What is an update event?¶

An update event is a report you send to the ATO when you are not making a payment. In the Single Touch Payroll (STP) rules it is called the Update action. You use it to correct amounts already reported, to finalise at the end of the year, or to fix a prior year.

Unlike a pay event, an update event is not tied to a pay run. No money is being paid to the employee when you send it.

In one line

An update event reports current year-to-date amounts with no period or payer totals — used for corrections, finalisation and prior-year amendments, when no payment is being made.

Why this matters¶

Sometimes you need to change what you have already told the ATO, or finalise the year, without running a pay. The update event is the tool for that. Knowing the difference from a pay event helps you pick the right action.

What you will learn¶

What an update event (Update action) is
When an update event is used
How an update event differs from a pay event

Understanding the concept¶

An update event reports each employee's identity, employment conditions, and their current year-to-date (YTD) amounts under the current software. It reports the full YTD figures — not only the values that changed.

Because there is no payment when you send an update event, it does not carry the payer period totals (the business's own W1 and W2 totals). It also cannot be used to report or correct those payer totals.

The ATO says the update event is used to:

report changes to payee YTD amounts already reported by an earlier pay or update;
help with end-of-year processes, including finalisation; and
make amendments to prior years, including years already finalised.

After 30 June, any change to a prior-year employee's data must be sent through an update event.

For accountants & bookkeepers

The ATO states the Update action reports the current BMS value of payee YTD amounts, end-of-year finalisation and prior-year amendments; it cannot only include the values that have changed. As there is no associated payment, it cannot supply Payer Total Amounts and cannot be used to report or correct the payer period totals. It may only be used in circumstances other than when the payee is paid, unless the correction is included in a submit action.

Example¶

Sam left the café and Priya later notices a deduction was recorded wrongly on Sam's final pay. No new payment is being made, so Priya sends an update event. It reports Sam's corrected year-to-date figures. It carries no W1 or W2 totals, because no payment is happening. At year end, Priya uses an update event again to finalise.

Common mistakes¶

Using an update event when you are actually paying someone — that needs a pay event.
Expecting only the changed value to go in — the update carries the full YTD figures.
Trying to fix the business W1 or W2 totals with an update event — it cannot report those.

How this works in myaccountant¶

In the app — you send an update event with the Update action. myaccountant uses it to report current year-to-date amounts when no payment is being made, such as when correcting figures or at end-of-year finalisation, which marks the employee's income statement Tax ready.

Key points¶

An update event is the STP Update action.
It is used when no payment is being made.
It reports current year-to-date amounts, not just the changed values.
It carries no period or payer totals (no W1 or W2).
It is used for corrections, finalisation and prior-year amendments.

Learn next¶

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

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