Bookkeeping and BAS: from records to lodgement
The bookkeeping job doesn't finish when transactions appear in your software. You need records you can explain, someone responsible for unresolved questions, and a clear path from those records to your activity statement.
Find a BAS agent: search the directory and check the official record →
Start with the question you have today. If you're choosing help, compare the roles and check registration. If you're doing the entries yourself, follow the record-review guides before moving to GST and lodgement. You can also share this page with the person helping you and agree which jobs each of you will handle.
These guides explain the process and help you prepare better questions. Your business's tax treatment and deadlines still need checking against its circumstances. Keep the official correspondence and ask a registered practitioner when the answer depends on a transaction you can't confidently classify.
Choose the right help
Understand what each registration covers, then compare the actual work in a quote. A good engagement makes review, approval and payment responsibilities clear before the first deadline.
What is a BAS agent? Services and registration explained
Learn what a registered BAS agent does, how the role differs from bookkeeping and income tax work, and what information to prepare before getting help.
4 min readBAS agent vs tax agent: who can do what?
Compare BAS agents and tax agents, see who can handle GST, payroll and income tax, and work out how to divide the jobs in your small business.
5 min readBAS agent for small business: how to choose one
Find a BAS agent for your small business. Search the directory, check TPB registration, compare fees and services, and prepare a clear enquiry and handover.
6 min readHow to check a BAS agent's registration with the TPB
Check a BAS agent on the TPB register, match their legal name and registration type, and know what to ask about conditions, staff and renewal dates.
4 min readBAS agent fees: compare quotes and first-year costs
Compare BAS agent fees for your small business. Separate bookkeeping, BAS lodgement, cleanup and software costs, with a worked first-year quote comparison.
4 min readContacting a BAS agent: enquiry checklist and email template
Get a useful BAS agent quote with a clear brief. Use this enquiry checklist and email template to explain your records, software, payroll and support needs.
4 min readSwitching BAS agents: a practical handover checklist
Change BAS agents with a clear cutover date, records checklist and access plan. Agree who handles each period, pending questions, subscriptions and lodgement.
4 min read
Get the records ready
Work through the accounts regularly and keep supporting documents with the entries. A short list of unresolved items gives your adviser a more useful starting point than a file described simply as done.
MYOB bookkeeping checklist: a practical month-end routine
Use this MYOB month-end checklist to reconcile accounts, review unpaid invoices and GST reports, and prepare clear records for your bookkeeper or BAS agent.
4 min readHow to Do Your Own Bookkeeping: A Monthly Routine for Owners
You can do your own bookkeeping with a separate bank account, software with bank feeds, 20 minutes a week and a monthly close checklist. Here's the routine.
10 min readRecord Keeping for Small Business: What to Keep and for How Long
How long must you keep business records in Australia? The ATO's 5-year rule, the 7-year company rule, what to keep, and whether photos of receipts count.
9 min readMYOB Training in Australia: Free Courses vs Paid Options
MYOB Academy is free and official. Compare paid MYOB accounting courses online (Applied Education, EzyLearn, TAFE, Udemy), 2026 prices and what to learn first.
13 min read
Understand GST and prepare to lodge
Start with the reporting basics and the code distinctions, then check the statement and due date.
GST and BAS Explained: Plain-English Guide for Small Business
GST and the BAS explained simply: the $75,000 threshold, how to register, what goes in each label, GST credits, due dates and the mistakes that cost money.
8 min readGST-Free vs BAS Excluded vs Input Taxed: The Tax Codes Explained
BAS excluded meaning, GST-free vs BAS excluded, input taxed and Simpler BAS explained in plain English, with a 27-transaction coding table for Xero and MYOB.
16 min readHow to Lodge Your BAS Online (Step by Step)
Lodge your BAS online step by step: myID login to ATO Online services for business or myGov, the G1, 1A, 1B and W1/W2 labels, paying, and fixing mistakes.
10 min readBAS Due Dates 2026-27: Every Quarterly, Monthly & Agent Deadline
Every BAS due date for FY 2026-27: the 28 Oct, 28 Feb, 28 Apr and 28 Jul quarterly deadlines, extra time for online and agent lodgement, and monthly dates.
8 min read
Check GST settings and purchase evidence
Confirm the registration, reporting basis and supporting documents before investigating a result.
How to Register for GST in Australia (and Whether You Should)
Do I need to register for GST? The $75,000 rolling threshold, the 21-day rule, how to register for free, cash vs accruals, and when to register early.
10 min readTax Invoice Requirements: What Every Invoice Must Include
What an ATO tax invoice must include, the $1,000 and $82.50 thresholds, what to do if you're not GST registered, and the errors that delay payment.
10 min read
Reconcile BAS figures and unusual results
Compare the underlying reports, trace differences to transactions and retain an explanation for the reviewer.
How to Read a Profit and Loss Statement (Plain English)
Learn to read a profit and loss statement in plain English: gross vs net margin, depreciation, why profit isn't cash, and what to check every month.
10 min readHow to Read a Balance Sheet (Small Business Edition)
How to read a balance sheet for a small business: assets, liabilities and equity in plain English, working capital, the quick ratio and what to check monthly.
9 min read