Blog

This post by Pam has also been published as ‘6 things you need to know about invoicing‘ on the MYOB Blog.

Since the introduction of GST 15 years ago, businesses across Australia have been issuing and receiving tax invoices. Are your tax invoices compliant? Are you aware what the Australian Tax Office requirements are for invoicing?

There are still many business sending and receiving invoices that are not compliant.

If you are not registered for GST, your invoice simply does not include a tax component and the document you provide is a regular invoice as opposed to Tax Invoice.

If you are registered for GST and the value of the purchase is more than $82.50 GST Inclusive you must provide your customers with a Tax Invoice. Particularly upon request, you must provide it to them within 28 days.

In order for you to claim the GST credits documents must be kept as proof such as receipts, invoices, cash register dockets, bank and credit card statements to support your claims.

If you have sales over $1000 on your tax invoice you are also required to add your customer’s identity and their address or ABN.

Here are six things you need to have tax compliant invoicing

1. Ensure the words ‘Tax Invoice’ is prominent,

2. Clearly display your full business name and address.

3. Your ABN (Australian Business Number) should be on the document

4. The date of invoice should be displayed

5. The description of the product purchased by your customer, quantity and of course the

price.

6. Display the total and the GST amount. You have 2 options of how to display this.

a. Display the GST separately and then the total value of what is sold (including GST)

b. Total price of sale (including GST) with the wording “Total price including GST”
Here is an example of a tax invoice from the ATO Website:

Another consideration when invoicing is the requirement for mixed supplies. This means an invoice has a combination of items with GST and other items that are GST Free or input taxed. You must show which sales are taxable on your tax invoice – usually the tax code GST is applied to the items with GST on one line, and FRE applied to the items that are GST Free.

Tax invoicing can be much easier to manage with the use of an accounting, POS, ERP or other system to help you produce your compliant document requirements for your customers. Products such as MYOB AccountRight Live and MYOB Essentials makes for simple step process. You have the ability to create the form required with all of the steps noted above included quite easily. A computerised system equips you to manage your GST requirements so you can avoid penalties and fines.

An even easier way is MYOB’s smartphone App PayDirect. It allows you to invoice your customers on the go, email them the compliant tax invoice.

You have the ability to add some other features to your Tax Invoice to enable faster payment which also improves cashflow.

Here are 3 great tips:
1. Add details for Easy payment options – EFT, BPay, EFTPOS, PayPal, MYOB PayDirect.

2. State your payment terms clearly on your invoice.

3. Email your invoices out, so that clients receive them more quickly. Very few businesses now mail invoices.

So no more uncompliant invoices. You now have all the information required to ensure your customers have what they need to claim back their GST credits for all those purchases. They won’t get into trouble from the tax man as your Tax Invoice IS compliant!