
Since my first commentary regarding this issue, the ATO has now looked into how they are obtaining their Single Touch Payroll stats. Interestingly, it was found that the current method used for calculating the performance of STP reporting produces a skewed outcome, resulting in the stats always being in the 'red'. As they have based their measurements on a SINGLE message and STP, which contains many messages, the desired results are not currently being obtained.
So where are we now?
There is no immediate answer to that question as we don't yet have a reliable baseline from which to work, but the ATO is currently engaged with their technical partners and is actively addressing the problem. It's great to see the ATO are proactively getting to the bottom of our concerns and, dare I say, their own. The work currently being undertaken should give us useful information about the STP message performance, so kudos to the ATO. Due to the volume of pay events now being received, some sticking points have been identified within ATO's back-end systems, and these are currently being addressed, resulting in quicker message responses.
Also identified is the need for more detailed guidance, which is being updated regarding the appropriate use of FFR (Full File Replacement) and Update events in response to questions from Digital Service Providers (DSP) and Employers. In summary, the STP team is performing a lot of judicious work, and it's great to see we're on the right path to achieving a good outcome for everybody involved. For the technically minded, you can read the currently published statistics.
We recommend reviewing our disclaimer concerning the content of this post to remain informed and make suitable decisions for your circumstances.
Comments