Table of Contents

Single Touch Payroll Overview

Applies to Australia only

What is Single Touch Payroll? 

Single Touch Payroll (STP) is the Australian Taxation Offices (ATO) latest compliance regulation that requires employers to send employee payroll information including salary, wages, PAYG withholding and superannuation to the ATO at the same time as their standard pay run. 

The introduction of Single Touch Payroll in July 2018 was a significant change that required many employers (with 20 or more employees) to upgrade or replace their payroll system in order to meet their payroll reporting obligations. As of July 1, 2019 STP will be mandatory for all businesses with employees. For more information visit the ATO Single Touch Payroll website or our dedicated Reckon Single Touch Payroll page. 

Reckon has three payroll products that are required by the ATO to be single touch payroll phase 2 (STP2) compliant. They are:

  • Reckon One
  • Reckon Accounts Desktop
  • Reckon Accounts Hosted

Once you complete the step by step set up for Single Touch Payroll please see the links at the end of this document for the detailed steps required from within your application.  

Step by Step Guide

Below is a step by step guide to get you ready to lodge STP reports to the ATO via your Reckon application. 

Step 1: Create a Reckon Customer Portal Account
Applicable to Reckon Accounts Desktop only. Reckon Accounts Hosted and Reckon One users only need to login to the Reckon Customer Portal with their existing username / email address.
  1. Go to www.reckon.com
  2. Select Login > Reckon GovConnect STP
  3. Click Register for Free to create your Portal account 

Step 2: Add a Reckon GovConnect product
  1. Log into your Reckon Customer Portal account
  2. Click Add Product > Reckon GovConnect

Step 3: Configure MFA
  1. Click Reckon GovConnect from the left navigation
  2. Click Enable MFA to setup Multi factor authentication.
  3. Detailed instructions are HERE
  4. Grab your mobile phone
  5. Choose the method you wish to use (SMS or Google Authenticator)
Google authenticator requires a smart phone.
Step 4: Create an STP entity
  1. Click Reckon GovConnect from the left navigation
  2. Create your STP account by clicking Get Started
  3. Enter your ABN or WPN
If you have a branch number you MUST enter that now by clicking I have a GST branch. If you are unsure which one to use log in to your ATO business portal or see your BAS or Tax agent / accountant. 
Step 5: Choose your product(s) for Reckon GovConnect STP lodgements
  1. You will be asked to choose the Reckon product(s) you use to be able to lodge an STP report
  2. Select your Reckon product. You can choose multiple options if you use more than one Reckon products
Step 6: Registering a Software ID with the ATO
  1. Retrieve your software ID (you'll need this soon) by opening the applicable GovConnect business you just created, then click on Company & Advisor Info
  2. Register your software ID with the ATO - really sorry... this is a manual process and we are hoping the ATO will allow software vendors to automate this in the future. 
    1. Go to at https://am.ato.gov.au/
    2. Click My hosted SBR software services
    3. Click Notify the ATO of your hosted service
    4. Enter the RECKON LIMITED (that's us) ABN: 14 003 348 730
    5. Click Reckon Limited
    6. Enter your Software ID
    7. Detailed instructions are HERE 
Step 8: Prepare and lodge your STP report
  1. Now over to your specific Reckon product to ensure it is correctly configured for STP. 
  2. Go to the relevant help guides listed below. These will advise any additional steps within the product, as well as how to submit your STP data to the ATO. 
    1. Reckon One
    2. Reckon Accounts (Desktop and Hosted)


Need more help?

Ask the Reckon Community at: https://community.reckon.com/

Or Log a Support Ticket: https://www.reckon.com/au/support/

How did we do?

Common ATO STP Errors

Related Articles

Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 Overview
Single Touch Payroll - Reckon GovConnect
Single Touch Payroll - Reckon One
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