BAS Submission - Save Time on BAS Reporting with SapphireOne

BAS Submission Overview

SBR 2 Standard Business Reporting

SapphireOne is compliant with SBR 2 Standard Business Reporting in Australia and is able to pre-fill your BAS submission and statement. This will be documented at the end of this section on setting up your system for BAS reporting.

Master Log in Warning

This Tax Calculation function is normally executed on a Company by Company basis.

The user would log in to a specific company and then run the Tax Calculation, (BAS for Australia) for each company on a Company by Company basis.

As each BAS is created it is assigned to the company that it is for. In Bondi Blue that would be either 0 for Sydney, 1 for Melbourne or UK for the United Kingdom.

This also means that Users, with the correct permissions, will only be able to see the BAS statements that are related to the company that the User is currently logged into.

While it is still allowed it is not recommended that this function is run from a Master log in as serious problems may arise if it is run from a master log in.

 Please check with SapphireOne support before attempting to do so.

Australian GST Calculation

All historical BAS submissions are stored within the SapphireOne data file and can be viewed at any time on a company by company basis.

When the screen as seen below is displaying a list of historical BAS, there are a number of buttons across the bottom of the screen and these are documented below.

To use them the user must first highlight a BAS transaction and then select the required function using one of the buttons.

  • Selecting the Quick Report button will tell SapphireOne to display the Quick report lay out function. From there any data may be exported out of the BAS record.
  • To print copies of the Print Audit for a particular BAS either historical or the current one highlight the BAS record required, and click on the This report now contains sequence numbers so that reconciliation of the report is much easier.
  • If the user selects the Export Audit SapphireOne will create a CSV file and then open the default spreadsheet program on the machine being used to display it.

To start a new BAS, you will need the Document Number for the relevant period. The Australian Taxation Office issues these numbers. 

  • The user must first select or highlight the -New BAS Submission- line as seen below
  • Note that the button will change to New
  • Once the New button has been selected a pop up as seen above will be displayed. 
  • Once a Document Number and Start and Ending dates have been entered the OK button will become active. Once the OK button is selected, SapphireOne will start the automatic calculation process. When this has been completed the Business Activity Statement will be displayed as seen below. With the Document Number, Start Date and End Date as entered in the pop up above. This can be quarterly or monthly depending on your GST registration status. 
  • This reads totals from the General Ledger accounts and allows for the overriding of some values if required. Values may be changed on this screen but any adjustments made must be entered into the Tax account for the periods involved via a General Ledger Journal. 

Do not leave BAS statements unprinted/saved as SapphireOne will actively continue to track all transactions that form part of the BAS and consequentially use system resources in doing so. Once the BAS is printed, and so locked, the transactions are moved into history, however you are still able to view or audit the BAS statement if required! 

The following instructions are for completing the BAS submission documented earlier in this article.

Select the breakdown button to see a breakdown of costs by tax code. This information is only available only for the current month prior to the BAS being confirmed and printed. 

Select the Breakdown button to see the fields that make up the G, W, F and T areas on the BAS. Select the button to print the BAS document. You will get a screen asking if the BAS has printed correctly. 

Do not leave BAS statements unprinted/saved as SapphireOne will actively continue to track all transactions that form part of the BAS and consequentially use system resources in doing so. Once the BAS is printed, and so locked, the transactions are moved into history, however you are still able to view or audit the BAS statement if required! 

Select the Save button if you wish to save any manual changes that you have made to the BAS document. 

If Recalculate is selected any saved changes will be overridden. 

You may select the Cancel button to close the screen without printing the record. 

On the Statement screen double click on underlined field descriptions to select the General Ledger accounts to be used. 
On the Calculation Sheet screen double click on underlined field descriptions to select any audit lines which are to be removed from the BAS. 

BAS Submission Calculation Sheet

When you select the Calculation Sheet button from the Business Activity Return screen on the previous page you will see that there are now four Tabs in the BAS screen. 

They are listed as Area G, Area W, Area F, and Area T in that order across the screen. 

Area G: This is where information relating to Salaries and Wages is calculated.

Area W: This is where information relating to Sales and Purchases is calculated.

Area F: This is where information relating to Fringe Benefits is calculated.

Area T: This is where information relating to Installments is calculated.

From each of the screens above select the Statement button to return to the BAS main screen. 

For detailed information relating to calculating and reporting Australian GST within SapphireOne refer to your SapphireOne BAS Workbook. 

New Zealand GST Calculation

This screen will only be displayed for Non-Australian data files and is used to calculate tax amounts for New Zealand and some other countries. 

(Screenshots from NZ datafile)

This screen only reads the totals from the General Ledger Accounts. 

Click on the button to view the GST Summary Report. This may take some time as SapphireOne has to calculate the information requested. 

Once the information is calculated the report can be printed for filing purposes. 

Click on the button to view the GST Summary Report. This may take some time as SapphireOne has to calculate the information requested. 

Once the information is calculated the report can be printed for filing purposes. 

This reads the totals from the General Ledger and allows the overriding of all values if required. 

Quick GST

Values may be changed on this screen but any adjustments made must be entered into the Tax account for the periods involved via a General Ledger Journal. 

If you receive invoices after the date of your BAS Submission, SapphireOne can backdate them to any previous period that has not been year ended or periods 1 – 30.

If you notice a discrepancy between the amount of Tax Collected and Tax Paid, this can be due to the SapphireOne user allocating invoices received after the BAS Submission date to the period pre-existing their submission. 

The SapphireOne user can backdate invoices to the period before the date of the BAS Submission accordingly.

The Tax Collected and Tax Paid reflected in the BAS is based off all invoices entered prior to the BAS Submission date.

A transaction dated prior to the date of the previous BAS Submission will not be included in the BAS report but will be included in a GST Accrual report. If a user wants to reconcile between the GST Accrual report and the BAS Submission report, if you have posted transactions to previous periods or historical dates, these two reports will never reconcile. The BAS report is exactly the same as a bank reconciliation. Furthermore, once the report has been processed the user is not able to modify or change it. However, for the GST Accrual report, it will pick up any additions or changes made to transactions after the BAS was completed. 

The remaining amount of Tax Collected and Tax Paid for back-dated invoices will be calculated in the next BAS Submission.

For example, you have submitted your previous BAS on the 20 Jan 2033 for the period 1 December 2032 – 31 December 2032. Since then, you entered another transaction dated 1 December 2032. This will not be reflected in any reports for 2033. However, it will be included on the next BAS period you submit, for example, 1 Jan 2033 – 31 Jan 2033. But will be shown in the GST Accrual report for December 2032.

SBR2 – Standard Business Reporting

The ATO is now in the process of moving from the original SBR to a new and improved SBR 2. SBR 2 is currently being used and the original SBR will be phased out over time so SapphireOne will only be supporting SBR 2. 

What is SBR 2?

Standard Business Reporting or SBR 2 is a standard approach to online or digital record-keeping that was introduced by government in 2010 to simplify business reporting obligations. 

SBR 2 is now built into SapphireOne’s accounting software making it SBR 2-enabled. 

SBR 2 incorporates standard terms that are used in government legislation and reporting. These terms are then linked to terms that are imbedded into SapphireOne’s accounting software creating consistency for business and the government. 

The SBR 2 system extracts information that has been recorded in SapphireOne’s accounting software as a normal part of running your business and prefills this into your BAS report. Pre Lodge

The BAS report can then be checked for accuracy and submitted directly, and securely to government, Lodge, without the need to log into a separate portal. 

Compared to other ways of lodging government reports, SBR 2 can reduce preparation and submission time to a matter of seconds. 

SBR 2 works together with the Australian Business Number, ABN and AUSkey to give business an efficient and up to date way of keeping pace with a digital world. 

How SBR 2 Works

Standard Business Reporting, or SBR 2, is now built into SapphireOne’s accounting software making it SBR 2-enabled. SBR 2-enabled reports available within the SapphireOne’s software use a dictionary of standard terms needed for each report. These standard terms are used across government for multiple reporting requirements as well as for any planned software development. 

When you select the relevant report to be completed, SapphireOne’s SBR 2-enabled software knows what information is needed for that report, and automatically fills it in for you. 

If you agree with the information presented in the report you can send it securely and directly to the relevant government agency. If you need to make changes, you can also do that in SapphireOne’s accounting software and submit an updated report. 

You then receive immediate confirmation from the government agency saying the report was received. 

For businesses this means you no longer have to spend hours filling out paper forms, re-entering information into different systems and portals, or interpreting agency specific terms on forms to understand what is required. 

SBR 2 is the easiest and quickest way to lodge on line, as there is no need to create electronic files of reports and log into a portal to lodge them. It all happens directly from SapphireOne’s accounting software, with just a few clicks. 

Setting Up SapphireOne for SBR 2

Not a lot is required to set up SapphireOne for SBR 2 as most of the changes are internal and not immediately apparent to a user. 

What is required is an AUSkey and this must be obtained from the ATO, the details of which may be found on their web site. The name of this file once it has been down loaded will be keystore.xml and this file will usually be stored by SapphireOne in a folder, it creates named AUSkey, on your hard drive in an area which is normally hidden to the user. 

This AUSkey file should be backed up and the ATO has excellent documentation for both finding it on your system, and backing it up on their web site. From this page that the ATO provides, there is also extensive additional documentation regarding AUSkey. For more information on AUSKey please refer to the link here.

This file as documented above must be linked to or uploaded into SapphireOne into the More Details Page of a company Inquiry as seen below. 

To do this go to: Utilities > Controls > Company Inquiry > More Details Page 

The SBR 2 BAS area is where the credentials SapphireOne uses when logging into the ATO SBR 2 site.

  • Your AUSkey is provided as an xml file so select the button and browse to where your AUSkey file is located and install it. Note that by using the mouse and hovering over the data entry field, SapphireOne will display the path to an already installed key.
  • Next enter your Password into the KeyStore Password data entry field.
  • Next enter in a Contact as required.
  • Next enter in a Branch Code if required. It may be necessary if you have more than 1 key!
  • If the company size is below the ATO limit for large business the check box may be selected. This will tell SapphireOne to exclude G2, G3, G10 and G11 from your BAS.

Once the AUSkey has been installed into SapphireOne and the -New BAS Submission- option selected the Retrieve BAS from SBR 2 button will become active. Once this button is selected SapphireOne will use the credentials as entered into the SBR 2 BAS area above to log into the ATO SBR 2 site securely.

How to access the SBR 2 system using SapphireOne’s desktop software:

You must have an AUSkey (you may also use an existing AUSkey). You must also ensure the AUSkey holder is authorised to the relevant registered agent number(s) in Access Manager(including setting the relevant ‘Client’ permissions).
To start the process first you click on the -New Bas Submission-.
If the credentials are correct the button will become active allowing the user to select it.
SapphireOne will now use the credentials documented above to access the ATO SBR 2 website.

This will commence the BAS reporting procedure as seen in the screen shots commencing below.
If the ATO website recognises that the company has the correct credentials it will respond with the pop-up message as seen below. Once the ATO site has accepted the connection the Create BAS button will become active so the user should select the Create BAS button now.

The ATO and SapphireOnes will now proceed with what the ATO calls an Activity Statement interaction. (AS) for short as follows.

What Are the Activity Statements Interactions?:

Most of the following documentation has been copied from the ATO website.
The Activity Statement interactions are used to report tax obligations, such as GST, PAYG instalments, PAYG withholding and fringe benefit tax instalments.
Activity Statements, AS, are personalised to each taxpayer to support the reporting requirements identified against the various obligations.
The AS interaction is a combination of four services supported by SBR 2:

Service: Interaction: Detail:
List: AS.List ·     Determine what reporting obligations one has. ·     Retrieve a summary list of previously submitted AS and their outcomes / totals. (Initial Connection)
Prefill: AS.Prefill ·     Request a specific AS with the correct obligations, pre-filled with data. (Create BAS button)
PreLodge: AS.PreLodge ·     Request pre-submission validation of an AS without processing or locking of the AS. Pre Lodge Button) ·     This prelodge interaction is optional and can be repeated.
Lodge: AS.Lodge ·     The official lodgement of an AS for processing. (Lodge Button) ·     The original lodgement cannot be repeated, but revisions to the activity statement are accepted.

Activity Statement List (AS.list)

The activity statement list interaction can be used to request a list of reporting obligations or what reporting obligations have been submitted to date.

The list request must include whether one wishes to receive:

  • Un-lodged obligations.
  • A historical index of all lodged obligations, or
  • All obligations past and present.

The list response will include the activity statement ‘Document identification number (DIN)’ for all activity statements. Please note that the DIN is mandatory for the prefill interaction.

Activity Statement Prefill (AS.Prefil)

The activity statement prefill interaction can be used to request a specific activity statement with the correct obligations, pre-filled. The successful response will provide prefilled customised data specific to the entity’s reporting obligations, including:

  • AS Type, e.g. BAS C.
  • Period/s.
  • Taxpayer details.
  • Taxation rates and
  • Lodgement or payment due dates.

Obligations due are based on the roles registered against the entity’s account within the ATO. The four main obligations that can be included in the AS prefill are:

  • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
  • Income Tax PAYG Instalments (PAYGI)
  • Income Tax PAYG Withholding (PAYGW) and
  • Fringe benefits tax instalments (FBTI).

Activity Statement Prefill (AS.Prefil)

The activity statement prefill interaction can be used to request a specific activity statement with the correct obligations, pre-filled. The successful response will provide prefilled customised data specific to the entity’s reporting obligations, including:

  • AS Type, e.g. BAS C.
  • Period/s.
  • Taxpayer details.
  • Taxation rates and
  • Lodgement or payment due dates.

Obligations due are based on the roles registered against the entity’s account within the ATO. The four main obligations that can be included in the AS prefill are:

  • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
  • Income Tax PAYG Instalments (PAYGI)
  • Income Tax PAYG Withholding (PAYGW) and
  • Fringe benefits tax instalments (FBTI).

Activity Statement Lodge (AS.Lodge)

The activity statement Lodge interaction validates the data against both channel and processing validations, and where successful, updates the client account with the reporting obligation.
The response message, where the data has no errors will also return any required payment or credit details.
Original lodgement cannot be repeated, but revisions are accepted and can be repeated until successful message. 

New BAS submission:

Once the ATO system has completed interacting with the SapphireOne software system the SapphireOne software will return the user to the BAS screen with all required details automatically pre-filled as seen in the screenshots as documented in the next pages in this reference manual.

If they have selected the PreLodge option they will note that they have a new, as yet un-printed, (Un-Locked) BAS statement at the top of the list.

The user must then select/highlight the new BAS statement and select the  button. When this is selected SapphireOne will display the main page of your new BAS. From here on very little has changed when a BAS submission is submitted as you will note that the BAS forms or screens are almost identical.

Stop: The first time that the BAS is accessed do not select the Lodge button as this will lodge the BAS return and lock it. This is the same as Printing the BAS and answering yes to the question Did the BAS Print Correctly. SapphireOne will then not allow any alterations to be made to it.

Since this BAS has been created using the AS interaction with the ATO site the first page of your BAS statement will also display an additional two buttons as seen to the right.

Next select the Pre Lodge, button and this will cause SapphireOne to pre-fill the BAS allowing the user to review it. Once the Pre Lodge button has been selected this is the time to check the BAS return as you would do normally once the create BAS button was selected.

Final Lodgement:

The last procedure to do is your final official lodgement.
Please note that this is same as when you printed the BAS and you were asked if the BAS printed correctly.

Lodgement Summary:

You went and checked the printed BAS and something was incorrect so you answered No:
The BAS remained unprinted and unlocked. (Pre Lodge).
Answer Yes and the BAS is listed as Printed and locked. (Lodge)
The screen shot below indicates that the BAS has a printed date, so it is now Lodged and locked!

Lodge Confirmation Screen


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