easyFBT 2024 change log

March 2025 Release

The following changes and enhancements have been made in this release of easyFBT 2024 (2024.1.0.9):

Login Authentication

The Login Authentication dialog has been updated to fix the visibility of the e-mail address and password entries. More details about the issue are explained here.

Standard Business Reporting (SBR)

The SBR components have been updated to the latest releases.

December 2024 Release

The following changes and enhancements have been made in this release of easyFBT 2024 (2024.1.0.8):

State

Added a new state called OS to allow users to identify employees in an overseas employment period.

Data Source Manager

Fixed an issue where removing a data source didn't refresh the Entity list of the newly active data source.

RFBA Employee Letters wizard

Added Category to the list of available columns in the detailed Benefit Table.

May 2024 Release

The following changes and enhancements have been made in this release of easyFBT 2024 (2024.1.0.6):

Reports

Fixed an issue with the Duplicate Employees validation report (consolidations) where Employee Names spelt the same but with different casing ie. SMITH v Smith were treated as duplicates.

April 2024 Release

The following changes and enhancements have been made in this release of easyFBT 2024 (2024.1.0.4/2024.1.0.5):

Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) Return 2024 and SBR Interactions

The ATO Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) Return 2024 form has been added to this version and can be produced as a paper form for manual lodgement with the ATO as per prior years or when using the Electronic Lodgement (SBR) Interaction Manager to lodge electronically.

SBR interactions in easyFBT 2024 are processed through the latest SBR2 gateway where you are required to Validate (formally Pre-lodge) or Submit (formally Lodge) your returns.

General changes

The following additional changes and enhancements have been made:

• Updated the Workpaper Column help with some additional information

• Updated all components and packages used by easyFBT to the latest available versions.

• For all validation output lists (ie. Validating Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) Return 2024, Validate folder and file permissions) where an error or warning occurs the item is now bolded for better identification)

Data Source Connections

We have removed the requirement to activate another data source before allowing the removal of the active data source connection.

Start-Up, Create Data Source and Connect Data Source wizard folder and file permission validation

With the on-going fight against security and virus concerns, more businesses are reducing their surface area and permissions to users. Recently we have seen more users being moved towards cloud storage of their User data (ie. Documents folders) which has at times caused an unintended reduction of user access to folders and files.

To assist with identifying potential access issues up front we have surfaced the brute-force check we complete within the wizard (validation of create folder, create file, append file, remove file and remove folder). Note: Where an error occurs at any of the following steps in this process it will generally signify that you have not been provided the appropriate permissions as follows:

• Create temp folder - users require the ability to create folders

• Create test file - users require the ability to create/write files

• Read test file - users require the ability to read files

• Append test file - users require the ability to modify/write files

• Remove test file - users require the ability to delete files

• Remove test folder - users require the ability to delete folders

In the Start-up wizard, this will verify your user and sub-folder access and the Data Source wizards will verify your user access to the location you have chosen to create or connect to a data source. If an issue occurs the validation output summary will provide a summary of the error encountered.

Reports

Added the following additional standard reports:

• Car (NBAs) Workpaper Detailed (All Columns) Report

• Car (Running Expenses) Workpaper Detailed (All Columns) Report

• Residual Non-Car (NBAs) Workpaper Detailed (All Columns) Report

• Residual Non-Car (Running Expenses) Workpaper Detailed (All Columns) Report

Update: 17/4/2024 - Release 2024.1.0.5

We have received 2 reports of v2024.1.0.4 not starting correctly on certain machines. We have made some minor modifications to easyFBT and the installer to restore specific configurations from the prior release. If you are currently successfully using easyFBT 2024.1.0.4 you will not need to update to this version.

December 2023 Release

The following changes and enhancements have been made in this release of easyFBT 2024 (2024.1.0.2):

Application startup

Updated the plug-in loading process during startup to capture additional exception queries.

Workpapers

• All workpapers (where required) have had the following additional columns added: Plant Id, Category (see below), Comments, Account Code, Tax Code, Document Type and Document Id.

• In the Car and Residual Non-Car (Multiple-Drivers) workpaper we fixed an issue where cells were not being locked when changing a vehicle from single to multiple drivers in the Vehicle sub-tab.

• Enhanced the editing process to better track exiting edit mode when leaving the active cell.

• Moved the existing Fleet Car Properties and Settings feature into the Car workpaper as a new sub-tab called Fleet Car Election.

• Moved the existing 12 Week Register and Entertainment Valuation Election Properties and Settings features into the Entertainment (All) and Income Tax Exempt Body Entertainment (All) workpapers as new sub-tabs called 12 Week Register and Valuation Election.

Note: For further information in relation to using the Election worksheets, refer to Chapter 8: Workpapers in the user guide.

Categories workpaper

The Categories workpaper allows you to set up a list of standard categories that can be assigned to your benefits within the benefit workpapers. You can then use this in your FBT Reconciliation reporting to allow you to group, sort and sub-total by the assigned category. The category can also be added automatically to your benefit rows based on it being assigned as a Default Category within the Employee workpaper. Use of categories in easyFBT is optional.

Reports

Updated all related system reports (across all reporting areas) to include the newly added columns as noted above.

September 2023 Release

The following changes and enhancements have been made in this release of easyFBT 2024 (2024.1.0.1):

Workpapers

Car/Residual Non-Car/Motor Vehicle Dealer

Reconfigured the Make and Model and Description fields within the Vehicle and Drivers worksheets so that both fields are available and they can be displayed individually within the various reports to make these fields clearer to users.

Reports

The following changes have been made in this release:

• Updated the various Workpaper, Validation and Review reports associated with the Make and Model and Description vehicle workpaper changes.

• All standard reports have been reviewed for font size and printability consistency.

• Fixed a minor issue within the consolidated Rebatable FBT and Aggregate Non-Exempt Amount Reconciliation Comparision Year-on-Year report where consolidated allocations were not correctly showing for some Car Parking or Meal Entertainment benefits.

General changes

As with each FBT year, rates and other values are required to be updated. The following changes have been made for the 2024 FBT year:

• Updated the Car Parking public holidays table with the 2023/24 State/Territory gazetted public holidays;

• Updated CPI Indexation factors for Housing;

• Updated the Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA) country codes and rates

• Update Declarations for 2024 FBT year