by Anne Stubbs | Jun 12, 2019 | Business Management, Payroll Management
You may have heard that there are some important changes about to happen in how and when businesses will report wages/salary, superannuation and PAYG information to the Australian Tax Office (ATO). Single Touch Payroll will be implemented for all employers from July 1 2019. But what is Single Touch Payroll (STP) and how will it affect your small business payroll reporting requirements?
So What Is Single Touch Payroll?
Businesses used to report their wage activity once a year but with STP all businesses will need to submit a digital report to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) every time they run a payroll. So instead of finalising your payroll records and reporting at the end of the financial year, from July 2019 all businesses will need to report every payday.
How Does This Affect Payroll Reporting Requirements?
One of the other stipulations of the STP regulations is that business owners will need to undertake STP reporting online using compliant payroll, accounting or business management software. You will need to report in a specific format called Standard Business Reporting (SBR). If you are already using STP compliant accounting software such as Xero, MYOB, Quickbooks or Reckon, then the process is quite simple once it has been setup. However, if you have previously used paper forms to report your payroll activity then you will need to change software or find a service provider who can do this for you. Contact our accounting software support team to discuss the options available.
If you employ four people or less there are a number of low cost / no cost standalone STP software options that keeps costs to a minimum i.e. under $10 / month.
So you will no longer need to produce:
- a payment summary annual report for the ATO showing how much the business paid in salary / wages, PAYG withholding and superannuation contributions
- a payment summary for each employee showing the same
You will just need to advise the ATO when you have run your last payroll of the year. Employees wishing to see the details that would have been on their payment summary, can log into myGov to obtain the information.
The Options For Switching To Single Touch Payroll
In terms of small business accounting compliance requirements for the new STP regulations, you will need to be ready to submit ATO-compliant reports every time you run your payroll. What this means is:
- If you are already using online payroll software, this should be capable of managing the task. Just double-check it produces ATO-compliant reports and get help from your bookkeepers to ensure it is set up properly.
- If you are using desktop payroll software, you’ll need to find a service that can upload your payroll reports, convert them into the ATO’s required format and submit them on your behalf.
- If you are using spreadsheets or submitting paper reports you will need to have that data converted into a compliant digital report and submitted on your behalf.
While there is an amount of short term pain in getting set up to run with the new regulations and achieving Single Touch Payroll compliance, in the long run, the automation and reduction in end of year reporting will make compliance less difficult. Now is the perfect time to consider outsourcing the payroll process to further reduce the time burden on your business.
Numera’s Brisbane Bookkeeping Services include Payroll Outsourcing and can help with all your payroll processing requirements. Our accounting software support team can also help you decide which software you need, and set it up to ensure single touch payroll compliance and managing your payroll on a monthly basis.
Work with the Brisbane bookkeepers you can trust. Give us a call today on 07 3002 4880 or email info@numera.com.au to find out how we can help your business.
by Anne Stubbs | Jun 5, 2019 | Bookkeeping and Accounting, Business Management
Keeping accurate financial records is fundamental to the efficient running and ultimate success of your business. Most business owners make use of accounting software and the support of a good bookkeeper to help keep them on track and ensure that all transactions are recorded in a timely manner. But what accounting approach should you use? Essentially there are two methods of accounting but what’s the difference between cash and accrual accounting?
The Difference Between Cash and Accrual Accounting
You might be wondering why choosing the right accounting method is so important for your business. The key to understanding the difference between cash and accrual accounting lies in the timing of when revenue and expenses appear in your financial reports.
Cash Accounting Explained
Typically cash-basis accounting is used by smaller businesses who prioritise simplicity. Using cash-basis accounting a company records expenses and income as the cash is actually paid out and received.
There are some advantages to using cash-basis accounting such as:
- It’s easier to keep a track of your cash flow
- It’s suited to smaller businesses that mostly handle transactions in cash
The major disadvantage of the cash method is that it doesn’t capture money owed to you or that you owe to others so it can be difficult to get an accurate picture of how the business is performing financially. Take a business which delivers training funded by various different governments and receives lump payments on a few occasions a year. Using cash-basis accounting it is extremely difficult to track the health of this business because they either have ample cash or have been incurring expenses for which they are yet to receive payment.
So What Is Accrual Accounting?
Accrual accounting, whilst a little more complicated, is much better suited to larger businesses or businesses who don’t get paid straight away.
Using accrual accounting you record expenses and sales when they take place as opposed to when cash is paid or received. For example using Accrual accounting our training business would apportion lump payments throughout the year depending on when the actual training was carried out. Now income and expenses are matched and the business has a true picture of their financial position.
A word of warning though, if you are using accrual accounting you need to keep an eye on your cash flow because any issues won’t necessarily appear in your financial statements.
How To Decide Which Accounting Method Is Right For Your Business
As we’ve highlighted the type of business you are running will be an important factor in deciding which is the most appropriate accounting method. While accrual accounting may require more work, technology and decent accounting software can make this far easier. This is also where the support of a well trained, experienced bookkeeper will pay dividends. As we highlighted in our last blog exploring how a bookkeeper can help your business, they will be able to help keep your records up to date and save you time and money. And if you want to introduce accrual accounting into your business, you simply need to ask your bookkeeper to start providing you with accrual accounting financial statements.
At Numera Bookkeeping Services, we provide more than most traditional bookkeepers. With significant experience across a wide range of industry sectors, our Brisbane bookkeepers are able to support you with all the standard bookkeeping services, including BAS preparation and lodgment, as well as advising on the most appropriate accounting method for your business. We can also support you in choosing the best accounting package for your business: Xero, MYOB, Quickbooks and Reckon.
Speak to the team at Numera Bookkeeping Services to make this happen. Work with the Brisbane bookkeepers you can trust. Give us a call today on 07 3002 4880 or email info@numera.com.au to find out how we can help your business.
by Anne Stubbs | May 22, 2019 | Bookkeeping and Accounting, Business Management
When you first started out in business you probably had all good intentions of managing as much of the business as possible by yourself. Maybe you were trying to keep your costs low or you felt that you needed to be in control of all of your financial information. Whatever the reason, generally there comes a time for all small business owners when they realise that they need assistance to keep things running smoothly, particularly when it comes to record-keeping and transactions. So why use a bookkeeper? We’ll outline 3 ways that they can help your business to thrive. There are many different professional support services available for business owners and, as we covered in our last blog post, there is a difference between bookkeeping and accounting. While they are different services, they are actually complementary and for your business to run smoothly you ideally need both. You may have already engaged a good accountant to help advise you on ways to grow your business, how to stay tax compliant and minimise business costs but why use a bookkeeper too?
Reasons To Use A Bookkeeper:
Reason #1: Saves You Time And Money
Most business owners are time-poor and the task of keeping accurate financial records, ensuring all transactions are recorded, usually gets deferred until it becomes absolutely necessary e.g. the BAS is due or it is tax time. Engaging a qualified bookkeeper saves you the time of having to review all your transactions, particularly if you have put off the task for a few months.
You will also save money in the longer term as a good bookkeeper will help ensure you pay bills on time, avoiding interest and late payment fees. They will also streamline your current business systems and processes, ensuring your financial records are in top shape and your business running as efficiently as it can be. Having accurate financial records can also help you get credit from banks or other lending organisations, should you need it AND it will help your accountant spend less time dissecting your data and more time using the data to offer valuable insights to help you grow your business.
Reason #2: Allows You To Focus On Growing The Business
As the business grows so does the paperwork and record-keeping. Most business owners reach a point where they realise that they are spending too much time every week chasing payments, reviewing supplier invoices or processing their payroll. A bookkeeper can take on all these tasks and more and free up your time to focus on the things that will help your business to grow.
How much time have you spent in the last week trying to keep track of your sales, payments, purchases and receipts? And if you haven’t been doing this regularly, it is obviously going to be a big job when you get around to doing it and take a substantial chunk of your time to reconcile all of your transactions. How much more effective would you be if you were focusing on the thing you really love: your business?
Reason #3: Gives You Peace Of Mind
You can’t be an expert in everything. Ensuring your business is complying with the latest tax regulations outlined by the ATO and ASIC, such as ongoing changes to superannuation law, is one area where you really should be engaging the services of professionals. Engaging a well-qualified bookkeeper will help you stay out of hot water with the ATO and give you the peace of mind that all monthly, quarterly and annual deadlines are met for BAS, tax, and superannuation and your business is compliant. And if you have fallen behind a bookkeeper can also help bring your lodgments up to date and work with the ATO to manage existing debt and get your business running efficiently again.
At Numera Bookkeeping Services, we provide more than most traditional bookkeepers. With significant experience across a wide range of industry sectors, we are able to support you with all the standard bookkeeping services as well as BAS preparation and lodgment, accounting software support for packages including Xero, MYOB, Quickbooks and Reckon. If you need the services of a local accountant, our referral partners, MGI South Queensland are on hand to offer more detailed accounting advice. Work with the Brisbane bookkeepers you can trust. Give us a call today on 07 3002 4880 or email info@numera.com.au to find out how we can help your business.
by Anne Stubbs | May 15, 2019 | Bookkeeping and Accounting, Business Management
If there’s one question that we get asked more than any other, it is: what’s the difference between bookkeeping and accounting? Many business owners, particularly when they first start out, are unclear about the distinction and what role a bookkeeper can play in the business. There is however, quite a clear difference and the value that both professional services can bring to a growing business shouldn’t be underestimated.
By way of a simple definition, bookkeeping handles the recording and organisation of financial transactions and data. Bookkeepers are primarily focused on the day-to-day management of the financial data in a business including recording purchases, receipts and transactions. Accounting is the analysis and interpretation of that data. Accountants use this data to look at the bigger picture, analyse the overall financial situation and look at the impact on the business.
Traditionally bookkeeping generally takes care of:
- Data entry
- Payroll
- Bank reconciliations
- Invoicing
- Receipts
Accounting is usually responsible for:
- Analysing business performance
- Taxation management
- Budgeting
- Financial statements and reports
Essentially, accountants rely on the quality of data generated by bookkeepers to help business owners make critical decisions about the management of their business. It’s also true to say that the lines between bookkeeping and accounting are becoming a little more blurred. The development of online accounting and bookkeeping software packages means that some of the processes that may have been previously undertaken by an accountant may now be done by a qualified, experienced bookkeeper. This can include things like the generation of financial statements, which many software packages now facilitate.
Many business owners may start out trying to manage the day to day financial data for their businesses and come to realise, as the business grows, that it takes a considerable amount of time and focus to stay on top of this. A good bookkeeper will prove invaluable in taking this pressure off. As the business grows further most business owners recognise that the advice of a good accountant is needed to help them decide what the data is telling them.
At Numera Bookkeeping Services, we provide more than most traditional bookkeepers. With significant experience across a wide range of industry sectors, we are able to support you with all the standard bookkeeping services as well as BAS preparation and lodgment, payroll outsourcing services, advice on the selection of accounting packages and software training. If you need the services of a local accountant, our referral partners, MGI South Queensland are on hand to offer more detailed accounting advice. Work with the Brisbane bookkeepers you can trust. Give us a call today on 07 3002 4880 or email info@numera.com.au to find out how we can help your business.
