G10 — Capital purchases¶

G10 is the box on your BAS for the total of your capital purchases for the period. Capital purchases are the bigger, lasting things you buy for the business — assets you keep and use, rather than things you use up quickly.

The figure you put at G10 is GST-inclusive, meaning it includes the GST that was part of the price you paid.

In one line

G10 is the GST-inclusive total of your capital purchases for the period — the bigger, lasting business assets like machinery, equipment, tools or a work vehicle.

Why this matters¶

Not every BAS has a G10 box. It only shows up if you are on full GST reporting. If you are, sorting your purchases into capital and non-capital is part of filling in the form correctly. Knowing which is which means the right figure lands in the right box.

What you will learn¶

What goes at label G10 on a BAS
The difference between a capital and a non-capital purchase
Why G10 only appears on full GST reporting

Understanding the concept¶

A capital purchase is a lasting business asset — something you buy to keep and use in the business over time, not something you sell or use up straight away. The ATO describes capital assets as things a business holds to help earn its income, rather than stock it intends to sell.

Everyday examples of capital purchases are:

Machinery
Equipment
Tools
A work vehicle
Computers and office fit-out

The opposite is a non-capital purchase — your day-to-day running costs like stock, rent, supplies and fuel. Those go at a different box, G11. In short: if you are buying an asset to keep and use, it is capital (G10); if you are buying something you will use up as part of running the business, it is non-capital (G11).

The amount you report at G10 includes GST, so you enter the full price you paid.

For accountants & bookkeepers

G10 and G11 appear on the full reporting method and the GST calculation worksheet; the ATO requires capital and non-capital purchases to be reported separately. The amounts reported at G10 are GST-inclusive when using the calculation worksheet method. Where a business does not track capital and non-capital purchases separately and its GST turnover is expected to be under $1 million, the ATO allows capital items costing more than $1,000 to be recorded at G10 and smaller items at G11. Businesses on Simpler BAS do not complete G10 at all.

Example¶

Priya runs a small joinery workshop. This quarter she buys a new industrial bench saw for $6,600, GST included. The saw is a lasting tool she will use for years to make her products — it is a capital purchase, so its $6,600 GST-inclusive price goes at G10.

In the same quarter Priya also buys timber, glue and sandpaper to make her furniture. Those are things she uses up as she works, so they are non-capital purchases and belong at G11, not G10.

The test is simple: the saw is an asset she keeps and uses (G10); the timber and glue are running costs she uses up (G11).

Common mistakes¶

Putting everyday running costs like stock or fuel at G10 — those belong at G11.
Entering a GST-exclusive figure — G10 includes GST unless you have specifically chosen GST-exclusive reporting.
Looking for a G10 box when you are on Simpler BAS — it only appears on full GST reporting.

How this works in myaccountant¶

In the app — myaccountant sorts your purchases into capital and non-capital and fills the G10 and G11 labels for you when your BAS uses full GST reporting, so you do not have to work out which box each purchase belongs in by hand.

Key points¶

G10 is the total of your capital purchases for the period.
Capital purchases are lasting business assets — machinery, equipment, tools, a work vehicle.
The G10 figure is GST-inclusive.
Day-to-day running costs go at G11, not G10.
G10 only appears on full GST reporting, not on Simpler BAS.

Learn next¶

General information only — not tax, super or financial advice.

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