Testing and lodging reports
You can submit files as a test, with the purpose of validating the file and identifying errors before lodging.
Only files that have been prepared and generated from software in a format and version supported by our systems will be accepted. Scanned images of forms, screen prints, spreadsheets or word processing files are not accepted.
You can test and lodge the following statements using File transfer in Online services for agents:
- Annual investment income report (AIIR)
- Business transactions payment systems (BTTPS)
- Common Reporting Standard (CRS)
- Community Housing Providers
- Country-by-country (CBC)
- COVID ERS recontributions
- Employee share scheme (ESS)
- Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)
- Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) AFI to BDE Rpt
- Global Anti-Base Erosion Information Return (GIR)
- JobKeeper Payment inbound
- Local master file (LCMSF)
- Market participants (MKPR)
- Payment summary annual report (PSAR)
- Petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT)
- Quarterly TFN/ABN (QTFN) report
- Real property transfers report (RPTR)
- Sharing economy taxable payments
- Taxable payments annual report (TPAR)
- Tax file number declaration (TFN dec)
- Transfer balance account report (TBAR)
- Transfers of shares and units listed entities
- Transfers of shares and units market participants.
The reports you can test or lodge (or both) depend on your permissions set in Access Manager. Select the drop-down arrow next to What files can I lodge here? and a list will be returned specifying what you are authorised to lodge or test.
For the accepted specification and version, refer to the report specific information on the ATO Software developersExternal Link website.
Viewing reports
To view reports or files:
- select Reports and forms then File transfer
- the date received, supplier ABN, file name and status of your submitted files will display
- to view a list of the reports and files you have permissions for, select the drop-down menu next to What files can I lodge here?
- select Filter to refine by
- date range
- file type
- file name
- supplier ABN
- status
- ATO reference.
To submit a report or file:
- select Reports and forms then File transfer
- select Lodge
- select Test or Lodge
- select Attach, and browse to find the file to submit
- select if you want to be notified by email when the validation report is available. If so, enter your preferred email address
- select the Declaration to lodge a report. This option is only available for reports.
- select Submit.
When a file is submitted, it is validated for compatibility and file content. A summary of the file or report submitted, including any errors or warnings, will be available. To view this validation report:
- select Reports and forms then File transfer
- select the drop-down menu next to the lodged file in Reports
- select the link to download the validation report
- review the validation report and correct the file or report before resubmitting.
Only the user who submitted the file can view the validation report. Other users can view the history of files lodged through file transfer but will not be able to view or download the validation report.