Can I submit 2 pay events for STP in 1 day?

[Kris2]

There are couple scenarios when I may need to lodge 2 pay events for STP in 1 day:

1. Additional unscheduled pay for a staff (to pay out annual leave, for example) -- is this okay?

2. Change hourly rate in the middle of payment week. So I need to process wages for first half (using old rate), lodge it for STP, pay it from the bank. and then process wages for second half  (using new rate), lodge it for STP, and pay it from the bank. --- is this okay?

3. Staffs are working for 2 separate stores. So I need to process wages for store A, lodge it for STP, pay it from bank store A. And then process wages for store B, lodge it for STP, pay it from bank store B. --- is this okay?

Will lodging of 2 STP in 1 day be okay in above 3 scenarios? I think the STP would not mess up, its just the LATEST STP lodgement will update the YTD amount (in above 3 cases, the YTD will be calculated correctly and normally). But I just want to double check and ask for anyone who has done it before..

Thank you in advance..

[bungy15]

Hi @Kris2 

You are correct that the YTD amounts will be updated with the latest report sent. Each report is time and date stamped when received by the ATO and they take the YTD amounts from the most recent report. As long as your YTD amounts are correct you’re all good.  

Cheers

Tracey

[Kris2]

Hi @bungy15 

Thank you for your reply.

So If I lodge OLD payruns (4 pay events) but in time order from oldest to newest all in 1 day, that would not be a problem then? Because the NEWEST pay event will be the one that really matters and the YTD amount will be taken from here?

In my previous post, particularly for scenario 3, is it still ok even if the 2 payruns (for 2 stores) lodged in 1 day have same staffs? So if 3 staffs are working for store A then they got paid during first payrun 1 I processed that day, and the same 3 staffs are working for store B so they got paid during the payrun 2 I processed afterwards. 

And during finalisation report, I just have to check that total YTD (from Payroll Activity Summary Report - which include 2 stores) match with the STP figures. Is my logic correct?

[bungy15]

You’re welcome @Kris2 😊 

Each time you process a payrun you are increasing the YTD amounts so the newest report should have the correct amounts. Just make sure each report is accepted by the ATO before you send the next one. In the Payroll Reporting Centre download a copy of the newest report by clicking on the ... button and selecting download report, check the YTD amounts are correct.

With regards to scenario 3, as you are paying the same employees twice just make sure they are being taxed correctly.

This is from the ATO website 

Hope this clarifies it for you

Tracey

[Kris2]

Hi @bungy15 

Thank you so much for your reply. 

Regarding the 3 staffs who work in BOTH store, I plan to check their tax wages and adjust it MANUALLY. will that be ok?

So is it ok to submit STP for BOTH payruns for the 2 stores in 1 same day? Or they must be lodged 1 day apart? Or must I wait until the first STP is accepted and then lodge the second STP?

Thank you

[bungy15]

Hi @Kris2 

With regards to the tax I’d check with the ATO to make sure you’re withholding the correct amount.

You can send multiple reports in the same day because the ATO will only take the YTD amounts from the most recent report. 

So in your first payrun you pay

employee A  $100, their YTD is now $1000

employee B  $200, their YTD is now $2000

employee C  $300, their YTD is now $3000

you send this report and the ATO take these YTD amounts as the current figures.

In your second payrun you pay

employee A  $100, their YTD is now $1100

employee D  $400, their YTD is now $4000

When you send the second report employee A’s YTD amount will update to $1100 and employee D’s YTD will update to $4000. Employees B and C will stay $2000 and $3000 because they were not paid in the second payrun.

I’d recommend waiting until the first report is accepted before you send the second. That will just ensure they are received by the ATO in the correct order.

Let me know if you have any more questions 

Tracey