The Control Record options need to be configured before you process tax returns.

The Control Record contains important processing data which is usually common to all clients in your practice. These settings take effect for the practice as a whole and change rarely, if at all. For example, the practice name and ATO location for lodgment are unlikely to change.

General tab

On the General tab record the default values for the Practice:

• Practice name — the name printed in the Agent’s Declaration for all Tax Returns, Schedules, Applications, Claims and Electronic Declarations. It is also used in letters, estimates and reports. It can be up to 38 characters in length. The field is mandatory.
• ACN/ARBN — Australian Company Number or the Australian Registered Business Number of the practice, if applicable. It must be eleven numeric characters in length.
• ABN — the Australian Business Number of the practice.
• Division — the Division Number of the practice, which is allocated to a group of entities that share the same ABN.
• Phone number — type the area code into the 4-digit field, tab to the number field and then type the default telephone number for your practice. This number will be used as the default number for the practice’s contact and agent. It will appear in the Agent’s Declaration of returns if no other agent or contact is specified. For a return, see the Staff tab in the Properties for that return. Typically the practice’s main phone number is entered here.

For ELS purposes, the number can be a maximum of fifteen numeric characters (0 to 9). It may contain spaces, but no other characters.

• Fax number — this fax number will appear in all letters generated. It is also the default for some ATO application forms.

For ELS purposes, the number can be a maximum of fifteen numeric characters (0 to 9). It may contain spaces, but no other characters. Type in the area code then [Tab] to the number field and type the default facsimile number for your practice.

• Mobile — this is the mobile telephone number for the practice’s contact or agent.
• E-mail — this is the email address for the practice’s contact or agent.

Lodgment tab

On the Lodgment tab record the default values for ELS lodgment for the principal lodging Agent which are the Agent’s ELS Reference number and office of lodgment details, together with the method of monitoring lodgment and the work-flow process.

You can configure:

• Agent reference number — your Agent Registration number (also known as Reference number) as given to you by the Tax Practitioners Board. This number can be a maximum of eight numeric characters (0 to 9) and must not contain any other characters or spaces. Type in the default Agent Reference number for your practice.
• ATO Office — the ATO identification code for the office at which returns will be lodged. For example, if you lodge your returns at Sydney, select SYD. Click  to display a list of ATO codes.
• Prior year office — the ATO identification code for the office at which returns were lodged last year.

Defaults tab

The Defaults tab contains a selection of standard operating procedures which can be set as defaults for all work done in the Practice. Default information should be established when the ledger is first created and those defaults will roll over from year to year.

You can configure these Practice Defaults:

• Access returns via TFN — with this option enabled, returns are displayed in the Select Return index in TFN order rather than in the return code order.

1. Select returns by client — in MYOB AO, the Tax — Client Search page provides a list of returns that you can filter and sort to limit what data is displayed. the in the Select Returns index but with this option enabled, you may restrict the list to the returns for one client. This is useful when multiple returns are being billed to the one client.

2. To restrict the list of returns to a single client: Tick the Select returns by client option and restart MYOB AO to enable the option. From the Select Returns index click the Select Client icon to open the index of clients for the practice. Highlight a client from the list and press [Enter]. Repeat the client selection to alter the returns displayed.

• To revert to a full display of returns: select the Control Record Defaults tab, remove the tick from the Select returns by client option and restart MYOB AO to disable the option.

• ‘I’ on front covers (else ‘We’) — this option allows you to specify appropriate wording in the agent’s certificate on the front cover of returns, according to the practice’s status as sole practitioner or a firm.

• Long tax file numbers — this option is used for a deceased individual where two returns may have to be lodged within the one tax year.

• Mandatory audit only — MYOB AO maintains an audit trail which records all schedule modifications and similar edits. With this option enabled, only those changes made after the return has been lodged are tracked and previous entries will not be removed from the audit trail.

• Schedule W mandatory for ELS — Agents who have been notified by the ATO of special reporting requirements with respect to work expenses claims must enable this option. It is not relevant to other agents.

Checking this option will mean that whenever a Schedule W is created, the Send to ATO? option will default to Yes. This should only be selected if you have to complete a Schedule W for the majority of your clients, who have work related deductions in excess of $300.
If this is left unchecked, the schedule will not be lodged.

• Add full stops to initials — select this option to have full stops automatically inserted after initials during letter writing.

• Completion code validation required — Select this checkbox to enable the completion code functionality.

• If this option is selected, you will need to enter the relevant completion code before the return may be tagged for output for ELS.

• Enable one click Estimate — select this option to bypass the Preview/Print window when preparing an Estimate. The Estimate is displayed on screen and a copy may be printed if required.

• SQL Database password — users who have full SQL installed and are using SQL AE Tax, must enter the System Administrator password (SA password) in this field in order for the Letter Writing to work. If you are unsure of your SA password, contact your IT administrator. You must ensure that you press [Enter] to save the SA password you have entered.

• Encrypt saved files — this option allows the practice to select its preferred encryption setting for PDF files of ATO returns. The practice may choose to be prompted for the choice of encryption on each file, to apply encryption on every file or to never apply encryption on any file saved.

To encrypt a PDF file means that whoever opens a PDF document, must first enter a password. Unless there is an overriding agent setting, the practice setting default determines what happens when you run the PDF wizard.
You can select:

• Prompt — the PDF Encryption wizard offers the choice to apply the PDF password to the PDF file that are being saved.

• Always — the PDF Encryption wizard encrypts every PDF file that it is saved to disk using the PDF password shown in the Return Properties, General tab.

• Never — the PDF Encryption wizard encrypts none of the PDF files that are is saved.

• Starting invoice number — invoice numbers will be incremented from the starting number entered here.

• I want to use my own invoice numbers — check this option if you want to manually enter an invoice number when printing an invoice.

Password tab

On the Password tab you can set a password. Users must enter that password to change details in the Control Record, Practice Defaults and other utilities.

Addresses tab

On the Addresses tab record the addresses for your practice.

You can enter:

• Postal address — the default address for service of notices disclosed on the return front covers – usually the practice’s post office box address. For convenience this address is also displayed on the General tab. Only enter a value for Country if the country is NOT Australia.

• Previous address — do not enter a value in this field unless the practice’s postal address was changed last year. This address will appear on the front cover of returns as the previous postal address for service of notices.

• Alternate address — this address can be accessed by the Letter Writing facility as an alternative postal or delivery address.

Names/Audit tab

On the Names/Audit tab contains the Contact Names for the Practice for both the agent and the agent’s contact. These are the names that will default to the Agent’s Declaration in the income tax return.

• Agent — this name will appear as the certifying agent on the front covers of returns. It can be up to 49 characters in length. The name may be entered using either or both the lines for Given names and Surname. For example, you may leave the first line blank and fill in the Agent name on the second line. The data entry does not affect the way in which the name is displayed on reports.

• If the practice has more than one registered agent, additional agents can be added see Adding and editing agencies.

• Contact — this name will appear as the contact for the practice on the front covers of returns. It can be up to 25 characters in length.

Banking tab

On the Banking tab the banking details for the practice are recorded. If the practice runs a trust account to receive taxpayer’s refunds, then these are the details that can be requested to fill the EFT details in the relevant income tax returns.

Correspondence Preferences tab

On the Correspondence Preferences tab in the Control Record the settings apply to clients managed by the default Agent. The settings on the Correspondence Preferences tab nominate to the ATO where each type of correspondence is to be sent.

If the practice has more then one registered agent, correspondence preferences for each agent can be configured for each agent, see Adding and editing agencies.

You can also configure specific preferences for each client under the Return Properties.

You can configure:

• Role Codes — Activity Statement Accounts, Goods and Services Tax, Deferred Company and PAYG Instalments, PAYG - Withholding, FBT Instalments, Luxury Car Tax, Wine equalisation tax.

• Correspondence types:

• BAS (Business Activity statements)

• IAS (Instalment Activity statements)

• Educational material such as booklets and fact sheets

• Forms and Stationery such as payment summaries and GST returns

• Status such as registration, cancellation, cycle and rate notices

• Accounting such as assessments, statement of accounts, penalty notices

• Compliance such as arrangement letters, reminder and urgent notices.

• Destination drop-down list — for each combination of Role code and Correspondence type select the destination from those listed. In each case the options are:

• Default ATO — the ATO determines the destination

• Agent — the Practice receives the correspondence

• Client — the client associated with the return receives the correspondence

• Clear Change — this removes the selection. This means that the destination recorded at the ATO for this type of correspondence will be remain unchanged.

• Delete profile — select this checkbox to indicate to the ATO that correspondence for the practice is no longer being handled through the correspondence addressing system.

• Updated since last sent — any change to the correspondence preferences causes this checkbox to be ticked. A tick indicates that there are changes to the preferences that have not yet been transmitted to the ATO. When shown the date indicates most recent transmission of this form to the ATO.

• Lodge CP form — once the preferences are made, select Output to create the relevant Form CP and schedule L or schedule Z to be transmitted to the ATO.