Finance, Tax & Accounting
Find the job you need to finish: organise the books, prepare a BAS, work out a price or plan the next few months of cash. Each section puts the explanations and practical checks together.
Choose help and organise the records
Decide which work you'll handle and which needs a registered practitioner. Keep the documents and responsibilities clear before a deadline approaches.
Selected starting pointsHow 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 readWhat 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 read
Work through GST and your BAS
Start with registration and the reporting basics, then move to transaction treatment, lodgement and dates. Use the official sources for your own circumstances.
Selected starting pointsHow 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 readGST 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 read
See the gap
Explain the bank balance, build a forecast and test the receipts you are relying on.
Selected starting pointsProfit Is Up but Cash Is Down: Build a Cash Bridge
Reconcile a profitable month to a falling bank balance. Follow an Australian small business example covering unpaid invoices, stock, assets and repayments.
3 min readCash Forecast vs Actual: Find What Went Wrong
Compare predicted and actual cash, separate timing differences from changed amounts, and roll late receipts forward once with this worked variance table.
3 min readPut Your Sales Pipeline into a Cash Forecast
Separate enquiries, accepted quotes and invoices in your cash forecast. Use a pipeline worksheet to place receipts after delivery and avoid double-counting.
3 min read
Plan the payment
Prepare for ordinary bills and bigger commitments. Check the low point before approving a payment or accepting new work.
Selected starting pointsSet a Business Cash Buffer from Your Actual Risks
Work out a cash reserve from late payments, quiet periods and repair costs. Use three scenarios to separate committed money from the buffer you can use.
3 min readPrepare a Supplier Payment Run You Can Afford
Check supplier invoices, credits, due dates and available cash before approving payments. Use a payment-run worksheet with clear holds and follow-up actions.
3 min readNegotiate Supplier Terms with a Cash Forecast
Use a dated cash forecast to propose supplier payment terms you can keep. Compare a split-payment request with the original bill and record the agreement.
3 min read
Release tied-up cash
Look at what is sitting in stock, what the next order will cost and when customers are expected to pay.
Selected starting pointsSeasonal Stock Orders: Check the Cash Gap First
Map deposits, final supplier payments, freight and seasonal sales before ordering stock. Test a delivery delay and find the lowest projected cash balance.
3 min readFind Cash Tied Up in Slow-Moving Inventory
Review stock age, landed cost and realistic cash recovery. Use a practical inventory worksheet to decide what to retain, return, clear or stop reordering.
3 min read
Get paid and plan your cash
An invoice, a payment and money available for next month's bills are different things. Work from the payment paperwork through to a cash forecast.
Selected starting pointsTax 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 readeInvoicing Explained: Get Paid Faster and Dodge Invoice Scams
What eInvoicing is, why it beats emailed PDFs, how it blocks payment redirection scams, and how to switch it on free in Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks.
9 min readHow to Chase Unpaid Invoices (Without Losing the Customer)
How to chase unpaid invoices: reminder templates, phone script, enforceable late fees, letters of demand, debt collectors and small claims by state.
10 min read
Finance, Tax & Accounting library
Showing 1 to 18 of 130. Newest articles first.
Authorised, captured and settled: understand card payment statuses
Understand what authorised, captured, settled and paid out mean for a card sale. Follow a fictional payment and check the evidence before taking action.
3 min readCard chargeback evidence pack: respond to the reason given
Build a factual chargeback response around the dispute reason, deadline and supporting documents. Use a printable evidence matrix and keep submission proof.
3 min readCard payout missing: trace the batch before contacting support
Trace a missing merchant payout from completed payments to the provider transfer and bank account. Build a clear support request with redacted evidence.
3 min readCustomer sees two card charges: investigate a possible duplicate
Check whether two card entries are completed charges or a pending authorisation beside one payment. Compare transaction IDs and give the customer a clear reply.
3 min readDo processing fees come back after a refund? Check your statement
Check retained card-processing fees after full and partial refunds. Compare the original fee, refund entries and provider terms with a practical cost worksheet.
3 min readMerchant reserves and payout holds: reconcile funds not yet released
Track merchant funds held in reserve separately from fees and ordinary payout delays. Reconcile additions, releases and a cautious cash-flow forecast.
3 min readOnline sale refunded in store: reconcile both systems
Trace an online order returned in store through the stock, payment and accounting records. Prevent duplicate refunds and credits with a cross-channel checklist.
3 min readPOS sales do not match the bank deposit: build a settlement bridge
Reconcile gross card sales to a net bank payout. Work through refunds, fees, cutoffs and money still in clearing, with a printable settlement worksheet.
3 min readRecurring card payment failed: keep the customer account accurate
Resolve a failed recurring card payment while keeping one invoice and a clear balance. Check retries, customer updates and the successful receipt once.
3 min readTerminal said declined but the customer sees a debit
Resolve a declined EFTPOS result when the customer sees a bank entry. Check merchant status, avoid duplicate retries and collect a useful support record.
3 min readBank transfer payments: confirm receipt before releasing goods
Check customer bank transfers against your own account records. Match amount, reference and order, and handle partial payments without relying on screenshots.
3 min readCash drawer reconciliation: explain the closing difference
Balance a cash drawer using the opening float, sales, refunds, paid-outs and physical count. Includes a till-close sheet and a clear difference investigation.
3 min readChoose payment methods around how your customers buy
Match counter, mobile, remote and repeat sales to practical payment methods. Use a worksheet for confirmation, customer access, costs and fallback options.
3 min readFlat card rates vs itemised pricing: compare your payment mix
Compare flat and itemised card pricing using the same sales, transaction counts and card mix. Includes worked costs and a low-ticket sensitivity check.
3 min readLeast-cost routing: check what your provider enables
Check least-cost routing on your actual merchant account. Ask about eligible payments, enabled settings and pricing, then compare matching statement data.
3 min readRead your merchant statement: work out the real card cost
Use a worked merchant statement to separate transaction fees, terminal rental and other charges, then calculate the card acceptance cost for your business.
3 min readSplit-tender payments: reconcile one sale paid several ways
Follow one sale paid in cash and by card through the receipt and daily close. Check remaining balances, refund records and duplicate sales before finishing.
3 min readTax return mistake? Prepare the amendment evidence first
Organise the original return, changed figures and supporting records, then confirm the entity, income year and amendment pathway with your registered tax agent.
3 min read
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