My BAS validation failed — what do I do?¶

Clicking Validate on an activity statement runs two checks: myaccountant's own checks on your figures first, then a check with the ATO. Nothing is lodged — validation only reports problems so you can fix them before you submit.

What you'll see¶

The results appear in a validation banner above the statement's sections, with a count of errors, warnings and info messages. Most messages start with the label they relate to (such as W2 or 1A) — click the message to jump straight to that field.
The statement's status updates too: a clean validation shows Ready to lodge; problems show Validation failed. A statement that's already Lodged never loses its status because of a validation run.
If the figures fail myaccountant's own checks, you'll see "Local validation found errors." and the banner lists them. If the figures pass but the ATO reports issues, you'll see "ATO returned validation errors." instead. A clean run shows "Validated successfully with ATO."

Errors vs warnings¶

Errors describe figures the ATO won't accept — fix these before submitting. Warnings are advisory: they flag figures that are usually a mistake but can be genuinely correct. For example, "PAYG instalment income (T1) is $0" is only a problem if you actually had income that period — a genuine no-income period lodges fine.

Common causes, in plain language¶

Tax withheld is bigger than wages. The amount withheld (W2) can't be more than the gross wages it was withheld from (W1). Check both figures.
Sales without GST. GST on sales (1A) is $0 but total sales (G1) isn't — usually some income lines have the wrong GST treatment. See How do I check my GST?
Wages don't match your payroll reporting. W1 differs from the year-to-date wages reported through payroll — check for a missing or duplicated pay run, or an unfinalised one.
A varied amount needs a reason. If you've changed your PAYG instalment amount or rate, a variation reason must be selected in the PAYG Instalments section.
The form doesn't match the ATO. Messages like "This statement's form type doesn't match the ATO" mean the statement is carrying sections the ATO doesn't expect for this period. Click Prefill from ATO to realign it, then validate again.
A required figure is missing. The ATO expects a value at a label even when it's nil — enter $0 rather than leaving it out.

Fixing the figures¶

Step 1. Click the message in the banner to jump to the field it relates to.

Step 2. Click Edit on that section's card (for example GST or PAYG Withholding), change the figure, then click Save. You'll see "Changes saved."

Step 3. As soon as you change anything the old banner clears — the messages no longer match your figures. Click Validate again to get a fresh result.

When to just Submit¶

Validation is optional and never blocks lodging — Submit works regardless of what the banner says. The ATO runs the same checks again when you submit, so an incorrect statement is rejected rather than accepted. Submitting without validating first is fine when your figures are straightforward; if a warning remains but you know the figure is genuinely correct, you can submit anyway. See How do I lodge my BAS?

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