,

I would like to see an answer to your question also as I have had similar issues with the ATO.  For such a large organisation, surely they can afford to employ programmers to get their systems compliant across all the platforms instead of requiring the little guy to use the outdated Explorer.  

I want to know (just like you do) if I have to close Reckon Hosted in Chrome, and open it again in Explorer, just so I can do the tax.  

Jacquie

Karen251

I don't use Reckon to submit my BAS I do it through the ATO portal, can I keep doing it this way?

Rav

Hi folks,
I've found some info on the ATO website in relation to browser & OS compatibility -
https://abr.gov.au/AUSkey/Help-and-support/Setting-up-AUSkey-troubleshooting/AUSkey-compatibility/ 

@Heather L - This shouldn't be an issue if you're lodging through Reckon Accounts Hosted and GovConnect, could you check out the list above and see if you're on a compatible browser for your OS?

@Karen251 - Yes you can certainly continue to lodge through the ATO portal, you'll need to ensure you have your AUSkey as usual.

Cheers
Rav

Jacquie Stumpf

Thanks Rav.

I looked on the link you provided but the ATO is woefully behind in compatibility with Microsoft, offering no compatibility with anything Windows 7 or higher.  

It's disgusting that a company as large as the ATO can't keep up to date with the latest MSoft, let alone computers that are several years old.  In small business we are encouraged to turn over the computers every 3 - 5 years (Im on Windows 10), but the ATO isn't bothered about keeping up.  How they expect us to feel 'happy' about their innovations i don't know.  It's pathetic if you ask me.  Why should I be expected to download different browsers just to use their software.  THEY should keep up!  

Anyway...since they aren't current, I presume I have to close my Reckon software and open it up in Firefox, just to do the tax.  Is that correct?

Rav

Hi Jacqui,
When using Reckon Accounts Hosted and submitting your BAS through GovConnect there should be no browser issues as it submits through Hosted itself.

If submitting through the ATO portal directly however, then you'll need to copy your BAS export file from Reckon Accounts Hosted to a local destination on your PC (eg. Desktop, My Documents etc).
Then use one of the ATO compatible browsers to lodge your submission.

Hope that clarifies but if not, let me know

Cheers
Rav

Jacquie Stumpf

Thanks Rav