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Enhanced Security: A multi-factor authentication comes to Cloudoffis

Online security breaches happen every day, all around the world. It’s a fact of life, as we move things online and to the cloud, efficiency increases but so does the possibility of falling victim to fraud. Webber Insurance Services has compiled a list of Australian companies that have had data breaches in 2018 and 2019. They’re big names, close to home. When it comes to online security the best offense is a good defense. The Australian Taxation Office made changes to the Operational Framework for Digital Service Providers, making Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) mandatory “where users potentially have access to large volumes of taxpayer or superannuation related information”.

Programs that digitally connect to the ATO, such as MYOB, Xero, BGL, Class, etc, had to meet these security standards by 30 September, 2018. MFA means that during the login process, after entering your username and password, you are also required to enter an additional code (or scan a QR code) that is sent via a preferred Authenticator App, SMS, or Email.

This security measure is not mandatory for Cloudoffis users, however, following the changes in the FinTech space, Cloudoffis has recognized MFA requirements as a best practice method. Moreover, because of the mandatory changes to our integration software application partners, like BGL, Class Super, and Supermate, Cloudoffis users will be required to complete an MFA when connecting to partner systems.

These added layers of security turn trust from something implicit, to something we carry out in our day-to-day operation of systems such as these. Cloudoffis, is part of a network of systems all committed to making SMSF compliance an efficient and enjoyable process for all parties involved. That said, we have a responsibility to each other to make sure every system feeding back into this network is as secure as possible. These added layers of security can incite groans and grumbles from users who say productivity will suffer, however, innovative solutions are available especially designed to combat this.

Platforms like Practice Protect, digitally secure accounting firms through one secure login to all cloud applications that can be tracked and restricted to specific locations, as well as applied firm-wide. Practice Protect has identified that “it is far easier to trick than hack”; 67% of data breaches in 2018 were due to human error or passwords being compromised. All in all, like Cloudoffis, every good platform will help you perform better and create capacity, but we’re happy to be further aligned now with the ethos of helping our industry users reduce risk, maintain control of operations and strengthen trust with clients – all whilst consistently providing greater efficiency.

It’s amazing in FinTech, when we all work together, the security and efficiency we can achieve for our users are phenomenal. To learn more about Cloudoffis and becoming efficient, whilst maintaining consistency, with your audit automation, reach out today using the form below.

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Make auditing experience better with SMSF new feature release 2019

A new month and a new release, 2019 has already seen some tremendous enhancements, and here are some more!

The below enhancements are a direct result of client feedback (with a little help from the ATO), please keep them coming.

  • Multi-Factor Authentication
  • Addition of read-only mode
  • SuperMate API Integration

Multi-Factor Authentication

Cloudoffis now has 3 types of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This provides additional levels of security for all users across multiple platforms and devices, such as email, mobile phones, and applications. These settings can be accessed by any user from their profile, once open the MFA page is on the right as per below.

Keeping everyone’s data secure is our top priority.

Read Only Mode

We have created a read-only functionality to enable quick reference to the previous year’s audits without the risk of creating invalid timestamps.

  • Ability to quickly refer to the previous year’s audit
  • Ability to compare in a new tab (different screen if available)
  • Read only removes the risk of updating the wrong year
  • Ability to provide access for review or training without the risk of updating.

These are instantly accessible from the Fund Dashboard or Completed Audit Queue -allowing easy reference between both & providing greatly improved efficiency and usability.

SuperMate API Integration

To build on our successful integrations with BGL & Class, SuperMate data will now flow instantly via API. With help from the SuperMate team, we have now enabled SuperMate data to be imported via the cloud. This will automatically import fund details, trial balance & general ledger into Cloudoffis. You’ll no longer have to manually create clients and upload these reports! Save time and be more efficient with even more ‘automation’.

If you’re an existing user and would like further instructions on these new enhancements, please visit your Support Portal or reach out to our Support team.

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Schedule Your Personalized Preview of Cloudoffis

If you’re interested in Cloudoffis – we’re all about providing an automated audit technology that drastically reduces inefficiencies, saves you hours, and boosts your bottom line. We hold the promise of new experiences and challenge you to try them. Schedule a live demo today! Use the form below.

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Cloudoffis & InfoTrack integrates streamline process for SMSF Auditors

Cloudoffis and InfoTrack, a leading technology provider for the professional services sector, have joined forces with a new integration set to be a game-changer for the SMSF industry. Cloudoffis has been one of the leaders in what has been a huge year for FinTech, especially in the SMSF domain, and were keen to partner with InfoTrack which shares the same approach to leveraging innovative technology to save its users time.

As AI continues to be one of the biggest disruptors in the FinTech software landscape, Cloudoffis and InfoTrack have not only taken advantage of new technology but are now creatively integrating their services to save hours of hassle for businesses and users. The combined automated powers of the two platforms cut workloads in half to minimize human error, maximize efficiency and increase businesses’ bottom lines.

The two tech companies have attentively listened to the demands of the industry to create software solutions that automate up to 50% of the tedious, manual tasks that have long been a feature of the SMSF workflow. The new integration with InfoTrack means that Cloudoffis users can now instantly access additional information including title searches, ASIC extracts, corporate trustee searches, background checks, know-your-customer (KYC) checks, and more. These searches can be performed directly through Cloudoffis and the results and related costs are returned to Cloudoffis and added to your subscription. This technology comes long overdue for the SMSF sector where tedious tasks and duplicate work have wasted huge amounts of time and diverted talented resources from more important work.

With the new raft of legislative changes happening across the SMSF industry and the proposed changes to audit cycles, there is a lot of pressure on businesses to manage compliance risks and improve efficiency. Cloudoffis’ auditing software does the work that previously took hours of an auditor’s time – tagging, searching, document management, data presentation, and compliance checklists – at the click of a button.

The benefits are manifold, users will experience not only time saved and added efficiency – but with checklists and compliance tools built into the user experience, compliance has never been so easy. The impact of this technology and the collaboration of services has created far-reaching changes for the industry as a whole. It not only means a new era of efficiency, automation, and ease of compliance – but it has created a new path for collaboration in the SMSF industry. To learn more, book a private demonstration on the form below today.

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A Guide to Transfer Balance Account Reports for accountants & auditors

Auditors and accountants have to adapt to the new legislation on SMSF reporting. There have been significant changes in SMSF processing, and it’s crucial to keep up with them. In July 2018, a new framework for SMSFs was introduced which requires certain events to be reported to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Event-based reporting is a new obligation SMSFs need to fulfill. SMSF annual returns are still mandatory.

However, this new reporting style aims to capture information about other events as they occur. In certain cases, SMSFs have to file transfer balance account reports (or TBARs). There is now an increased need for real-time accounting. TBARs may need to be filed at any time during the financial year. Additionally, there’s a strict time limit on TBAR reporting.

Hence, the SMSF industry is going to have to make some fundamental changes. Accounting and auditing will have to become faster and more cost-efficient. In many cases, you’ll lodge within 28 days of the end of the quarter. Some TBARs need lodging sooner, whereas you only need to lodge others annually.

What about auditing? TBARs give auditors a new set of challenges. They’re still invaluable to the process, but the use of TBARs means they have to adapt to a new environment. Let’s overview the top facts about TBARs, as well as the ways that auditors will have to update their practices.

What Is a T BAR?

The ATO introduced TBARs to help them with a specific issue. Previously, the ATO had to wait for extended periods to receive data about how much people have allocated across the various phases in their superannuation funds. In some cases, they have to wait for almost 11 months to receive data about SMSFs. T BAR allows the ATO to track a member’s significant events and key transactions during the retirement phase. The ATO has applied a transfer balance cap of $1.6 million to this retirement phase.

TBARs allows you to track a transfer balance account to work out if there’s space for further activity. It also highlights if you’ve exceeded the cap through recent activity. TBARs allow the government to track large transfers. SMSF members now have their total superannuation balance monitored too. This is the sum of all their accumulation and retirement phase superannuation interests across all their accounts and funds. If it goes over $1 million, the SMSF has to lodge more frequently.

Which Events Require TBARs?

It’s crucial for accountants to keep track of each SMSF member’s transfers and superannuation balance. Accountants must report key events that alter an SMSF member’s transfer balance. Check the ATO’s guide here. A short summary follows:

  • The Type and Value of Pre-Existing Income Streams Details of pre-existing income streams being received on 30 June 2017 that will continue to be paid or will remain in the retirement phase on or after 1 July 2017. It’s not necessary to file a TBAR when the interest from an income stream has been exhausted.
  • The Type and Value of Death Benefit Income Streams and New Retirement Phase Income Streams Reversionary death benefit income streams should be filed starting from the date of death. Note that it’s not necessary to file a report upon the death of an SMSF member
  • New or Re-Financed Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangement (LRBA) Payments ‘New’ refers to borrowing arrangements entered into on or after 1 July 2017 and the payment results in an increase in the value of the member’s interest that supports their retirement phase income stream.
  • Personal Injury Contributions
  • Commutations of Retirement Phase Income Streams that occur on or after 1 July 2017 or Compliance with a Commutation Authority

There are some exclusions to consider in the reporting too. For example, accountants don’t have to worry about filing a member’s APRA fund interests as the funds will report these. Information filed directly via a Transfer balance event notification form (NAT 74919) also doesn’t need to be included in the T BAR.

How Does TBAR’s Introduction Change the Compliance Process?

It was necessary to file all information about pre-existing streams by 1 July 2018. After this date, TBARs cover new events. If every SMSF member has a total superannuation balance lower than $1 million, the TBARs aren’t urgent. They can simply be filed once a year along with the Annual Return. But this changes if any member has a total superannuation balance of over $1 million. In this case, the SMSF has a new obligation. When an event occurs, they have to file a TBAR within 28 days after the end of the quarter. Events apply to all members, including members whose total superannuation balance is under $1 million. Let’s overview the main points.

  • The ATO will notify you in the event that you exceed the $1.6 million cap. It will ask you to rectify the event.
  • There is no legal limitation on the superannuation balance of SMSF members. But if anyone’s total superannuation balance goes over $1 million, a TBAR must be filed.
  • The ATO now has more insight into all SMSF income streams.
  • When you file depends on the fund’s composition and each member’s total super balance. As mentioned previously, you’ll often file within four weeks of an event. However, there are plenty of exceptions. For example, in the case of commutations, the SMSF may have only ten days after the end of the month to file a TBAR.

This is a new piece of legislation, so we may see changes made over time, particularly in regard to caps. For example, the $1 million superannuation criterion might be re-evaluated over time. Furthermore, the Treasury has a new proposal to change the audit cycle from one year to three years. If the measure passes, it will commence on 1 July 2019. However, the idea is still under much debate. Interestingly, this proposal sits at odds with the value and oversight that event-based reporting provides. With longer audit cycles, the ATO’s level of oversight would decrease. This might undo some of the positives that come with TBARs.

Your Responsibilities

When the July 2018 deadline came around, many SMSFs failed to comply with the new legislation. In most cases, the failure came from a muddled understanding of the rules. Some SMSF accountants didn’t understand the proper treatment of income streams under the new legislation. Some of the clients failed to comply with the transfer balance cap. This often happened because they failed to inform their accountant about their other super fund balances. People simply didn’t know which data was relevant. Since July, various SMSFs struggled with sending up-to-date TBARs. Many accountants had to get used to the new software in order to generate these reports and have had to change their practices to ensure data is up-to-date and accessible. As an auditor, ensuring you have a solid understanding of TBAR reporting is one of your responsibilities. This means you have to have clear oversight over all of your client’s income streams, other key events and any breaches of the transfer balance cap.

What Does This Change?

With these changes, the accounting and auditing process has to become more proactive and access to up-to-date data is imperative. SMSF professionals have more data to go over and processing frequency will need to increase. However, your main task lies in understanding the compliance and data requirements that will allow you to support the fund under this new framework. Many auditors hesitate to rely on data feeds. But if you find feeds that have a reliable source and structure, you won’t compromise the quality of your work. Data feeds can be secure and almost entirely error-free. At the same time, auditors will need to have a more active relationship with their clients. Being able to source reliable data and communicate regularly with clients can make it easier to keep on top of your requirements, identify areas of focus, and help to better support the SMSF with the new compliance regime.

The Final Word

TBARs whilst complex, have made a positive contribution to the industry in providing more visibility and transparency of key information. Clients and their SMSF professionals are still in an adjustment period. But the reporting process should soon become routine. It’s impossible to keep up with these changes without altering your process. Becoming well-versed in data feeds and understanding what online access to data and reporting you can receive is one of the ways that can assist Automation enables you to more easily and cost-effectively identify areas for focus. But there are many other ways to improve your processes. At Cloudoffis, we offer a variety of industry-specific innovations. To learn more, get in touch with us any time.

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A Game Changer has been released with new features – January 2019

Release 3.2 Now Available

We’re excited to share release 3.2 with you as it is a GAME CHANGER! These new features and additions are a culmination of 12 months of feedback addressing some of the most popular suggestions and improvements. This release includes significant enhancements to the below and is direct result of client feedback.

  • NEW PDF VIEWER!
  • Addition of ASIC Searches
  • Addition of Title Searches
  • New Date Picker and options
  • New Subscription Module
  • BGL Integration Enhanced
 

NEW PDF Viewer

We have redeveloped our PDF Viewer to include NEW! features and additional functionalities as suggested by our clients. You can view, tag, highlight, comment & bookmark documents faster, with enhanced reliability, such as;
  • Additional options for navigating to correct results. Thumbnail View and view all pages inclusive of searched text.
  • Additional Zoom options with one click fit to page options (Zoom and display settings no longer affect the placement or the ability to see the tag or comment)
  • Multiple additions to panes with option to expand or collapse
  • NEW! the ability to highlight text with the option to alter colours
  • Improved Comment function with the newly added ability to edit, delete, customise and expand/collapse
  • NEW! Pre existing PDF bookmarks that existed prior to Cloudoffis upload will now display with hyperlinks to each.
  • NEW! Search options. Whole word only, Case sensitive and Wilcard search.
There is a summary PDF available and a comprehensive support document and video are currently being produced. We welcome your request to preview this. 

Addition of ASIC Searches

Your corporate trustee ASIC searches can now be requested through our InfoTrack integration, and will be automatically stored for quick access. Instantly order and attach ASIC Extracts from within Cloudoffis directly to your audit. This is available from the Member Entitlements page within the process and s.17A within the SIS Checklist.
 
Once selected from either area you will receive a pop up with clear instructions and pricing displayed, the moment the order is placed the document appears as an attachment. All ordered documents and pricing is tracked within your subscription page/Documents Billing.
 

Select Order ASIC Extract

Pop Up Screen to Place Order

 

Subscription/Documents Billing view. Orders will be settled monthly or weekly dependent on quantity.

 

Addition of Title Searches

Instantly order a Title Search with the click of a button directly within Cloudoffis (thanks to our integration with InfoTrack); the document then automatically attaches from within Cloudoffis directly to your audit. This is available from the Real Property page within the process.
 
 
 

Pop Up Screen to Place Order – Prices vary dependent on state (NSW, VIC or QLD) and will be clearly quoted once state is selected prior to ordering.

Subscription/Documents Billing view. Orders will be settled weekly.

NEW Date Picker and options

We have introduced a new Date Picker, entering dates in Cloudoffis has never been faster! Once selected you will have the option to scroll through years quickly, select month and then day. 
 

Scroll to Year and select Month

Select Day – Will default to current date

 
OR

Enter Date Manually

This is a huge improvement for our clients creating funds from non cloud based software’s.
 
Dates can now be manually entered using the format DD/MM/YYYY
 
 

NEW Subscription Module

Adding more funds is now simple, transparent & streamlined with a new slider to easily calculate your top-ups. This will allow clients to top up their files and renew to a new term instantly online. 

Subscription View

Cart View

Each of these new features and enhancements will have a dedicated support page covering the steps comprehensively with a helpful video in the coming days.

BGL Integration Enhanced

New APIs for our integration with BGL have been released so you no longer need to manually upload the following reports:
  • Operating Statement
  • Financial Statement
  • Investment Summary

Efficiency win!

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Schedule Your Personalised Preview of Cloudoffis

We provide an automated audit technology that drastically reduces inefficiencies, saves you hours and boosts your bottom line. We hold the promise of new experiences and challenge you to try them. Schedule a live demo today! Use the form below.

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Year of the audit “2019” – What you think on future of SMSF auditing?

Hey there,

What do you believe is the future of SMSF auditing?
At Cloudoffis, we hold out the promise of new experiences and challenge you to try them.
We believe SMSF workflows and current practices can be free from inaccurate and time-consuming paperwork.
We believe in a user-friendly experience that enhances collaboration and success.
We believe in business intelligence that enables flexibility without compromising power.
We believe in an integrated platform, but we don’t believe in silo-ed solutions that require referencing history.
At Cloudoffis, we provide automated cloud technology

that drastically reduces inefficiencies and empowers the SMSF auditing industry.
So I challenge you to leave the known for what could be, innovate with an adventurous spirit, and be a trailblazer with us.
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Anything that you wanted to know about Auditing Investments platform

Auditing an investment platform can present some challenges. Here, we tackle some of the biggest questions that you may have about this task.

There is a trend among modern investors to utilize investment platforms and the efficiencies offered. This gives out some interesting challenges to auditors and accountants. Each investment platform comes with its own set of features and reporting. You have to learn about these if you want to carry out audits with ease. Furthermore, you have to learn how to work within the confines of the platform itself and understand the tools available to you. Failure to do so could lead to a struggle to find the key information needed for the audit. Investment platforms aren’t something that you can avoid either.

The rise in popularity of managed accounts has led to more people using platforms to help manage their investments. They allow users to oversee their accounts and gain transparency. This helps to gain trust, and be consistent and believable for investors at all levels. What you may not realize is that investment platforms also offer tools to accountants and auditors.

This article refers to managed accounts and their relevance to investment platforms, what investment platforms offer for accountants and auditors, and if their data feeds are reliable or not.

What is a Managed Account?

Before getting started with anything else, the first step is to understand what Managed Accounts are. With a managed account, each investor has direct or beneficial ownership of the individual underlying investments. They then hire a professional manager to oversee the investment portfolio on their behalf. This is the key difference between managed accounts and managed funds. With a managed fund, the investor has a share of a pool of assets via issued units rather than direct or beneficial ownership of the underlying investments.

The individualized aspect of managed accounts is what has made them so popular. Using them allows the owner to tailor their investment strategy according to their own goals. They allow ease of portfolio management, which results in time savings. They also provide access to better transparency through professional management, as well as more comprehensive reporting. Often, an investment platform will be used to deliver or enable managed account services.   Investment platforms offer a good access point to managed accounts. This is because they offer a very efficient method of reporting on transactions and managing the investment.

Hence, as managed accounts gain popularity, so do investment platforms. There’s another important point to make here. You may have to audit more than one managed account when auditing the output from an investment platform. Managed accounts are only one type of investment that these platforms offer and clients can have numerous managed investments. Others include fixed interest, equities, and cash investments. Investment platforms also generally offer access to managed funds. There is an increasing trend toward using investment platforms that looks likely to continue. This means you’ll have to audit the outputs from more investment platforms more often as time goes on.

What does an Investment Platform Offer to an Auditor?

This trend toward investment platforms can seem like a scary proposition. While most auditors have worked with the outputs from platforms before, there’s an issue of complexity to consider. Managed accounts and other investment types make the auditing process more difficult. The good news is that many investment platforms offer an array of features. These features often benefit auditors and aim to make it easier for you to do your job. These features include the following:

  • Direct access to investment information for accountants and auditors:

For example, some investment platforms can offer you access to live reports. This gives you an up-to-date picture of your client’s finances and actions. These reports can often complement the end-of-year reports received and provide more detail. They cover every aspect of the transaction, in addition to that, they’re often automated. This cuts down the issues related to human errors.

  • Access to audit reports issued for the investment platform:

The issuing of these reports allows auditors to rely on the year-end data that the platform generates. The reports also offer greater transparency to auditors, clients, and advisors.

  • Access to data feeds if the platform supports them:

Many platform providers have introduced data feeds into their offerings that cover all investment types. These feeds provide greater automation of data entry and can provide greater transparency around the underlying transactions that the client undertakes.

Also, it is important to remember that each investment platform offers different features. These are only a couple of examples of what the platforms provide to accountants and auditors. Your client’s platform may not have all these features or it may have extra features that can provide you with even more help.

These differences affect your auditing approach. They call on you to learn about the specific features that a platform has to offer, but taking the time to do this usually leads to you saving a lot of time later on.

Can I Use Data Feeds?

The use of data feeds when auditing investment platforms is a contentious issue. On one hand, some platforms don’t yet have the required functionality. The use of feeds doesn’t come as standard across all platforms and the treatment of different investment types (particularly managed accounts), differs across the software consuming the feed. That does not mean you should automatically not use feeds. You just have to be aware of the source and any limitations, as you do with any feed that you use. But things have started to change. Investment platforms have started to evolve their feeds and many include tools that offer greater support to auditors and accountants who use the platform’s data.

Conclusion

Auditors must come to grips with the evolution of investment platforms. The popularity of managed accounts has led to more people using them. You need to adapt to the greater complexity of the investments that people oversee using these platforms. You also need to know about the new tools that they provide concerning accessing up-to-date data and providing online access to platform users. The key lies in understanding what these platforms have to offer. You have to take full advantage of the resources that the platforms provide. This may require some research on your part.

However, there’s a strong payoff. Accessing these tools can save you a lot of time during the auditing of accounts preparation process. Of course, using a good audit platform can speed up the auditing process further. That’s where Cloudoffis can help. Cloudoffis is an automated SMSF audit solution that allows for even greater efficiency. Arrange for a live demonstration with our team today. With Cloudoffis, you can make SMSF audits more efficient than ever before. Simply schedule your demo on the form below.

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Change in audit proposal leads to domino effect for new solutions

If enacted, from July 2019, some SMSFs may qualify for the three-year audit cycle. This change would lead to a domino effect of new struggles and new solutions. Everyone in the industry is discussing this proposed change to the audit cycle. The 2018-19 Federal Budget includes the three-year SMSF audit proposal. The idea is to reward SMSFs that have kept good records and a history of compliance. Instead of getting audited annually, these SMSFs would go on a three-year auditing cycle. According to the Treasury, this would reduce the amount of red tape that SMSF trustees have to deal with. However, the changes to the auditing industry would be significant. What consequences will SMSFs and auditors have to deal with if the proposal passes? How will it alter established auditing practices?

The Proposal

Let’s look at the particulars.

1. When Does the Proposal Go Live?

This proposal goes into effect from 1 July 2019 if passed. For the moment, we don’t know the exact audit year it would apply to and whether there would be transitional arrangements.

2. Which SMSFs Would Be Eligible?

It’s not clear yet how many SMSFs would be able to switch to three-year audit cycles. The criteria are:

  • Three consecutive years of clear audit reports.
  • A history of timely SMSF Annual Return (SAR) submissions. It’s not yet decided what this means. It might be enough that the SMSF has no outstanding SARs currently. SMSFs might qualify if they haven’t had any late SARs in the past three years. It’s also possible that only SMSFs that never submitted a late SAR would be eligible.
  • Certain key events will influence the timeline of the three-year audit cycle. If such an event occurs, the SMSF will be audited every year since its last audit, and the cycle will restart. Events include the addition, removal, or death of a member. If a member commences a superannuation income stream for the first time, the SMSF will have to be audited. LRBAs and investments from a related party would also qualify as key events. The eligibility will be based on self-assessment by SMSF trustees. However, there’s a real chance of erroneous self-assessment. If the ATO determines there’s a mistake, an audit will be necessary. The ATO might also take additional action.
3. Where Can You Discuss This Proposal?

The consultation period for the proposal ended on 31st August 2018. That being said, the Treasury received substantial feedback on the proposal from those within the industry.

4. Why Was This Measure Proposed?

In theory, SMSF trustees would have lower administrative costs as a result. There is a chance that the delays in SAR submissions would go down. The main goal is to ease the compliance burden on SMSFs.

5. Will the Proposal Affect Other Legislation?

This proposed change seems to be at odds with some new regulations. The introduction of TBARs and event-based reporting has had significant benefits so far. The industry is now moving to more real-time processing. This allows for greater transparency and oversight. Some speculate that the three-year audit cycle would cause this oversight to plummet. The Treasury’s proposal is also in contrast to the main takeaways from the ASIC Report 575 SMSFs: Improving the Quality of Advice and Member Experience. Now, let’s look at the main consequences for SMSF members, accountants, and auditors.

The Effects

The industry will change in various ways if the proposal passes. None of these changes are beneficial to auditors. Most of them will have a negative impact on the SMSFs as well.

Auditing Becomes More Difficult

This proposal would make it more difficult for auditors to conduct comprehensive and accurate audits. Three-year-old data would be considerably harder to track down. Some institutions may not maintain old data. In some cases, the SMSF may have used multiple accounts or software packages during a three-year period. This can make accessing reliable data more challenging and may present hurdles when trying to access supporting documentation. Auditors will also have far more data to analyze. This means that the time necessary to complete an audit will increase.

Auditors Will Have to Change Their Workflow

Currently, auditors have a steady workflow and increasingly better access to more timely data. But the three-year audit cycle will undo these benefits. As audits become less frequent, the workflow will fluctuate a great deal.

Furthermore, the cycle will cause issues with data and document access. It may also have an impact on how knowledgeable an auditor is in regard to their client and their circumstances. Many audit firms will have to make changes in staff and workflow. The structure of the industry will change. Since the number of businesses specializing in SMSF auditing will go down, the fees are likely to increase. The increased workload will also have an effect on fees.

SMSF Trustees Will Have Less Guidance

At the moment, trustees rely on auditors for guidance as well as oversight. In many cases, non-compliance happens by accident. In the absence of yearly audits, some SMSFs may opt for regular health checks.

In other words, they would hire auditors to do a high-level review at the end of each year. This health check would be less comprehensive than the audit at the end of the three-year cycle. But could still be the best option for SMSFs that want to avoid accidental non-compliance. Note that the check-ups would be an additional cost for the trustees. Between that and the increased auditing fees, it’s not likely that SMSFs will actually save on administrative costs in the long term.

The Penalties Will Become Higher

The longer timeframe may make it considerably more difficult to rectify non-compliance issues. When problems stay undetected for a long time, SMSF trustees have to pay higher penalties.

The Eligibility Criteria Can Lead to Problems

As discussed above, SMSFs would self-determine whether they qualify for the three-year audit cycle. For now, there are no guidelines for monitoring this. The key events that reset the cycle might go unnoticed. Trustees might have to deal with extra penalties and complexity if they misjudge their eligibility.

The Timing of the Audits Is Unclear

There’s still speculation over who will handle the timing of these audits in practice – the auditor, the trustee, or the ATO? This is one of the main sources of ongoing discussions. Who will assume the burden of determining exactly when the audit will take place?

New Challenges Related to Auditing and Accounting Software

As the cycle changes, auditors and accountants will need software updates to accommodate the changes and their new workflows. There will be changes in both cloud audit and administration software. This adds further cost to the broader SMSF industry. Additionally, there has to be a learning period for the new software, implementation of integrations, and designing new workflows. This makes the end of the first three-year cycle especially chaotic.

How Can Auditors Stay Afloat?

With triple the amount of data to audit and increasing complexity, you can’t avoid automation. There are some other ways that automation can make auditing more cost-efficient. With these solutions, it may be possible to keep workflow at a manageable level.

Cloud-based software integrations and new automation tools will make it easier to manage the altered workflow. The software industry will adapt to create packages that support auditors and accountants. These solutions will likely involve the use of new workflow models. These will ensure the automation and collaboration benefits still get delivered under the new framework.

The health checks mentioned above would maintain the active relationship between auditors and their clients and would provide a new way to continue providing guidance to SMSF trustees.

A Final Word

Businesses that focus on SMSFs have had to go through significant changes lately. With this proposal, the changes would be self-contradictory. SMSFs are still subject to increased oversight in the form of event-based reporting. But with longer audit cycles, this oversight becomes more diluted. The consequences for non-compliance would be more severe with the delay. Most auditors hope that this proposal will never pass. But if it does, there are ways to adapt to the change.

For the moment, the best way to prepare is to start improving your productivity. Find solutions that offer streamlined access to documentation and accurate data. In particular, you must look for a solution that integrates well with other cloud-based solutions. If you want to learn about the ways automation can make your work easier, contact us at Cloudoffis.

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Data feeds are time-saver, but all data feeds are not equivalent

The purpose of data feeds is to allow for the automation of data entry. Hence, data feeds are a time-saver. But there are differences between data feeds that auditors have to take into account.

Data feeds are a divisive topic among SMSF auditors. A data feed is an automated process of receiving data from a data source. Using data feeds can save an auditor a great deal of time and effort. It also reduces the administrator’s workload. The upsides are obvious. Relying on data feeds lets you go over more information, which can result in more comprehensive audits. The feeds also reduce the time needed to perform your analyses. This is a competitive industry, and auditors need every advantage they can get. Hence, it’s important to make your audits as efficient as possible. However, many auditors dislike using data feeds. They do not trust the accuracy of these feeds. Many believe that the electronic delivery process is not secure enough. There’s also a possibility that processing and technological errors may occur. This has an impact on the integrity of the data. All of these concerns have merit. But you should consider the facts before you discard data feeds from your auditing process altogether. It’s crucial to recognize that there are different kinds of data feeds. Some of these are poorly rated, but others can be extremely useful and trustworthy. Once you know what to look for, it isn’t particularly hard to tell the difference.

The Reasons Why You Can’t Treat All Data Feeds the Same Way

While they’re changing the face of the industry, data feeds are still a mystery to some auditors. But with the introduction of Transfer Balance Account Reports (TBARs), data feeds will be increasingly used to provide up-to-date data. This means more auditors will need to consider how data feeds can be incorporated into their processes. So, how do you know where to place your trust? Let’s look into the differences in different data feeds.

1. They Come from Different Sources

Using data feeds simply means getting your data electronically transferred from the source. Each institution (e.g. bank, broker, or wrap) has its own data feed setup. The quality of these sources varies. Here are a few factors you should take into consideration:

  • How does the institution source the data that is coming through your feed?
  • What is the format of the data feed?
  • Does the format impact the accuracy of data treatment?
  • Does the feed include a daily reconciliation of transactions?
  • When you set up the feed, do you also get access to historical transactions?
  • Is there a chance of someone manually altering the data at the source?

Some sources have trustworthy and robust feeds. But always look into the data source before you decide how much to trust your feeds.

2. There Are Two Different Kinds of Data Feeds

The two types of data feeds are as follows:

  • Direct-Connect Feeds

When a direct-connect feed is set up, the data comes directly from the source. This happens via an encrypted link. There are no third parties involved in this process. Since direct-connect feeds are purpose-designed, the format of your data should suit your needs. These feeds are authenticated, so you can be sure the source is valid. Additionally, you can monitor and track these feeds on your own schedule. Direct-connect feeds can automatically process income entitlements. Instant tax statements can even be set up for some of the institutions your clients are working with. With direct-connect feeds, you can also see historical transactions. If you’re worried about consistency, direct-connect feeds have you covered. The process is automated and while errors might pop up on occasion, it’s unlikely data will stop arriving altogether as it can’t be intercepted or altered.

  • E-mail-Scraping and Screen-Scraping Feeds

This is the more affordable alternative for providers. However, scraping feeds aren’t as reliable as direct-connect feeds. Here is how scraping feeds work: the source sends emails to a third-party intermediary. The intermediaries are data aggregation services which prepare a feed based on the emailed data. This process is called scraping. The scraped data can be sourced from the body of the email. It can also come from the attached PDFs. In either case, errors can happen. For example, the computers may not be able to read the data formatting in the PDFs. How do errors get resolved? The intermediary has to repair them manually. So while the scraping itself is automated, there can be delays. There is also a real chance of data loss. It’s also easy to see how this can compromise the security of the data. You also don’t have authentication in place when your data feed uses scraping. There’s a chance the initial data came from a false source. Additionally, consider the risk of interception. When this happens, there’s no guarantee that you’ll notice the data is compromised.

3. Some Data Feeds Come with ASAE 3402 Certification and Others Don’t

As an auditor, you require first-hand confirmation. Second-hand data cannot typically be relied upon. Some data feeds come with certification based on the Auditing and Assurance Standards. The ASAE 3402 (Assurance Reports on Controls at a Service Organisation) certification helps auditors to place reliance on the feeds based on the assessment of the design and effectiveness of the controls in place. A feed can only receive this certification if there are measures in place to minimise data errors. When errors do slip in, there are rectification steps you can rely on. The certification also helps auditors to understand how the data has been sourced and gain comfort that it was free from manual interception.

Why You Need to Use Data Feeds

Once again, TBARs are changing the way SMSF administration and audit work is approached. TBARs require up-to-date accounting, and data feeds are a key part of that. Automating this process makes the accountants’ lives much easier. If you’re an auditor, data feeds give you a more comprehensive access to data confirmation. But it’s very important to stay up-to-date with the various feeds. Over the past few years, auditors have been under increasing fee pressure and it’s becoming very difficult to operate  at these competitive prices and maintain a quality audit. The only solution is to speed up the data confirmation process. Hence, you should make data feeds a part of your testing procedures. You can do this as part of a wider move towards automation that includes the use of data feeds in your testing procedures. In fact, this is key to operating successfully in this environment. Always check whether the source of your data is verified. Make sure you have a clear idea of what happens to the data on its way to you. Remember that you don’t have control over what happens to the feed. Verification is a mark of trust that means you can rely on the feed.

The Final Word

With changing legislation, how to best incorporate data feeds and automation into the SMSF life cycle is  becoming a key discussion topic. It’s an important area for both auditors and accountants. If you want to stay afloat, you cannot avoid making use of automation. Incorporating data fees into the auditing process helps you to save huge amounts of time. Moreover, it can help you to identify issues that need further attention. How else can you automate your work? Cloudoffis can help you complete cost-effective and accurate SMSF audits. The platform lets you cut down on the time spent on your audit process by as much as 40%. With Cloudoffis, you can download data directly to the platform from leading SMSF software such as Class and BGL. Find out more about our cost-effective solutions, schedule a live demonstration with our team today on the form below.

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OCR technology in SMSF Audits. What is it and why it’s a breakthrough?

In the past, the SMSF audit industry has been criticized for taking too long to evolve and innovate. More recently, however, the industry is coming up to speed with developments happening in the broader software and technology space.

Cloudoffis has not only embraced new technology and artificial intelligence, it sees a bright future for SMSF auditing software development. Manual, monotonous, and time-consuming tasks have been practically eliminated thanks to Cloudoffis’ sophisticated approach to removing human error from the auditing process.

The time-saving potential this intelligent, cloud-based software offers is an industry disrupter. Cloudoffis projects these advancements will save auditors upwards of 40-50% time per audit, and what’s particularly exciting is that these benefits are being directly passed onto users.

The cost of compliance just became a whole lot more affordable.

Some of the features Cloudoffis software is bringing into the market include:

  • Integration of information, reporting and source documentation (e.g. Class, BGL, MYOB, AO, ASIC, etc.)
  • Better presentation of data and information: reducing risk of human error
  • Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and document management to enable click-of-a-button in-document searching
  • Data analysis to define the scope of work before the audit even begins
  • Advanced search function
  • Automatic referencing and tagging of documents

Cloudoffis has been able to develop these time-saving, efficiency-increasing tools and methods by identifying and understanding the problems that face the SMSF industry. With recent changes to federal superannuation fund law and changes in the Australian taxation system, Cloudoffis saw this not as a hindrance but as an opportunity to revolutionize the way auditing is done and forever improve the way the industry looks at compliance.

This software is ground-breaking in the way it saves auditors from wasting time in duplicate work, monotonous tasks, and compliance concerns.

The future is bright for Cloudoffis and the SMSF audit software industry at large. They are projected to include in the next release of their software many new exciting features including an ABN and Superfund lookup function; better reporting systems; reports and observations to be integrated with line items; a new Fund Dashboard to enhance the user experience.

Cloudoffis invites the SMSF industry to explore the possibilities of saving time, money, and wasted expertise by utilizing their new cloud-based, auditing software: endless benefits are guaranteed, including an enhanced bottom line!

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