Online bookkeeping services, Australia-wide

Online bookkeeping works because the bank feed does not care where the bookkeeper sits. What matters is that the file is reconciled on a schedule, the receipts are captured, payroll goes out correctly, the BAS is built from the same numbers, and someone who understands tax is reading the results. SMT Accounting provides that as a registered tax agent practice, in Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, to businesses in every state, for a fixed monthly fee.

How online bookkeeping with SMT works

1. Setup or handover

   New business: we set up your accounting file, chart of accounts, bank feeds, invoice templates and payroll. Existing business: you add us as an adviser to your file and we review how it has been kept. Either way, onboarding runs through our online engagement form, which handles identity verification and our engagement terms. Your TFN and ID go only through that encrypted form.

2. Bank feeds and receipt capture

   Every business bank account and card feeds into the file automatically. You photograph receipts in a capture app or forward supplier invoices to the file's inbox address, and each one is matched to its bank line. Cash purchases get a photo too. Nothing is posted and nothing is typed in by hand.

3. Weekly or monthly reconciliation

   We reconcile on the cadence that fits your volume. A tradie with a few dozen transactions a month is reconciled monthly; a café or online store with daily sales, weekly. Each cycle ends with a short list of queries sent on WhatsApp or email: what was this transfer, is this subscription business or personal, who was this cash sale to.

4. Payroll, STP and super

   We run your pay cycle, lodge each pay event through Single Touch Payroll, prepare payslips and leave balances, and manage super. From 1 July 2026 the Payday Super rules require super guarantee to reach the employee's fund within 7 business days of payday, which is only workable when the bookkeeping and payroll run together. Details on our payroll and STP page and Payday Super guide.

5. BAS from the same file

   Because the file is current, the quarterly or monthly BAS is prepared from reconciled figures rather than a rushed pass through three months of transactions. We review GST coding, PAYG withholding and any instalments, send you the BAS to approve, and lodge it as your registered agent. See BAS, GST and IAS and our online BAS lodgment page.

6. Month-end report pack

   Within a set number of business days after month end you receive a pack you can read without an accounting degree, with a note from us on what moved and why.

What the monthly report pack includes

• Profit and loss for the month and year to date, compared with the prior year.
• Balance sheet, with the bank, GST and PAYG liabilities and any director loan balance highlighted.
• Aged receivables and payables: who owes you, who you owe, and what is overdue.
• GST and PAYG position accrued to date, so the BAS amount is never a surprise.
• Payroll summary and super payable.
• On request, a cash flow forecast updated with the month's actuals.

Catch-up bookkeeping

A large share of new bookkeeping clients come to us behind: a year of unreconciled transactions, two or three BAS outstanding, a payroll that was run but never reported. Catch-up work is quoted as a fixed project. We export the bank history, rebuild the file period by period, code with your help where the bank narrative is not enough, and prepare the overdue BAS and income tax returns in order. If the ATO has issued penalties, we ask for remission on your behalf where there are grounds. Once current, the monthly service takes over and the backlog does not return. Our overdue returns page covers the tax side.

Handover from a previous bookkeeper

Changing bookkeepers does not need to be awkward. You give us adviser access to the file and, if you choose, tell your previous bookkeeper that SMT is taking over; we can handle that conversation if you prefer. We review the last reconciled date, the GST and payroll settings, the chart of accounts and any uncleared items, and give you a short written note of what we found and what we changed. Lodgment history comes from the ATO once we are your agent, so nothing is lost if the previous bookkeeper is slow to respond.

Working across states and time zones

Bookkeeping is federal in every respect that matters: GST, PAYG withholding, STP and super guarantee are the same in Broome and Burnie. The state-based items we watch for you are payroll tax thresholds and workers compensation, which differ by state and territory. We are on Melbourne time; queries sent from the west overnight are picked up first thing, calls are available from early morning to early evening AEST, and payroll deadlines are set in your local time.

What we need from you

• Completed online engagement form and, for a company or trust, the ATO agent nomination.
• Adviser access to Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, or the login details for setup if starting fresh.
• Bank feeds connected for every business account and card.
• Employee details, awards or agreements and super fund choices for payroll.
• Ten minutes a week to answer the query list. Our bookkeeping page describes the service in more detail.