When I rang Reckon Support today after about 10 minutes of explaining what Single Touch Payroll was to the support person who answered my call and putting me on hold 3 times they eventually worked out what I was talking about and they came back and said was going to be available on 1st June 2018.
This gives us one month to test it to make sure it works and work out how to use it ( June 2018 ) before it is a requirement we use it with the ATO ( from 1/7/18 as we have more than 20 employees ) and it will be over 30 June which is of course the busiest time of the year anyway.
This just seems to be creating unnecessary stress for all seeing as the ATO have said we are able to submit with the Single Touch Payroll from October 2017 to ensure we are adequately ready. If our payroll software is only ready a month before we have to use it there is no way we can be adequately ready.
I am normally so happy with Reckon but I have to say today this has left me scratching my head ?. Surely they could have it ready earlier than that ................Has anyone else received this time frame from Reckon ?
This gives us one month to test it to make sure it works and work out how to use it ( June 2018 ) before it is a requirement we use it with the ATO ( from 1/7/18 as we have more than 20 employees ) and it will be over 30 June which is of course the busiest time of the year anyway.
This just seems to be creating unnecessary stress for all seeing as the ATO have said we are able to submit with the Single Touch Payroll from October 2017 to ensure we are adequately ready. If our payroll software is only ready a month before we have to use it there is no way we can be adequately ready.
I am normally so happy with Reckon but I have to say today this has left me scratching my head ?. Surely they could have it ready earlier than that ................Has anyone else received this time frame from Reckon ?
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274 Points
Posted 2 years ago
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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53,036 Points
Jen you are panicking about nothing. There will be a grace period while these issues are sorted. The tax office want you to comply. They dont want to beat you up. Trust me
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274 Points
Hi Kevin, thanks for your reply. I am not panicking I am just trying to be prepared.
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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53,036 Points
Theres nothing to be prepared about Jen. Like the gst which was a much bigger change there will be plenty of notice and plenty of support from Reckon and ATO.
Kevin, very nice of you to sound comforting, but I do have my reservations too.
When the ATO changed the ruling on the super being paid via a clearing house, I carefully updated all of my staff records within Quick books, to include the SPIN and employee membership number. Along came the next software upgrade, and Intuit had completely rewritten this part. All my hard work got wiped out, and with 70 employees that was a lot of my time wasted.
I, like Jen Beveridge have my reservations.
I have also been using Quick books on line / in the cloud and find this to be quite clumsy. Now, I seem to be double handling all of the data, I seem to be filing things twice over, once into a temporary file and then a second time when I have matched everything up. I have been using Quick books for over 20 years, and they have some fantastic features, but are they really making it better?
Jen McKenzie
When the ATO changed the ruling on the super being paid via a clearing house, I carefully updated all of my staff records within Quick books, to include the SPIN and employee membership number. Along came the next software upgrade, and Intuit had completely rewritten this part. All my hard work got wiped out, and with 70 employees that was a lot of my time wasted.
I, like Jen Beveridge have my reservations.
I have also been using Quick books on line / in the cloud and find this to be quite clumsy. Now, I seem to be double handling all of the data, I seem to be filing things twice over, once into a temporary file and then a second time when I have matched everything up. I have been using Quick books for over 20 years, and they have some fantastic features, but are they really making it better?
Jen McKenzie
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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53,036 Points
Jen Im confuaed are you using Quickbooks online or are you using Reckon? I use all the software they are all very different but they all get there in the end. Oh and I could tell you some stories about the bad old days in 2008. Or worse, the year 2000 but we were all learning then. We also got through it though it was trying at the time. Reckon hosted was a pretty miserable experience on Citrix. The current Amazon service is much better especially if you have a solid internet connection. I still think it needs an offline mode.
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1,016 Points
Considering there are Reckon support tickets for very simple things that are YEARS old, I have my reservations about their ability to implement something like this in six months.
The ATO has dropped Single Touch Payroll on small businesses today - we received an email stating we need to be ready to go on 1 July. As a small business operator with 37 employees, running everything by myself, learning some new system or payroll process is something that I simply cannot do in a short timeframe.
There really needs to be a trial run or a dummy setup in place earlier so that actual end users (as opposed to accountants and bookkeepers who use the software all day every day) can get their heads around it in time to be compliant.
The ATO has dropped Single Touch Payroll on small businesses today - we received an email stating we need to be ready to go on 1 July. As a small business operator with 37 employees, running everything by myself, learning some new system or payroll process is something that I simply cannot do in a short timeframe.
There really needs to be a trial run or a dummy setup in place earlier so that actual end users (as opposed to accountants and bookkeepers who use the software all day every day) can get their heads around it in time to be compliant.
Simon Hutchinson, Employee
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2,502 Points
Hi Goaty,
Thank you for the post. We have been involved with Single Touch Payroll with the ATO since 2015 when it was first announced by the Finance Minister as a new way for businesses to interact with the ATO (yes, this has been around since 2015 as a proposed legislative requirement which has now made it through the parliament.). We are part of the Australian Business Software Association who are basically co-designing this system and have been privy to many details during the design phase.
Whilst we are not ready to go into final details as yet as to how this will all work (primarily because there are still some things not finalised on the ATO end for software developers), we have been working on this project for a number of months now and are deep into our design. There is obviously four products from Reckon that need to connect to the STP Service; Payroll Premier, Accounts Hosted, Accounts Desktop and Reckon One and each of those have differing requirements and systems within them on how they deal with payroll.
We agree that having to change payroll processes is a potential nightmare, but a basic summary of the STP system is that a digital report needs to be sent to the ATO after each payroll event (that is, each time you complete a pay run, a digital message needs to be sent to the ATO to update their systems about the pay, the employees involved and various other details). Ultimately it becomes a situation where instead of providing a EMPDUPE summary once a year, it is provided after each pay run.
We are working hard to ensure that the disruption to payroll processes within the applications are minimal. Our anticipation is that within your current software setup, you would finalise a pay in the same manner that you already are so no change there but have to complete one additional step to submit the data to the ATO for processing. Single Touch Payroll does not change the way that payrolls are conducted or the requirements around processing a pay, it adds a additional step of reporting to the ATO what occurred in a payroll event and when. So instead of the ATO getting that data once a year, they will get it 52, 26, 12 or even more times per year. The benefit being that as long as you comply with the STP requirements, INB and other payment summaries can become a thing of the past and EOFY processes potentially less intensive and time consuming.
In terms of testing and being able to try things early from the posts above, due to the way the ATO systems work, you will only be able to send 'real' data to the ATO systems. However it must be made clear that for a system to operate within the single touch payroll environment the ATO has constructed, that it must pass a compliance test from the ATO, and the ATO must be comfortable that the system is acting as per legislative requirements. Therefore, the STP software you will use will have been through this ATO certification.
Rest assured Reckon is well aware of single touch payroll, what employees and employers will need to do in this new world, and are working to implement a system which changes the payroll system processes in a way that makes sense and does not significantly disrupt the current flows.
The various bookkeeping assocations such as ICB and ABN have also been very involved with single touch payroll and may have information and guides available in terms of business process impact. They also may be a port of call if you would like to register concern with the ATO about the lack of time before the commencement date of July 1.
Thank you for the post. We have been involved with Single Touch Payroll with the ATO since 2015 when it was first announced by the Finance Minister as a new way for businesses to interact with the ATO (yes, this has been around since 2015 as a proposed legislative requirement which has now made it through the parliament.). We are part of the Australian Business Software Association who are basically co-designing this system and have been privy to many details during the design phase.
Whilst we are not ready to go into final details as yet as to how this will all work (primarily because there are still some things not finalised on the ATO end for software developers), we have been working on this project for a number of months now and are deep into our design. There is obviously four products from Reckon that need to connect to the STP Service; Payroll Premier, Accounts Hosted, Accounts Desktop and Reckon One and each of those have differing requirements and systems within them on how they deal with payroll.
We agree that having to change payroll processes is a potential nightmare, but a basic summary of the STP system is that a digital report needs to be sent to the ATO after each payroll event (that is, each time you complete a pay run, a digital message needs to be sent to the ATO to update their systems about the pay, the employees involved and various other details). Ultimately it becomes a situation where instead of providing a EMPDUPE summary once a year, it is provided after each pay run.
We are working hard to ensure that the disruption to payroll processes within the applications are minimal. Our anticipation is that within your current software setup, you would finalise a pay in the same manner that you already are so no change there but have to complete one additional step to submit the data to the ATO for processing. Single Touch Payroll does not change the way that payrolls are conducted or the requirements around processing a pay, it adds a additional step of reporting to the ATO what occurred in a payroll event and when. So instead of the ATO getting that data once a year, they will get it 52, 26, 12 or even more times per year. The benefit being that as long as you comply with the STP requirements, INB and other payment summaries can become a thing of the past and EOFY processes potentially less intensive and time consuming.
In terms of testing and being able to try things early from the posts above, due to the way the ATO systems work, you will only be able to send 'real' data to the ATO systems. However it must be made clear that for a system to operate within the single touch payroll environment the ATO has constructed, that it must pass a compliance test from the ATO, and the ATO must be comfortable that the system is acting as per legislative requirements. Therefore, the STP software you will use will have been through this ATO certification.
Rest assured Reckon is well aware of single touch payroll, what employees and employers will need to do in this new world, and are working to implement a system which changes the payroll system processes in a way that makes sense and does not significantly disrupt the current flows.
The various bookkeeping assocations such as ICB and ABN have also been very involved with single touch payroll and may have information and guides available in terms of business process impact. They also may be a port of call if you would like to register concern with the ATO about the lack of time before the commencement date of July 1.
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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53,036 Points
Thank you Simon for your answer. I think Goaty would have more luck if he contacted his local MHR or Senator or the finance Minister directly rather than continue this discussion here. I already stated, thsre will be a grace period for business to comply. The ATO want to support business in the run up to this change they want it to work. They dont want to penalise business trying to do the right thing. Some small business will always try to operate outside any system. They need to ve rooted out.Theres enough stories about small business not paying their taxes on time - if at all - and unpaid super contributions cost the community billions. I cant wait till the RBA anounces the end of cash. I give it about five years. We have an opportunity here to restore some integrity to the revenue and to genuinsly enhance the operating environment for small vusiness much the same as the GST has done. We should not blow the chance or overstate the complexity
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1,016 Points
Thanks Simon, I'll keep an eye on it in the leadup to EOFY. EOFY is a good time to change accounting software if desired and to be honest I've been nothing but unhappy with Reckon's support since I started using the software, so a poor implementation of STP support will almost definitely be the straw that breaks this already overloaded camel's back. If it's as simple as Reckon sending off that data in the background then that's great, but if it's a clunky process like sending payslips (i.e. I don't understand why payslips aren't automatically emailed as part of the payroll process) then I can see myself jumping ship quick smart.
@Kevin, I am not discussing the STP system. I am discussing Reckon's implementation of support for that system, which I'm fairly sure is an issue my local member would tell me they have no control over.
@Kevin, I am not discussing the STP system. I am discussing Reckon's implementation of support for that system, which I'm fairly sure is an issue my local member would tell me they have no control over.
(Edited)
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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53,036 Points
Goaty I told you once, you are worrying about nothing. You dont have to believe me
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Hi all,
We'll be getting in touch with all customers in regard to Single Touch Payroll (STP) via email late this week/Monday next week at the latest.
In the meantime, we've got information and resources for Single Touch Payroll on our website HERE which I'd strongly recommend checking out, including the ability to register for updates on launch.
We'll be getting in touch with all customers in regard to Single Touch Payroll (STP) via email late this week/Monday next week at the latest.
In the meantime, we've got information and resources for Single Touch Payroll on our website HERE which I'd strongly recommend checking out, including the ability to register for updates on launch.
(Edited)
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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53,026 Points
Top work Rav. Great to know youre on the case
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130 Points
We are customers and haven't received anything to date from Reckon re STP. We would appreciate if you could send any updates to rooms@skellner.com.au
Thank you
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488 Points
Robyn Kelly (Partner), Accredited Partner
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5,062 Points
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488 Points
Hi Robyn, why is 1f required? Does each of our Employees need to be given a number?
Thanks Gemma
Thanks Gemma
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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50,464 Points
No
Robyn Kelly (Partner), Accredited Partner
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5,000 Points
Gemma from the conferences & webinars I have been attending it has been suggested the ATO may require this field when lodging pay events; although as mentioned above the file requirements have not yet been finalised. I feel it would be just as easy to complete now while checking other details for each employee in my opinion.
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488 Points
Thanks Robyn
Simon Hutchinson, Employee
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2,502 Points
The ATO does require this field
Phillip Job, Accredited Partner
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370 Points
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1,348 Points
Can anyone give an indication of when Reckon Accounts Enterprise will have the STP release? I haven't heard a thing at all from Reckon about this, but I seem to get lots of emails about it from the ATO & super funds!
Rav, Community Manager
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84,670 Points
Hi Felicity,
The 2018 edition of Enterprise will receive the final STP feature with the tax update coming next month. This is the case with all 2018 desktop editions of Reckon Accounts Business.
SINGLE TOUCH PAYROLL RESOURCES
The 2018 edition of Enterprise will receive the final STP feature with the tax update coming next month. This is the case with all 2018 desktop editions of Reckon Accounts Business.
SINGLE TOUCH PAYROLL RESOURCES
(Edited)
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1,348 Points
Thanks Rav :)
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488 Points
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Hi all,
If you're using Reckon Accounts Business (desktop) or Hosted I'd recommend checking out our new article on how to prepare your file for upcoming release of Single Touch Payroll -
Preparing Reckon Accounts Business and Hosted for Single Touch Payroll (STP)
If you're using Reckon Accounts Business (desktop) or Hosted I'd recommend checking out our new article on how to prepare your file for upcoming release of Single Touch Payroll -
Preparing Reckon Accounts Business and Hosted for Single Touch Payroll (STP)
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Similar to the above, for anyone using Reckon One we've just published a separate article on preparing your Reckon One book for Single Touch Payroll (STP).
Check it out below -
Preparing Reckon One for Single Touch Payroll (STP)
Check it out below -
Preparing Reckon One for Single Touch Payroll (STP)
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130 Points
We are using Reckon Accounts Plus 2017 - what do we need to do to prepare for STP?
Rav, Community Manager
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85,512 Points
Hi Sybil,
The 2018 range of Reckon Accounts Business (desktop) and Hosted will be STP compliant. Please upgrade to your 2018 edition in the first instance in preparation for the introduction of Single Touch Payroll.
The 2018 range of Reckon Accounts Business (desktop) and Hosted will be STP compliant. Please upgrade to your 2018 edition in the first instance in preparation for the introduction of Single Touch Payroll.
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130 Points
Thanks Rav, was only when I checked that I realised we had not updated to 2018 eek :) getting that done today. Whats next?
Rav, Community Manager
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85,512 Points
Good stuff Sybil,
Functionality for STP compliance is coming with the tax update next month. We'll be getting in touch with everyone on that via email and right here on Community as well. Stay tuned.
Functionality for STP compliance is coming with the tax update next month. We'll be getting in touch with everyone on that via email and right here on Community as well. Stay tuned.
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130 Points
Thanks :)
I noticed when we did the 2018 update there is also on the website a MyGov download which seems to be available. Is it recommended that we also do this now?
(Edited)
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Hi again folks,
I've just posted the details of our Single Touch Payroll webinar that we'll be conducting to provide an overview of STP.
I'd definitely recommend attending if you can and you'll find the details here -
SINGLE TOUCH PAYROLL WEBINAR (28 May 2018)
I've just posted the details of our Single Touch Payroll webinar that we'll be conducting to provide an overview of STP.
I'd definitely recommend attending if you can and you'll find the details here -
SINGLE TOUCH PAYROLL WEBINAR (28 May 2018)
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130 Points
Hi Rav
AGHHH!!! Just went to register for Webinar and realised I have a Doctor appointment at 3pm on Monday and it is one I cant miss as it is prep for surgery. Will there be another webinar I could attend? Really want to get on top of this and hoping you might be able to time another webinar for those like me that cant attend this one. Many thanks for your ongoing support. Cheers Pamela
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
No worries, what I'll do is post a recorded copy of the webinar in the other thread so you can watch it when you have some time.
This is just the first in the series of webinars we'll be holding for STP in the next few weeks :)
This is just the first in the series of webinars we'll be holding for STP in the next few weeks :)
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130 Points
Thanks :)
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Hi folks,
For anyone that missed yesterday's webinar covering an overview of STP, you can view it here -
Single Touch Payroll WEBINAR (28 May 2018)
For anyone that missed yesterday's webinar covering an overview of STP, you can view it here -
Single Touch Payroll WEBINAR (28 May 2018)
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
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130 Points
Hi Rav
Once again I wont be available for the webinar on Monday but hoping that you can again send me the link so I can access when I return to work on Tuesday.
Many thanks
Pamela
Rav, Community Manager
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85,512 Points
Not a problem Pamela, will have the recorded copy up on that other thread once its completed.
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130 Points
Many thanks. Another question, when will we receive the update for the 18/19 tax tables?
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
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50,362 Points
Sybil given the legislation was passed YESTERDAY it was difficult to respond to now. The updates will be available next week. Stay tuned
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1,446 Points
I do not work Mondays either but would also love to watch it on Tuesday. Thanks
Rav, Community Manager
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91,270 Points
Not a problem Rosie, will let you know as soon as I can upload the recorded copy :)
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
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92 Points
Hi, are the step by step instructions for each package ie Payroll Premier available yet? If so how do I access them?
Rav, Community Manager
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74,626 Points
Hi Ma Creedon,
Yes the Single Touch Payroll Guides for each product are available at our new Help Centre.
For Payroll Premier check out the guide here -
Payroll Premier 2018/19 Single Touch Payroll Guide
Yes the Single Touch Payroll Guides for each product are available at our new Help Centre.
For Payroll Premier check out the guide here -
Payroll Premier 2018/19 Single Touch Payroll Guide
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Hi everyone,
We've got a new bunch of webinars coming up that focus on Single Touch Payroll and each of our individual products.
I'd highly recommend attending these webinars as they'll show you the whole process from sign-up to upload, and everything in between for the product that you use specifically.
The first one is this afternoon and there's still time to register a spot, don't miss out!
Check out the details here -
Single Touch Payroll for Reckon Accounts Desktop WEBINAR (29 June)
Single Touch Payroll for Reckon One WEBINAR (4 July 2018)
Single Touch Payroll for Reckon Accounts Hosted WEBINAR (5 July 2018)
Single Touch Payroll for Payroll Premier WEBINAR (5 July 2018)
We've got a new bunch of webinars coming up that focus on Single Touch Payroll and each of our individual products.
I'd highly recommend attending these webinars as they'll show you the whole process from sign-up to upload, and everything in between for the product that you use specifically.
The first one is this afternoon and there's still time to register a spot, don't miss out!
Check out the details here -
Single Touch Payroll for Reckon Accounts Desktop WEBINAR (29 June)
Single Touch Payroll for Reckon One WEBINAR (4 July 2018)
Single Touch Payroll for Reckon Accounts Hosted WEBINAR (5 July 2018)
Single Touch Payroll for Payroll Premier WEBINAR (5 July 2018)
(Edited)
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92 Points
Hi, I will be unable to watch this at the time. Will it be available to view at a later time?
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Sure thing, I'll upload a recorded copy of each webinar in its respective thread above after they're completed.
(Edited)
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788 Points
I don't need to do STP till next year and I don't really want to start right now would like to start when I have more time to deal with it but my question is can I get the tax updates without the STP?
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Hi Narelle,
The Reckon Accounts Business & Hosted update carries both the new tax tables and Single Touch Payroll (STP) functionality.
If you if you have 19 or less employees, STP will be mandatory from 1 July 2019 (subject to legislation passing), however you can start reporting with STP any time before this date.
STP functionality can be disabled in Payroll & Employee settings (only to be used for those with 19 or less employees)
There's more info in our FAQ's here -
Single Touch Payroll (STP) Webinar FAQ's
Also, check out our recorded webinar for Single Touch Payroll and Reckon Accounts Business.
(Webinar for Single Touch Payroll & Reckon Accounts Hosted next week)
The Reckon Accounts Business & Hosted update carries both the new tax tables and Single Touch Payroll (STP) functionality.
If you if you have 19 or less employees, STP will be mandatory from 1 July 2019 (subject to legislation passing), however you can start reporting with STP any time before this date.
STP functionality can be disabled in Payroll & Employee settings (only to be used for those with 19 or less employees)
There's more info in our FAQ's here -
Single Touch Payroll (STP) Webinar FAQ's
Also, check out our recorded webinar for Single Touch Payroll and Reckon Accounts Business.
(Webinar for Single Touch Payroll & Reckon Accounts Hosted next week)
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92 Points
Hi Rav,
Just wondering when the recorded Single Touch Payroll for Payroll Premier WEBINAR (5 July 2018) will be available?
Just wondering when the recorded Single Touch Payroll for Payroll Premier WEBINAR (5 July 2018) will be available?
Rav, Community Manager
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91,926 Points
Hi Maree,
I've just posted the recorded copy a couple of minutes ago on that thread :)
Single Touch Payroll for Payroll Premier WEBINAR (5 July 2018)
I've just posted the recorded copy a couple of minutes ago on that thread :)
Single Touch Payroll for Payroll Premier WEBINAR (5 July 2018)
Jen Beveridge
Also it would also be helpful if the support centre didn't give the wrong information as that is the date they told me. I did ask to speak to a supervisor to ask if this date could potentially change ( as the support person said it wouldn't ) and they were going to call me back but they didn't.
Gemma White
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
Rav, Community Manager
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
Gemma White
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
Gemma White
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
Garry Dunn
Garry Dunn
Business Manager
Gemma White
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner
Sharyn Gaunt
Paula Hajek
Kevin Russell, Accredited Partner