A Business Activity Statement is a form used to report and pay certain business tax obligations. Depending on your registrations, it can include GST, PAYG withholding and PAYG instalments. It is separate from your annual income tax return.
What this means in practice
Your BAS should be prepared from complete, reconciled records for the reporting period. A bank feed alone may not contain everything needed: sales invoices, supplier documents, payroll reports and adjustments can all matter. The ATO tells you which labels and reporting periods apply to your business. If you are unsure what an amount represents, resolve it before authorising lodgement. Keeping records current throughout the period makes that review much easier.
Your next steps
- Confirm the period and due date
- Reconcile bank and credit card accounts
- Gather missing tax invoices
- Review the statement before authorising it
Get help with the next step
If this relates to your business, tell us about your current records and the task you need help with. We can explain our service scope and the information needed before work starts.
Official guidance: ATO: Business activity statements ↗
General information prepared on 26 September 2026. Rules and individual circumstances can change. Confirm the treatment that applies to you before acting.
Prepared by the Affordable Bookkeeper content team. Our services and practitioner arrangements.
