Approve the pay event, then on Payroll Event Summary - Finalised click Single Touch Payroll (STP) and Send STP Report to ATO. The status shows Sent to ATO and awaiting response, then Sent and accepted by ATO or the ATO's error. To correct it, Reopen Pay Event, fix, approve and send again as an amendment.
Before you start
- The business file linked to the ATO with its SSID: Manage › Business Details › ATO › Link this Business File to ATO and Get your SSID (see Link Exacc to the ATO).
- Permission to lodge STP for the business.
1. Send the pay event
Open the approved pay event (Payroll › Manage Payroll) and click Single Touch Payroll (STP), then Send STP Report to ATO. A pay date in the future is held and sent on the pay date.
2. Check the ATO's answer
The STP status line shows Sent to ATO and awaiting response, then Sent and accepted by ATO, or Error - ATO message: … with what to fix. You also get an "ATO submission report" email.
Before sending, Exacc checks the data: "{n} errors found - see Warnings for details" lists what to fix first (missing TFN, address, pay item reporting group…).
3. Correct a lodged pay event
Reopen Pay Event, make the changes, Approve and Pay again, then Single Touch Payroll (STP). It goes as an amendment, or you can choose Send Amendment or Send Full File Replacement for the latest pay event.
Limits
One lodgement at a time ("There is already a STP lodgement in progress"). A pay event cannot be lodged 350 days or more after its pay date, and amendments stop after 5 years.
Moving payroll to Exacc mid-year
Report transfer of payroll to Exacc, with your previous software's Previous BMS ID, tells the ATO the employees moved, so their year-to-date figures continue.
Related guides
Checked against Exacc on 9 October 2026. Machine-readable version