After 27th March 2020, you will no longer be able to use AUSkey to access the ATO business portal and other government online services. AUSkey will be replaced with myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM). MyGovID is a new and secure way to prove who you are online. RAM allows you to manage access to online services and authorise others who can act on behalf of your business.
You will need to use myGovID and RAM if you:
• use the ATO Business Portal
• use Access Manager
• access government online services using AUSkey or Manage ABN Connections like the Australian Business Register (ABR)
• have employees or authorise others to access government online services on behalf of your business
It is important to act now, before the 27th March deadline to continue to access online services. The principal authority (business owner or person listed on the ABR) must set up their own myGovID, link their business in RAM and authorise employees:
Step 1: Set up your myGovID
To set up and use myGovID, business owners and employees must have their own personal smart device (i.e. a mobile phone). Smart device minimum requirements are Apple ios10 or later and Android 7.0 (Nougat) or later.
• Download the myGovID app, available from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Set up your myGovID by entering your full name, date of birth and email address. Use an email address that belongs to you only and is not shared.
Employees should use a personal email address rather than a work based email address. MyGovID is specific to and remains with the individual, regardless of their employment.
• Add two Australian identity documents – for example, a passport, driver’s licence, medicare card and or birth certificate. It is important that your name matches with the name on the identity documents.
Step 2: Log in to RAM using your myGovID and link your business
You must be the principal authority (business owner or listed associate on the ABR) to link your business’s ABN to your myGovID:
• Before you link your business, check that your business details and individual associates (for example, individual trustees, directors and public officers) on the ABR are up to date, so RAM can use the correct information: https://abr.gov.au
Go to your web browser (this can be done on your computer), login to RAM using your myGovID:
https://info.authorisationmanager.gov.au
• Select Link my business to find your business or businesses and add the required information.
How to link if your business is a trust with a corporate trustee?
The ability to link your business requires the principal authority or business owner to be listed as an individual associate for the business (on the ABR). If the only listed associate of a business is another business (that is, not an individual) you will need to call the ATO to manually link.
Therefore, in the case of a trust with a corporate trustee, the principal authority must contact the ATO on 1300 287 539, select option 3 for RAM enquiries and be prepared with the following information:
• TFN & PAYG arrangements, if applicable (for the principal authority)
• ABN of the trust
• ACN of the trustee company
Step 3: Authorising employees and others in RAM
You can use RAM to authorise others to act on behalf of your business – for example, if you have employees who access the business portal on behalf of your business.
• Before you authorise staff, check they have set up their myGovID. You need to enter their legal name so it matches exactly with the name used in their myGovID and an email address only they can access.
• Login to RAM using myGovID: https://info.authorisationmanager.gov.au
• Select View or manage authorisations, machine credentials and cloud software notifications to authorise users. If you have multiple employees with AUSkeys, you can use the import AUSkey users function to create multiple authorisations at a time. If you need to customise someone’s access and permissions, you will be directed through RAM to Access Manager.
You’ve finished setting up!
You and your employees can now use myGovID to access the ATO Business Portal https://bp.ato.gov.au/
Select ‘Login with myGovID’ and enter your myGovID email address and use the myGovID app to verify it’s you.
NOTE: Using software to report
If you use desktop or locally hosted software (not cloud based software) you may need to undertake additional steps – your software supplier will guide you through this process. If you use cloud based Standard Business Reporting enable software, you don’t need to undertake additional steps – your software supplier will do this for you.