I was recently travelling around the state and was gobsmacked to find that businesses still don’t know how to provide a correct tax invoice or receipt. Not only is it a legal obligation if you charge gst to provide a tax receipt or tax invoice, it’s actually a fundamental customer service. Let me explain. If someone is able to claim your goods and services for tax purposes then they need to know
a) whether you charge GST and
b) how much GST they just paid
With the increase in the use of automation in payment systems it should make this task easier rather than harder for businesses to provide the correct documentation. Too often the eftpos receipt is given as though that is all that is required. It is not! It doesn’t usually contain the vital information need such as what the service was for and the gst amounts paid if any. Sometimes the bank account name for the business might be in a generic form that doesn’t provide clues as to the service or goods paid for such as E G Holdings! So please businesses go back and learn what you legally need to provide and make it happen. If you can’t do it electronically get a stamp with your business name, and and learn to write the words GST included or no GST charged. You never know which of your customers may be claiming your services.
