SERVICES AND SUPPORT
for tax professionals
ATO services online – available 24/7 to support
you do your work and keep up to date
Finding information and working online
Check our tax agent and BAS agent services guides for online
options to resolve your queries and transactions. Visit ato.gov.au/
Tax-professionals/Services-and-support/Services-guides
Compare the functions of each online channel at ato.gov.au/
Tax-professionals/Services-and-support/Working-online/
Comparison-of-online-channels
Keep informed about system maintenance dates and technical
issues at:
a
to.gov.au/General/Online-services/System-Maintenance
a
to.gov.au/General/Online-services/Technical-issues-and-help
ato.gov.au
ATO.GOV.AU
Requires an AUSkey
To register for an AUSkey, visit
abr.gov.au/AUSkey/Registering-for-AUSkey
Australian Business Register (ABR)
View and update Australian business number (ABN) details,
apply for a tax file number, register for pay as you go, goods
and services tax or an AUSkey.
See also: abr.gov.au/For-Tax-agents
Electronic commerce interface (ECI)
ECI is a software application that allows you to lodge large
amounts of data through an online transaction.
See also: eci.ato.gov.au
News and alert services
Tax professionals newsroom
Access our website at ato.gov.au
Email updates and RSS news feeds are available
to alert you to new or revised information.
Visit ato.gov.au/general/gen/subscriptions
Practice management software
Practice management software that is standard
business reporting (SBR) enabled simplifies and
reduces the time and cost associated with collating
information and submitting reports to government.
Visit ‘How to get SBR’ on sbr.gov.au to find out which software is
SBR-enabled and which forms are accepted by us through SBR.
PRACTICE
MANAGEMENT
SOFTWARE
Electronic lodgment service (ELS)
In 2016 your upgrade to your practice management software will
replace ELS with SBR. We suggest in March 2016 tax professionals
check with their software provider if they need to make any additional
preparations. For some, they will just receive the usual tax time
software upgrade. For others they may need to set aside additional
time for training and make other preparations, such as to change
or update their AUSkey. Tax professionals should speak with their
software provider for more information.
For now you can still use ELS to lodge clients’ income tax returns
and other forms, and create reports from your software. ELS will
only remain available for Tax Time 2015 forms and services and for
lodging returns for years prior to 2015.
Portals
The Tax Agent Portal, BAS Agent Portal and
Business Portal enable you to conduct transactions
with us in a secure online environment. When using
the portal, select ‘Help’ at any time to get screenspecific help. See also:
a
to.gov.au/Tax-professionals/Tax-Agent-Portal
a
to.gov.au/Tax-professionals/BAS-Agent-Portal
a
to.gov.au/Business/Business-Portal
View all the latest news for tax professionals
in one place at ato.gov.au/tpnews
Tax professionals newsletter
A free weekly e-newsletter with the week’s top articles and
website updates for tax professionals. A BAS agent edition
is also available. Subscribe at ato.gov.au/tpnews
Tax professionals community
Join the community at
lets-talk.ato.gov.au/tpcommunity
to connect with people in your industry
and access information and resources.
Tax professional webinars and webcasts
Free webinars (online seminars) and webcasts
(video broadcasts of events) on a wide range of
tax topics. Upcoming events are advertised in the
Tax professionals newsletter.
Follow us on social media
Facebook: facebook.com/atogovau
Youtube: youtube.com/user/AusTaxOffice
Twitter: twitter.com/ato_gov_au
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/australian-taxation-office
PORTALS
Tax professionals alerts
We provide timely alerts for urgent issues, like
portal outages.
For more information and to subscribe, visit
ato.gov.au/Tax-professionals/Services-and-support/
Latest-news-and-webinars-for-tax-professionals
continued next page
Phone us when you are unable to resolve your issue through our
online channels
Registered agent phone line
13 72 86 (8.00am – 6.00pm your local time, Monday to Friday except national public holidays).
Fast Key Codes allow you to key ahead to the option of your choice without listening to the entire menu.
View the available Fast Key Codes in the tax agent and BAS agent services guides at ato.gov.au/Tax-professionals/
Services-and-support/Services-guides
Specialised assistance is available if you need it
Complex issue resolution
Help with your lodgment program
Use this service for complex administrative issues or technical
interpretation queries, which you have not been able to resolve
through our online channels or Registered agent phone line.
If you are experiencing difficulties meeting your lodgment
program for reasons beyond your control, help is available.
Complex issue resolution replaces the previous Professionalto-Professional and Support and assistance services.
To access the Complex issue resolution service, visit
ato.gov.au/Tax-professionals/Services-and-support/
Technical-and-administrative-support/Complex-issue-resolution
See also: ato.gov.au/Tax-professionals/Prepare-and-lodge/
Managing-your-lodgment-program/Help-with-your-lodgmentprogram
Research assistance and training
A range of resources are available to help you research the
information you need, including interactive eLearning modules
and guidance information.
See also: ato.gov.au/Tax-professionals/Services-and-support/
Research-assistance-and-training
We are committed to consulting and collaborating with you
We consult through various means:
S
tewardship committees, stakeholder relationship and management groups, technical and special
purpose working groups
F
or tax professionals: National Tax Liaison Group (NTLG), ATO Tax Practitioner Advisory Group (ATPAG)
F
or BAS agents: BAS Agent Association Group (BASAAG)
T
argeted consultation sessions for specific issues with particular audience groups
O
nline surveys and discussions to engage with you.
Visit ato.gov.au/consultation for more information on how we consult, to raise a matter for consultation or to take part in consultations.
For further details, visit ato.gov.au/tpservicesandsupport