As we enter the holiday season and many payroll officers take time off, the STP process could have fallen to you or another staff member for the first time. This year, it may be especially critical that someone is covering STP obligations.
JobKeeper has become a critical lifeline for businesses, employees, and their families this year. The strict requirements of JobKeeper eligibility means you should be diligent in when and how employees receive this payment.
If your regular payroll staff member has asked you to perform STP over the holiday period, ask them to step you through the process of submitting. They should also create a user log-in for you or any other staff who need to complete STP. This should only take a few minutes.
If you need a refresher, you can follow our quick guide below to help you understand Single Touch Payroll reporting with Sybiz Visipay.
Reporting through Single Touch Payroll
To perform an STP report, first
select ATO Transfer from the Utilities menu.
If you are simply reporting on employees who have been paid in the current period,
make sure Pay Event is selected in the drop down.
Sybiz Visipay will
automatically include employees who have been paid in the current period.
Note that the username and password fields are
not your Sybiz Visipay log-in details. These are your details for the Sybiz Employer Portal.
Click over to the Employee tab and, if all is correct,
tick the Statutory Declaration box at the bottom of the window and then click Submit. Now you’re all done!
If you’re looking for more detailed instructions on submitting STP, you can download our User Guide or consult our comprehensive FAQs.
What to know for JobKeeper payments
Your payroll officer should be able to step you through the necessary details of JobKeeper payments for those in your organisation. Because of the strict requirements of JobKeeper, it is important employees receive the correct amounts and are paid on the correct date.
We recommend checking with your regular payroll staff member:
• What date the payroll run must be completed on
• What Tier each employee is in
• If they require any Top Up payments
• If any employees are entering/exiting JobKeeper during the holiday period
If your regular payroll staff member is away for an extended period of time, there are some other considerations you may need to ask about.
JobKeeper Allowance amounts will change from
4 January 2021 which will potentially affect how much employees are receiving as part of JobKeeper. Your Business Monthly Declaration is also due by
14 January 2021. This Declaration is vital to receiving reimbursement from the ATO for JobKeeper payments.
While each business will have their own unique circumstances, you can find more resources about common JobKeeper scenarios and answers to FAQs from Sybiz.
Troubleshooting when you can’t submit
If all seems to be correct but you still can’t submit, here are a few common issues we hear from users doing their first submission:
How do I see which employees I am submitting for?
There are two tabs on the STP window. Fill out all the required information on the General tab, and then switch over to the Employee tab to see who is included.
I have completed all the details, but my Submit button is still greyed out
Make sure you have ticked the Statutory Declaration box at the bottom of the window.
How do I know my report was successful?
You can log into the Employer Portal using the link on the STP submission window to check the status of your report.
Of course, you can always
contact our BusinessCare team for assistance with Single Touch Payroll submissions.