The Shoebox Tutor System is designed to help smaller community service and not-for-profit organisations organise their financial records. This System is intended to help the smaller community service organisations implement a simple system to organise their records. This will enable organisations to ensure their record keeping allows them to meet their tax and reporting obligations. The Shoebox Tutor System is intended to complement existing resources, particularly ATOs' booklet 'How to Keep Your Business Records'. (Click here to download in Acrobat format.)
If you need any help with understanding your obligations under the New Tax System, please contact the ATO on 13 24 78. For other sources of information about bookkeeping and accounting, check your local paper for advertisements, or seek a referral from a similar organisation. Reputable accountants may give you free advice about how to set up a bookkeeping system, and how to ensure your books are in order.
As the name implies, the Shoebox Tutor System shows you how to file and access your financial records in a simple and methodical way.
It includes a number of templates in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and Acrobat, which you can adapt to suit your needs. Some will help you record your organisation's transactions and others can be used to print forms as part of your stationery.
Your organisation needs to keep records of their financial activities for a number of reasons. You need to satisfy audit requirements under the laws, which govern your organisations' incorporation. You also need to prepare reports to know how much your organisation is earning and spending in its programs so that you may plan future activities. Your organisation needs to be accountable to its' funding bodies, members and clients. Since 1 July 2000, not-for-profit organisations must also comply with laws under the New Tax System, including keeping proper records of account.
The Shoebox Tutor System is intended to help you get your books in order. It is not a bookkeeping or accounting system, hence, you will still need to process your accounts. Consider this System as a simple tool, to help you improve your current system.
No sophisticated software or 'products' are required, as the System is based on creating a filing system with some suspension files, and a number of Lever Arch files.
The system suggests ten different files to keep documentation about income and expenditure, with the following labels:
These labels can be printed in Acrobat Reader.
You should only adopt the parts of the System, which suit the requirements of your particular organisation. Utilise the ideas, forms and templates to improve your current system.
The Shoebox is designed to help you capture all the information you need to complete your Business Activity Statement (BAS). The BAS form is used to report your tax obligations, including GST, PAYG and other taxes. The Australian Tax Office has a comprehensive guide to completing your BAS. The Shoebox Tutor System will help you organise and identify all the relevant documents.
This resource also includes a Glossary to help explain some of the terms, which may not be familiar to you.
Best of luck!
The Shoebox Tutor System has been prepared by the Councils of Social Service GST Project, with funding and support of the GST Start-Up Assistance Office.
The Tutor System is based on a concept developed by Morri Young of Matrix Organisation Support, who was contracted to design this resource. While the copyright remains the property of the Commonwealth Government, printing, adapting and using aspects of the Shoebox Tutor System is permitted when not for commercial use, resale or any unlawful purpose.
Grateful assistance has been provided by
- Kirsten Forrester
- Mutz Herberstein
- Miluska Hamanova
- Amanda Lawson
- Alison Lang
- John Woodger
- Tony Hiscox
- John Trowse
- Sue Basser for the pictures
- Patrik Nilsson
- Joanne Cantle
- The Institute of Chartered Accountants for access to the Voluntary Treasurer's Handbook
For more information, contact Matrix Organisation Support