Deputy Payroll (AU) now supports Single Touch Payroll (STP) submissions as a Tax Agent or Registered Agent. 

This article explains how to set up and use Tax Agent or Registered Agent credentials so they can lodge STP submissions on behalf of your business.
 

Before you read

• Target audience: This article is for users with System Administrator or Payroll Administrator access.
• Plan restrictions: This feature is only available as part of Deputy Payroll (AU).
   

This article covers

• How does the agent submission process work in Deputy?
• When might I use this option?
• What information will I need to provide?
• How to set up agent STP submissions
• What decisions should I make about my payroll workflow?
• How do I manage agent changes?
  • When should I change or remove agent settings?
  • How are active pay runs affected?
     

How does the agent submission process work in Deputy?

When you set up agent STP submissions, Deputy changes the way it communicates with the Australian Tax Office (ATO). Instead of using your business's direct credentials, it uses the specific Tax Agent Number (TAN) or Registered Agent Number (RAN) you've nominated to submit Single Touch Payroll reports on behalf of your business.

Below is a high-level overview: 

• Step 1: You enable ATO Agent STP submissions within Deputy on the relevant entity and enter the agent credentials.

• Step 2: Your agent completes external ATO authorisation inside the ATO Tax Agent portal (outside Deputy). Note: If this step is not completed by the agent, the STP submissions will be rejected by the ATO when using agent submission even if your business has approved the Deputy Payroll system in your own ATO business portal.

• Step 3: Payruns are prepared - either by you / your team (assisted model) or by the agent (fully outsourced model).

• Step 4: Your agent reviews the payrun (if assisted) and submits STP. The submission is lodged under the agent's credentials.

• Step 5: Submission data appears in the ATO Agent Portal as a linked client, allowing the agent to monitor and manage submissions across all their clients.
   

When might I use this option?

You might choose to enable agent-based STP submissions if:

• You work with an external accountant or bookkeeper who manages payroll compliance
• You want to outsource STP lodgement but still run payroll internally
• Your advisor prefers to submit STP under their registered agent credentials
• You manage multiple entities and need different agents assigned to each
• You fully outsource payroll and want your advisor to handle end-to-end processing
• You want your advisor to review and audit payruns before submitting to the ATO
• Your accountant/bookkeeper needs visibility of all client submissions in the ATO Agent Portal
   

What information will I need to provide?

To use this feature, you'll need the following information from your Tax Agent or Registered Agent to set up the connection:

• The registered name of the Tax Agent or Registered Agent
• Their valid 11-digit Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Their official Agent Number (Tax Agent Number or Registered Agent Number)

You should request these details directly from your agent.
 

How to set up agent STP submissions

To set up Tax Agent or Registered Agent credentials in Deputy, you'll need to access the business entities settings you've configured for Deputy Payroll.

Note: Agent setup needs to be configured per entity for multi-entity businesses.
 

1. Click your profile photo in top right corner, then select Business settings from the drop down menu.

2. On the Pay tab, click on View payroll settings.

3. If you have multiple entities set up for your organization, click View next to the entity you'd like to enable an ATO tax agent for.

If you have a single business entity, you can skip this step.

4. Select Advanced settings.

5. Navigate to the Allow an agent to submit STP reports toggle. Switch the toggle ON.

6. Enter the details below, then click Save.

• Type of agent: Select either Registered agent or Tax agent
• Agent number: Add their official Agent Number (TAN or RAN)
• Agent ABN: Enter their valid 11-digit ABN
• Agent name: The registered name of the Tax Agent or Registered Agent

Note: These should be the details provided by your agent.
 

A message will appear to confirm the details have been saved successfully. 
 

What decisions should I make about my payroll workflow?

When setting up agent credentials, you'll want to consider how much of the payroll process you want to handle versus how much your agent will manage.

How do I manage agent changes?

You can modify your ATO Agent STP submissions settings in Deputy as your business needs change.

When might you change or remove your agent settings?

• Switching to a new agent: If you start working with a new accountant or bookkeeper, simply update the agent details so they can take over STP submissions and maintain visibility in their ATO Agent Portal.
• Bringing STP submissions back in-house: If you decide to handle lodgements yourself, you can turn off the Allow an agent to submit STP reports toggle at any time. Deputy will automatically revert to using your business’s own credentials for all future STP submissions.

How are active pay runs affected?

Deputy uses the credentials that were active at the exact moment a pay run was finalised. If you change agents while a pay run is in progress, make sure to check which credentials will be used for that specific lodgement.