Prepare and lodge activity statement
After selecting the activity statement from the list, the Prepare activity statement screen will display. From here you can enter your reporting details, save a copy prior to lodgment, and lodge your activity statement.
Activity statement details
The activity statement details will display at the top of the screen showing the:
- Account – account type, sequence number and name
- Period – period of the activity statement/instalment notice
-
– due date for lodgment and payment.
Lodgment and payment due dates are not displayed for annual GST returns. An annual GST return must be lodged and paid by the due date of the income tax return. If you are not required to lodge an income tax return, the due date for the annual GST return is 28 February.
Help
There is a contextual help button on the right of each activity statement screen displaying frequently asked questions about what is shown.
Your obligations
A summary of the reporting obligations for the period will be displayed.
Edit
This button is displayed if you have multiple reporting obligations. Select Edit to enter reporting details on each obligation.
Outcome
The outcome of the activity statement/instalment notice is displayed as:
- refund amount
- no amount payable
- amount owing to ATO.
If a refund is due to you, it will be offset against any other tax debts and the remainder issued to you within 14 days of lodgment.
If you are required to make a payment, you should make this payment by the payment due date. You are reminded that the general interest charge (GIC) accrues on any amount that is not paid by the payment due date.
Declaration check box
If you are lodging an activity statement, or submitting an instalment notice with varied amounts, the declaration check box will display at the bottom of the screen. Selecting the box will insert a tick. This is the electronic signing of the declaration shown on the screen.
If you have selected the declaration check box, details on the activity statement/instalment notice can still be edited.
Prepare as NIL
Prepare as NIL fills all labels on the activity statement with '0' when you have nothing to report for the period. If the button is selected a message will appear stating 'All fields are now set to zero' and the button will changes to Undo NIL.
Select Undo NIL to reverse the action and populate all labels with the previous amounts.
Print friendly version
This button displays a print friendly version of your lodgment. You can choose to either print or save a copy of the lodgment.
Save a copy of an activity statement with formatting preserved
- Select the Print friendly version button.
- Select the Print button.
- In the print window box, select the option to save to PDF or 'Microsoft XPS Document Writer' following the prompts to save.
If you are still unable to save the activity statement in a readable format, contact our technical helpdesk on 1300 139 373.
Cancel
Selecting Cancel returns you to the Activity statement list screen. If you choose this option all of the data you have entered will be lost.
Save and exit
Select Save and exit to save the details you have entered for this activity statement/instalment notice. The Activity Statement save was successful screen will be displayed.
The details will be saved for a period of 90 days. If you do not lodge within 90 days, you will need to enter the details again.
To resume a saved activity statement/instalment notice, open it from the Activity statement list. Select the Continue button to continue with the saved form or select the Back button to return to the previous screen.
Lodge/Submit/Continue
If you are lodging an activity statement the Lodge button will display.
If you are lodging an instalment notice and have made a variation, the Submit button will display.
If you are lodging an instalment notice and have not made any adjustments, the Continue button will display. Select this to acknowledge that you accept the details on the instalment notice and it will finalise without any changes.