The deadline for submitting Business Activity Statements (BAS) is creeping up. Here are the answers to a few questions that some of you have been asking our technical support team over the last couple of weeks regarding your BAS.
Why is my BAS report not displaying properly?
A number of queries have come through to our support team regarding the fact that items are not displaying on your BAS statement. Most often it is because you have accidentally entered data into the wrong column. For example, you have entered something into a’non-GST’ column, which doesn’t show up on the BAS report at all instead of entering it into the ‘Other GST-Free’ column.
Our simple accounting software has a uniquely simple column system to help you calculate your GST. You simply allocate a GST ‘Tax Type’ that matches the boxes on the Business Activity Statement to your columns. When entering ‘Money In’you record the gross amount (including GST) into the appropriate column and the GST will be automatically calculated from the GST ‘Tax Type’ allocated to the column.
If you have made an error and wish to change a column’s GST tax type:
1. Click on the Customise Columns icon and select the section (Money In or Money Out) that the column is in.
2. Click on the Tax Type for the column you wish to change. A drop down menu will appear. Click on the arrow and select the type you require.
3. Click on [Save] when you have finished and then [Cancel] if you wish to exit.
Why are the W1 and W2 categories not printing on my BAS report?
These categories refer to the ‘Wages Manager’ section, which you will have access to if you are on our accounting and payroll software, Cashflow Manager GOLD. If you do not have Cashflow Manager GOLD these categories will not show on the BAS report.
My Activity Statement does not open in the correct format! What’s going on?
Some clients on Windows 10 are having issues when clicking on the’Lodge BAS Online’ button on the BAS report screen. You may discover that the Activity Statement page does not open in the correct format. This can be because your xml. files are not set to default to the correct program. Go to [Start] on your computer then choose’Settings’, ‘System’, ‘Default Apps’,’Choose default apps by file type’. You need to choose ‘.xml’ from the list and ensure that the default program or app is Internet Explorer.
Download a free BAS guide for small businesses
Our quick guide to BAS includes much-needed information on:
- What exactly is a Business Activity Statement (BAS)?
- How to know if you need to lodge a BAS
- Understanding due dates
- Tips to make BAS lodgement easier
- Help submitting a BAS online
