System updates
We continue to update Online services for agents to:
- align with legislative changes
- enhance functionality based on your feedback.
The functions available to you in the system are determined by the services you provide as a tax or BAS agent and your Access Manager permissions. This means you may not have access to view all available features.
November 2024
Tax registrations
Tax agents can now register clients for pay as you go (PAYG) instalments using Online services for agents. As a tax agent, you will be able to add, update and cancel PAYG instalments for your eligible clients. Additionally, both tax and BAS agents will have access to view PAYG instalment registration details, including historical registrations.
June 2024
Not-for-profit self-review return
The new NFP self-review return to be completed from 1 July 2024 is available under the Lodgments tab on the Client summary page. The form is only available to registered tax agents who are linked to a client’s income tax account. You’ll also require the new Access Manager permission 'NFP-self-review return' to view, lodge or revise your client’s NFP self-review return.
Access Manager
New Access Manager permission 'NFP-self-review return' is now available to enable you to view, lodge or revise your client's NFP self-review return.
AUSkey credentials
All AUSkey credentials have also been removed from Access Manager. The corresponding AUSkey mailboxes no longer appear in the mailbox list under Practice mail.
Bulk preferences
The maximum number of clients you can set communication preferences for in one transaction has been increased from 25 to 50.
Practice mail
New practice mail subjects are now available under the pay as you go (PAYG) topic.
April 2024
Add client and Maintain authorisations – nudge messages
Under certain conditions, nudge messages may appear to prompt you to consider whether your selections will result in another agent being removed incorrectly or you not being able to select the account you need. Before continuing to the next section, you'll then be given the option to press 'Yes' to continue or 'No' to go back to the previous screen.
For more information see:
2023
September 2023
On demand reports
'Client nominations' is a new on demand report available that provides a real-time view of nominations that have been completed by your client relating to client-to-agent linking. More information can be found in the 'Reports and forms' section of the Online services for agents user guide.
Excise system updates
We're updating the systems so that excise duty returns and excise claims will now be available to lodge online from September. You will also be able to view transaction history, amend previous returns you have lodged online, easily submit a Nil return, and make payments and enter into a payment plan.
July 2023
Practice mail overdue client obligations message
We're expanding our use of practice mail messages to provide you with information about your clients outstanding lodgment and/or payment obligations and necessary actions to be taken.
Where we have been unable to contact you by phone, we'll leave a voicemail advising of our attempted contact and send a practice mail message via Online services for agents.
The practice mail message will include a PDF attachment with:
- details of the overdue obligations
- specific actions required to meet obligations, including self-serve options
- due dates for those actions
- a phone number if help is required.
April 2023
Lodgment deferrals
You can now submit and view lodgment deferral requests via the new Lodgment deferral form under the Reports and Forms menu.
Getting started – requests that meet our Agent assessed or New or re-engaged client deferral guidelines will be processed within 48 hours.
2022
December 2022
Add client and Maintain authorisations
We're further strengthening the security of our online services to help protect you and your clients against fraud and identity-related theft.
We're progressively rolling out the new Client-to-agent linking in online services process to more taxpayers, starting with large businesses and some private groups. Taxpayers included will be required to complete an agent nomination before you can add them as a client or change existing authorisations. More information is available about which types of clients are included and what you need to do.
March 2022
Non-concessional contributions
You can now view display of historical (2018–2019 financial years onward) and current non-concessional contributions for your client's superannuation contributions.
January 2022
Digital instalment notice
This is a notice that contains all the relevant information for your clients to pay their instalment amounts. You can download the notice from Communication history and pass it onto your clients.
2021
December 2021
Reports
'Reported transactions' is a new pre-generated report available in the Client reports menu. You can view, filter and download reported transactions that occurred since 1 July 2017, for the following data types:
- business transactions through payment systems
- government grants
- taxable payments.
More information can be found in the Online services for agents user guide.
On demand reports
Outstanding activity statement
For current and previous 3 years, there are now additional columns of data providing a more comprehensive view of your client’s lodgment and payment obligations.
Income tax lodgment status
For current and previous 3 years, there are now additional columns of data providing a more comprehensive view of your client’s lodgment and payment obligations.
More information can be found in the 'Reports and forms' section of the Online services for agents user guide.
Practice mail
'New topic' and 'Subjects' are now available in Practice mail:
- View list of BAS agent topics and subjects
- View list of Tax agent topics and subjects in the Online services for agents user guide.
September 2021
Business
The menu item 'Commonwealth procurement statement' has been updated to 'Statement of tax record'. There are additional fields to complete if your client is applying as a group head of an income tax consolidated group whose subsidiary member is tendering for a Commonwealth Government contract.
Advanced search
You can now allow 10,000 clients to be downloaded via CSV or HTML. If you have more than 10,000 clients, download your clients into separate list using filters.
Accounts and payments
The menu item ‘Excise and Resource Rent tax accounts’ has been replaced with new menu items:
- 'Excise account'
- 'Resource rent account'.
Accounts and payments
You can see the new GST Director Penalty account in 'Accounts Summary'.
New client forms
For:
- fuel tax credit non-GST, you can now register and claim using Online Services for Agents.
- product stewardship for oil, you can now register and claim using Online Services for Agents.
July 2021
Payment plans
An 'arrears' status has been added to advise if scheduled payments have been missed.
June 2021
Communication preferences
The declaration has been updated. When you set communication preferences to ‘Practice’ you are designating Online services for agents as your client’s preferred address for certain ATO communications.
March 2021
JobMaker Hiring Credit
View payments
You can view payments made for JobMaker Hiring Credit claims.
Lodge an objection
This form now includes fields for you to provide the:
- grounds for the objection
- reasons for your client not lodging the objection on time.
It is no longer mandatory to upload an attachment to this form.
February 2021
JobMaker Hiring Credit
You can submit a JobMaker Hiring Credit claim.
January 2021
JobMaker Hiring Credit
You can view information about employees who have been nominated for the JobMaker Hiring Credit.