Preparing a business activity statement (BAS) starts with the correct business, reporting period and supporting records. A useful preparation pack brings together sales and purchases, checked account balances, unresolved questions and an agreed person responsible for each next step. This guide provides a practical way to organise that pack before discussing the work with Newage Accounting.
The checklist is a suggested working method. The items relevant to your business depend on its activities and reporting obligations. It does not decide the GST treatment of a transaction.
1. Confirm which statement you are preparing
Create a cover note with the entity name, ABN, reporting period and the lodgment and payment dates shown on the actual statement. The ATO says the due date appears on the BAS; avoid relying on a general calendar or a previous quarter's date. [1]
Record the GST accounting method currently used and who maintains the accounts. If the statement, software settings or previous records appear inconsistent, flag the difference for review before changing a setting. Include any ATO correspondence relevant to the period.
Be clear whether your request concerns current BAS preparation, earlier missing statements, a possible correction or annual tax work. The ATO describes BAS reporting and fixing earlier mistakes as distinct tasks. [1]
2. Build a period-specific records pack
Government record-keeping guidance covers sales, expenses, bank records and, where applicable, GST and employee records. [2] Use the following filing approach to help a reviewer trace figures back to evidence:
- Sales: gather invoices, credit notes and relevant point-of-sale or payment-provider summaries. Note which accounts receive the money.
- Purchases: gather supplier invoices, receipts and credit notes. Label missing documents and items whose business purpose needs explaining.
- Accounts: prepare the bank and card statements for the period, together with the accounting reports used to check them. Identify any business transactions paid through another account.
- Payroll, where relevant: include the period's payroll reports and a list of unresolved differences for the person reviewing withholding information.
- Earlier work: retain the previous lodged BAS, any relevant adjustment information and a note of work another adviser has already completed.
Ask the reviewer which exports or documents they need. Avoid sending several unexplained versions of the same report.
3. Check the records and keep an exceptions list
Compare the accounting records with the corresponding statements. Look for missing transactions, duplicated imports, transfers entered as sales, unexplained refunds and personal purchases mixed with business spending. This is a suggested checking sequence, not a claim that every item requires the same tax treatment.
Write down differences that remain unresolved. A useful entry contains the transaction date, account, document reference, question and the person who will follow up. For example: “Supplier payment appears in the bank record; invoice not yet located; business owner to request a copy.” The example describes a records gap, not whether a GST credit is available.
Keep the original evidence and explain any proposed correction. Do not change a total merely to make two reports agree. Where an earlier BAS may contain an error, ask which correction process applies; the ATO's GST correction guidance has conditions that require a separate assessment. [3]
4. Agree the handover and completion evidence
Before work starts, confirm who will supply outstanding records, review unresolved items, approve the figures, lodge the statement and arrange payment. Discuss scope, timing and fees. The TPB recommends agreeing what work will be done and when, and checking the practitioner's registration and any conditions. [4]
Use a short status note that distinguishes records received, review outstanding and lodgment confirmed. Ask what confirmation will establish that the agreed work has been completed. An exported report or a message saying “ready” should prompt a question about the next step, rather than an assumption that submission occurred.
If you are moving between advisers, identify the last period handled by the outgoing adviser and the first period assigned to the incoming adviser. Our changing accountants guide provides a broader handover checklist.
Prepare an enquiry to Newage Accounting
Start with your business type, the BAS period, the date shown on the statement, your current accounting system and the last period you believe was reconciled. Describe the main obstacle: missing documents, a backlog, an unexplained difference or uncertainty about who is responsible.
Use bookkeeping and accounting training for a records or process enquiry, or taxation services when the question also involves tax work. Contact Newage Accounting to confirm availability and the proposed scope. Ask how records should be provided before sending tax file numbers, identity documents or account credentials.
Official sources
[1] Australian Taxation Office — Business activity statements (BAS)
[2] business.gov.au — Record keeping
[3] Australian Taxation Office — Correcting GST errors
[4] Tax Practitioners Board — Finding and using a tax practitioner
More preparation questions
Where should I start if I am unsure which BAS period or accounting settings apply?
Identify the actual statement and collect the most recent relevant reports or lodged BAS available to you. Note any inconsistency in the period or settings and ask the person reviewing the work to confirm it. Avoid changing a software setting just to make a report match an expected number.
Sources: Business activity statements (BAS)
How can I prepare for a BAS discussion when invoices are missing?
Make a list of the missing documents, the transactions they relate to and who can obtain a copy. Share the actual due date and ask which gaps need attention first. The list helps organise the work; it does not establish that a particular amount can be claimed or omitted.
Sources: Record keeping · Business activity statements (BAS)
Can I use last period's BAS figures if business activity looks similar?
Prepare the records for the period being reported and explain any unresolved items. Similar trading patterns do not establish identical transactions or reporting amounts. A previous BAS can help orient a handover, but it should not be treated as evidence of the current period's figures.
Sources: Business activity statements (BAS) · Record keeping
Who should handle the BAS if I am changing accountants during the period?
Confirm the cut-off in writing with the people involved: the last period assigned to the outgoing adviser, the first assigned to the incoming adviser and any unfinished work. Agree who will review, obtain approval and lodge each statement. Do not infer responsibility solely from who has access to the software.
Sources: Finding and using a tax practitioner