Recently the payroll systems vendor announced that the ATO has approved for all clients to have a deferral until March 2019 before they need to commence delivering STP reporting to the ATO each pay.
We think this is a good outcome. The system has only recently received the update containing STP functionality and organisations have not had time to test this yet. The deferral allows each of our clients to take the time to configure and test the output, add the process to their payroll checklist, ensure accuracy of data and to locate the right Gateway provider if needed.
The vendor has provided 5 options for Gateway providers in their recent bulletin. Being so new, I would suggest to tread carefully when choosing one, because they are unproven. Some will be better than others. Our suggestion in choosing a provider is this:
- Choose an organisation who has their main focus in the area that you are buying. If they are an organisation that is too large, and their gateway is just one option of many offerings that they have, it is less likely that they will highly value your business in this area. The service you are receiving needs to be a priority for them.
- Choose an organisation with management and employees who are naturally good at service. Some people like helping others and it is much easier for them to take an interest in clients and to deliver what they promise.
- Ensure the product or service is something these people are likely to be good at. If it is a stretch for them to get involved in this area, they will be battling this for some time.
- Don’t lock in for too long. The pricing and market for these services may change dramatically in the next few years and so you should give yourself an option to move if needed.
With these four suggestions in mind, you should be able to find a suitable provider to get you ready for the full STP rollout in March 2019.