Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Many clients continue to handle parts of their own bookkeeping, such as creating invoices, uploading receipts or approving pay runs.

We can work with you to decide which tasks you keep in-house and which tasks Balanceable manages, so your books stay accurate, up to date and consistent.

No. If you are running a business, even as a sole trader, good bookkeeping can help you stay organised, understand your numbers and avoid problems later.

Smaller businesses often benefit from getting their systems right early, especially once GST, payroll, superannuation or regular reporting becomes part of the business.

Yes. Balanceable works with different business structures, including sole traders, companies, trusts and partnerships.

The information and authority required may vary depending on your structure, especially where directors, trustees, partners or other authorised representatives are involved.

Fees depend on your business, the volume of work required and the services you need.

Ongoing bookkeeping may be charged hourly or as an agreed recurring fee, while onboarding, migration or clean-up work may be quoted separately. Pricing is discussed upfront so you know what to expect before work begins.

Yes. If your books are behind, incomplete or contain errors, we can review the file and prepare a clear clean-up plan.

Clean-up work is usually quoted separately because the time required depends on the condition of the records, the number of transactions, missing documents and how far back the issues go.

Yes. We work with sole traders who want their bookkeeping organised properly in Xero.

Whether you need help with bank reconciliations, GST, BAS, TPAR, expense tracking, job costing or preparing your records for your accountant, we can help keep everything clean and up to date.

Yes. We can work alongside your accountant to keep your books accurate and ready for tax time.

A bookkeeper usually manages the day-to-day records, while your accountant handles tax returns, tax advice, year-end compliance and higher-level advisory work. With your authority, we can liaise with your accountant where needed.

You can get started by contacting Balanceable via the contact page and telling us a little about your business, your current software and the support you need.

From there, we will review your situation, confirm whether we can assist, agree on the services required and guide you through the onboarding process.

An onboarding fee may apply depending on the work required to set up your file, review your records, obtain access, prepare systems or clean up existing data.

If an onboarding fee applies, it will be discussed with you before work begins.

Yes, fixed monthly pricing may be available for suitable ongoing bookkeeping engagements.

Some work is better suited to hourly billing, especially where the workload varies or the books need reviewing first. Once we understand your business and the level of support required, we can recommend the most appropriate pricing structure.

Start times depend on current availability, the services required and how quickly onboarding information, authority, identification and software access are provided.

Once everything required is received and the engagement is accepted, we can confirm when work can begin.

You can contact Balanceable through the contact page on our website.

Existing clients should contact their Balanceable advisor directly where possible, as this is usually the fastest way to get support for ongoing bookkeeping, payroll, BAS or Xero-related questions.

Balanceable is a registered BAS agent, not a registered tax agent.

A BAS agent is a registered professional who is authorised to provide certain business activity statement services.

This can include helping with BAS and IAS preparation and lodgement, GST, PAYG withholding, payroll-related reporting, superannuation-related reporting, and dealing with the ATO on behalf of a client for matters within the scope of their BAS agent registration.

A BAS agent is registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. They are different from a registered tax agent and generally do not prepare income tax returns or provide broader income tax advice.

Yes. Balanceable can prepare and lodge BAS and IAS on behalf of clients where we are properly engaged and authorised to do so.

Before lodging, we need your bookkeeping records to be complete and up to date, and we may ask you to review or confirm information before submission.

Yes. We can assist with payroll processing in Xero, including pay runs, employee onboarding, payroll records, auto-super and Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting.

No. We do not prepare or lodge income tax returns.

Tax returns should be prepared by a registered tax agent or accountant. We can help keep your books accurate and organised so your accountant has cleaner records to work with at tax time.

Usually, yes.

A BAS agent can assist with BAS, IAS, GST, PAYG withholding and related bookkeeping matters within the scope of their registration. Your accountant or tax agent will usually handle income tax returns, tax advice, tax planning, business structure advice and year-end tax matters.

Before lodging a BAS or IAS, we generally need the relevant bookkeeping period to be complete, reconciled and reviewed in Xero.

In most cases, Balanceable will only lodge an activity statement where we have completed the bookkeeping and bank reconciliations for the period since the last lodgement. This helps ensure the figures are based on accurate, current and properly reviewed records.

If your records have been maintained by someone else, or in another accounting system, we may need to review, clean up or bring the data into Xero before we can prepare or lodge.

Yes, where we are properly authorised and the matter is within the scope of our BAS agent services.

This may include dealing with the ATO about BAS, IAS, GST, PAYG withholding, payroll-related reporting and other matters permitted under our BAS agent registration.

Balanceable’s BAS Agent number is 26357764.

You can also verify registered BAS agents through the Tax Practitioners Board public register.

Yes, where ASIC registered agent services are agreed, accepted and properly appointed.

As your ASIC registered agent, we may assist with permitted ASIC company administration tasks, such as receiving ASIC correspondence and lodging certain company forms.

Balanceable’s ASIC Agent number is 54735.

A bookkeeper keeps your financial records accurate, organised and up to date.

Good bookkeeping helps you understand your cash flow, track income and expenses correctly, stay on top of GST and payroll obligations, reduce errors and make tax time easier. It also saves time, so you can focus more on running your business.

Your accountant can often assist with bookkeeping, but accountants usually focus on higher-level tax, compliance and advisory work.

A bookkeeper manages the day-to-day records, such as reconciliations, transaction coding, payroll support, receipts and reporting. Using a bookkeeper for regular bookkeeping can be more efficient and may reduce the amount of clean-up your accountant needs to do at year end.

No. Balanceable does not provide financial product advice, investment advice or legal advice.

Our work is focused on bookkeeping, Xero support, BAS agent services where engaged, payroll support, reporting and related business administration. You should seek advice from an appropriately licensed professional where financial, legal or tax advice is required.

No. Appointing Balanceable as your BAS agent is not automatic.

BAS agent services only apply where they are agreed in writing, accepted by us and properly authorised. If you do appoint us, we can assist with BAS and IAS preparation and lodgement within the scope of our BAS agent registration.

Yes. We work remotely, which means we can support you no matter which state or territory you or your business are based in.

We may request identification to verify your identity, confirm your authority to act for a business or entity, and help prevent fraud.

This is especially important where we are being asked to access financial records, deal with government agencies, manage software access, assist with BAS or ASIC matters, or act on behalf of a company, trust, partnership or business.

The Tax Practitioners Board, or TPB, is the national body responsible for registering and regulating tax agents and BAS agents in Australia.

You can use the TPB public register to check whether a tax agent or BAS agent is registered.

We take privacy, confidentiality and data security seriously.

Client information is handled using secure cloud-based systems, password-protected access and appropriate internal controls. We only collect, use and disclose information where reasonably necessary to provide services, comply with obligations, verify authority or protect lawful interests.

You can read more in our Privacy Policy

Xero is cloud-based accounting software used by small businesses to manage bookkeeping, invoicing, bank feeds, payroll, reporting, BAS, superannuation and other financial tasks.

Because Xero is online, your business records can be accessed securely from anywhere, making it easier for you, your bookkeeper and your accountant to work from the same up-to-date information.

Yes. Balanceable is a Xero focused bookkeeping practice, so our services are built around Xero and related cloud-based tools.

If you currently use another accounting system, we can help move your business across to Xero as part of the setup or migration process.

That’s okay, but Balanceable may not be the right fit if you do not want to use Xero.

Our workflows, systems and service delivery are built around Xero because it allows us to work efficiently, maintain consistent processes and provide better support across bookkeeping, payroll, reporting, BAS and document management.

Software choice is often based on subscription price, especially where a platform is offering an introductory promotion. Once the promotional period ends, the monthly cost is often similar to other major accounting platforms.

The bigger question is whether saving a small amount on software, if anything, is worth the additional bookkeeping time, manual work or reduced efficiency that may come with using a system that does not fit our workflow.

We use Xero because it allows us to provide a more efficient, consistent and streamlined bookkeeping service.

Xero connects with bank feeds, payroll, Hubdoc, reporting tools and other business apps, which helps reduce manual work and keeps your records more accurate and up to date. By focusing on one platform, we can deliver better systems, better support and a smoother experience for clients.

This depends on how your Xero subscription is set up.

Some clients pay Xero directly, while others may have their Xero subscription included in their Balanceable billing. We will confirm this with you before setup or transfer, so you know who is responsible for the subscription cost.

This depends on how your Xero subscription is set up.

Some clients pay Xero directly, while others may have their Xero subscription included in their Balanceable billing. We will confirm this with you before setup or transfer, so you know who is responsible for the subscription cost.

Yes. If your Xero subscription is administered by Balanceable, it can usually be transferred away if your engagement ends or you want to manage the subscription yourself.

Before transfer, any outstanding Balanceable invoices, service fees or software subscription amounts must be paid in full.

Yes. Balanceable is a Xero focused bookkeeping practice and Xero partner.

We use Xero as our primary accounting platform and build our bookkeeping workflows around Xero and related tools such as Hubdoc.

Yes. Balanceable is Xero certified.

This means we have completed Xero training and use Xero regularly as part of our bookkeeping, payroll, reporting, BAS and software support services.

Yes. We can help move your business from another accounting system into Xero.

This may include reviewing your current records, arranging or assisting with data migration, setting up your Xero file, checking opening balances, connecting bank feeds and preparing your new system for ongoing bookkeeping.

The timeframe depends on your current accounting system, the amount of data being moved, the quality of your records and whether payroll, inventory, invoices, bills or historical transactions are included.

Some migrations are straightforward, while others require extra checking, clean-up or specialist conversion support. We will give you a clearer timeframe once we understand your current setup.

Not usually, but the amount and type of data brought into Xero depends on the migration method, your current software and the quality of your existing records.

In some cases, historical data can be converted into Xero. In other cases, older records may be kept in the previous system or exported for reference, while Xero is set up from an agreed conversion date.

Yes. We can set up Xero for a new business, including the organisation settings, chart of accounts, bank feeds, GST settings, payroll settings, invoice settings and other bookkeeping foundations.

Getting Xero set up properly from the beginning helps keep your records cleaner and makes future bookkeeping, reporting and BAS work much easier.

Yes. We can provide Xero training and support to help you understand the parts of Xero you need to use.

This may include invoicing, uploading receipts, using Hubdoc, reading reports, approving pay runs, checking reconciliations or understanding how your bookkeeping workflow operates.

Hubdoc is a document collection and receipt processing tool that connects with Xero.

It allows you to upload receipts, invoices and statements by email or mobile app. Hubdoc can extract key details from those documents and store the original copies in the cloud, helping keep your records organised, accurate and easier to manage.

Hubdoc is included with eligible Xero subscriptions at no additional cost.

Our clients usually send their receipts, invoices and supplier documents to Hubdoc.

You can upload documents using the Hubdoc mobile app, by forwarding them to your Hubdoc email address, or by uploading them through the web browser. We will confirm the correct upload method during onboarding.

Clear digital copies of receipts and invoices can be used for record keeping, provided they are readable, complete and securely stored.

We use Hubdoc to help keep digital copies organised with your Xero records.

Missing receipts can slow down bookkeeping and may make it harder to confirm the correct GST treatment, expense category or business purpose of a transaction.

If documents are missing, we may need to ask questions, leave items unreconciled, code transactions based on available information, or delay BAS and reporting work until the required records are provided.