Register for an AUSkey
Below is a link to a series of Videos the ATO have published which give a great introduction to registering for an AUSkey.
They are presented by the famous Scott Cam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNIqJdwLIMs&list=SP5-ESUNqws-MewoYIFi6tXI-CY-vbvc6q
An AUSkey is a secure on line way to access your Tax accounts, you can view the balance of the your tax account, lodge your BAS on line and many other features.
In the future SBR (Standard Business Reporting) can be utilised by exporting reports directly from your accounting software to the tax office. Many software companies have this capability or are working on it. For example CashFlow Manager Version 8 has introduced SBR.
For more information on SBR here is a link to the official site.
http://www.sbr.gov.au/about-sbr/what-is-sbr
It can literally takes minutes to apply and install the AUSkey and the AUSkey software however it can be fiddly so start when you have a few hours to sit at the computer as you can have some technical hitches with the computer sometimes. You will also need your personal Tax file no. to identify yourself.
The ATO technical helpdesk are knowledgeable and patient (I’ve tested it), and will help with any issues installing the software. Also note you must be using the computer you will mainly use for the AUSkey or have a USB stick to save the AUSkey to, so that you can use it on any computer.