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Australian Bookkeepers Network

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Australian Bookkeepers Network

The Australian Bookkeepers Network (ABN) has been leading the Bookkeeping industry with innovative ideas and practical business solutions for over 20 years!

The Australian Bookkeepers Network (ABN) stands as Australia's premier bookkeeping organisation, with over two decades of industry leadership. Offering innovative solutions and tailored technical resources, ABN supports bookkeepers at every stage of their bookkeeping journey. ABN members enjoy immediate access to a comprehensive suite of resources, coupled with a complimentary membership to the Australian Bookkeepers Association (ABA), recognised by the Tax Practitioners Board. Designed exclusively for bookkeepers, ABN provides a range of products and services crafted by industry experts. This includes technical resources to build businesses, maintain compliance, and stay ahead in the field. Join ABN to benefit from unparalleled support and become part of a community of like-minded bookkeepers, business owners, and industry experts. Your membership is not just a credential but a gateway to collaborative growth and shared success.

06/11/2025

ABN Partners 🤝 XBert

One dashboard to rule them all: XBert launches new Kanban Board for bookkeepers!

Australian Bookkeepers Network (ABN) partner and Australian-founded software company XBert has unveiled one of its most significant updates to date — a new Kanban Board that unites data quality, workflow, and capacity and practice management in one real-time, intelligent dashboard.

The launch marks a major leap for the rapidly growing platform, which has become a go-to system for bookkeepers and accountants looking to streamline work, meet new compliance obligations, and strengthen profitability through smarter automation.

“Practice owners are all looking for ways to find work-life balance but often struggle to see how that can coincide with profit growth and the chance to do more exciting things with their practice,” said Cassandra Scott, Practice Specialist with XBert and former ABA Board Member.

“After so many years in practice, I’m genuinely excited and proud to partner with this Australian-founded software company at an industry turning point that helps bookkeepers overcome those challenges.”

Derived from the Japanese term for a visual signalling system, the Kanban Board allows team members to instantly see the status of every piece of work — whether bookkeeping tasks or management-level oversight. Tasks can be prioritised, reassigned and tracked through drag-and-drop simplicity, helping practice owners balance workloads, visualise capacity, and reduce rework.

Cassandra says the tool is a timely response to mounting pressures on the bookkeeping industry.

“We’re an ageing industry, and technology is moving fast,” said Cassandra. “At the same time, compliance expectations under the new QMS regime are becoming stricter, and we don’t have enough people to meet demand. This tool is a wonderful way to help practices do more with less.”

Read more here: https://austbook.net/news/one-dashboard-to-rule-them-all-xbert-launches-new-kanban-board-for-bookkeepers

05/11/2025

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently updated and simplified the guidance available on its website to help employers and bookkeepers get OTE calculations right.

While the law and definition of OTE have not changed, the ATO’s new web content provides clearer explanations, modernised examples, and an improved structure designed to support compliance and reduce confusion.

The updated information is the result of a collaborative working group that included Australian Bookkeepers Association Director Kerrie Jarius, who contributed insights from the bookkeeping profession to ensure the content was practical, accessible, and aligned with real-world payroll scenarios.

“For many years, OTE has been a source of uncertainty, particularly when you’re juggling awards, allowances, and varying pay structures,” said Kerrie. “This new ATO guidance won’t change the rules, but it will make it much easier for employers and bookkeepers to understand and apply them correctly.”

Read the full article here: https://austbook.net/news/updated-ato-guidance-clarifies-ordinary-time-earnings-for-employers

04/11/2025

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently updated and simplified the guidance available on its website to help employers and bookkeepers get OTE calculations right.

While the law and definition of OTE have not changed, the ATO’s new web content provides clearer explanations, modernised examples, and an improved structure designed to support compliance and reduce confusion.

The ATO’s enhanced resources include:

🎯 Updated guidance on what counts as OTE — with a clearer, more comprehensive list of payments that are OTE (https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/super-for-employers/paying-super-contributions/how-much-super-to-pay/list-of-payments-that-are-ordinary-time-earnings)

👩‍💻 A detailed overview of ordinary time earnings for employers, explaining how the rules apply in different employment contexts (https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/not-for-profit-organisations/not-for-profit-newsroom/updated-information-on-ordinary-time-earnings-ote-for-employers)

“For many years, OTE has been a source of uncertainty, particularly when you’re juggling awards, allowances, and varying pay structures,” said Kerrie Jarius, Australian Bookkeepers Association Director. “This new ATO guidance won’t change the rules, but it will make it much easier for employers and bookkeepers to understand and apply them correctly.”

31/10/2025

Let's finish the week off with something a little more fun ☀️

Finish this sentence:

“The one thing that would make my bookkeeping business so much easier right now is ______.”

👀👇

30/10/2025

Yesterday we posted about the bureaucratic monster creeping through small businesses this Halloween called Payroll Tax 👻

Not wanting to get spooked? Follow these steps to stay safe from the bureaucratic beast:

1️⃣ Check payroll totals regularly
Even small pay rises can push a business over the threshold.

2️⃣ Know your state thresholds
Each state is different — and some haven’t kept pace with wage increases.

3️⃣ Watch for grouped businesses
Related businesses may have their payrolls combined… and trigger tax unexpectedly.

🎃 Tip from ABA Board Member Joanne Crumpton:
“Awareness is your best defence — flag potential issues early and keep the monsters at bay!”

Read the full article here: https://austbook.net/news/payroll-tax-the-bureaucratic-monster-bookkeepers-cant-ignore

29/10/2025

Beware, bookkeepers… there’s a bureaucratic monster creeping through small businesses this Halloween, and it’s called Payroll Tax. 😱

With wage rises, stagnant thresholds, and confusing state-by-state rules, this tax can sneak up like a ghost in the night. One small pay rise… one extra contractor… and suddenly, your client’s over the limit. 🧛‍♀️

Bookkeeper and ABA Board Member Joanne Crumpton calls it what it is:
“A tax on employing people — and one that can catch businesses off-guard if you’re not watching.”
🕸️ So this spooky season, keep your eyes peeled:
• Check payroll totals regularly 👀
• Know each state’s threshold 🧾
• Watch for grouped entities and “phantom” contractors 🧟

Because once the monster strikes, the clean-up can be frighteningly expensive.

28/10/2025

We know there’s confusion about what’s in and out under Tranche 2 of the upcoming Anti Money Laundering legislation (AML) in respect to BAS Agents. Australian Bookkeepers Association, together with other associations (including CPA Australia), is actively engaging with the regulator (AUSTRAC) to secure clear guidance—particularly on accounts payable where an agent is a co-signatory to a client’s bank account, and on payroll services as we have seen much misinformation circulating.

Claims that the mere preparation of payroll is an AML reportable item are unfounded. While AUSTRAC materials reference “preparing payroll for other businesses,” the legislative hook is specific: cash-based payroll processors—i.e., a business that collects physical cash and uses that cash to make payroll payments. See AML/CTF Act 2006, s 6 (Table 1), Item 52. This provision has existed since 2006; it is not a new inclusion under the recent reforms. In addition, we are seeking clarification in respect to accounts payable issues and the relevant exclusions in the legislation around what are designated services and whether such services directly advance the planning or ex*****on of a transaction as called for by parliament, or whether they are merely incidental in the day to day operation of a business.

We are not providing guidance in this post—only noting current uncertainties. Australian Bookkeepers Association will continue working with peer bodies and AUSTRAC and will update members as soon as formal clarification is confirmed. Please don’t be spooked by unfounded commentary; rely on updates from your association once a position is confirmed.

27/10/2025

A bit of Monday appreciation for our Bookkeepers 🧡

24/10/2025

A gentle reminder that rest is productive too.

Enjoy your weekend! 🌴

23/10/2025

Did you join us on the road over the last couple of weeks? We'd love to know what your biggest take away was!

What was something that stood out to you from the sessions?

21/10/2025

The Australian Taxation Office’s, as part of Cyber Awareness Month, has released some guidance for small business, and ABN Director, Kelvin Deer, noted, the message is clear: “cyber security is increasingly a management responsibility and it’s about protecting technology and information from accidental or illegal access, corruption, theft and damage—and doing so systematically, not just after something goes wrong.”

“Most breaches don’t start with a Hollywood-style hack,” Deer said. “They start with a shared login, an out-of-date laptop, a staff member rushing through an email. Often, it’s the tax and invoicing perimeter where crooks manage to weaponise trust.”

Read the full article here: https://austbook.net/news/small-business-big-target-why-cyber-security-awareness-month-matters-more-than-ever

20/10/2025

ABN Partners 🤝 XBert

Feeling the pressure of growing workloads and client expectations?

Join our free webinar: Smarter Workflow, Deeper Insights: How AI Transforms Client & Workflow Management

📅 22 October 2025 | 🕛 12:00 PM AEDT

See how firms are using AI-powered workflow intelligence to:
✅ Visualise and plan work with the new Kanban board
✅ Automate checks and cut rework
✅ Reveal client insights in real time
✅ Optimise capacity and profit instantly

Featuring Soraya Brown and Cassandra Scott from XBert.

Register now: https://discover.xbert.io/smarter-workflow-deeper-insights

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PO Box 1140
Springwood, QLD
4127

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

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http://www.austbook.net/

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