Answer
Submitting end of year using the EMPDUPE method.
Using the ATO's Online Services for Business by submitting an EMPDUPE/ECI file.
Here's a tutorial video demonstrating how to generate an EMPDUPE file using Lightning Payroll's End of Year assistant.
Step-by-Step: Generating the ATO ECI File
EMPDUPE/ECI file generation is available in the Lightning Payroll desktop app only. Open the app and follow these steps:
- Click End of Year in the main navigation.
- On the Overview page, select the relevant financial year from the drop-down, then choose Generate ATO ECI File under ATO Submission.
- Tick Enter different company information only if your company details changed during the financial year (for example, you changed ABN or address mid-year).
- Tick Submit as Supplier if you are lodging on behalf of another entity (for example, a tax agent or bookkeeper). You will be prompted for your supplier ABN, name, address, and file reference.
- Tick Email payment summaries to employees if you would like Lightning Payroll to email summaries directly to employees after the file is saved.
- Click Next to proceed through the wizard steps.
- On the Company Information page (shown only if you ticked the option in step 3), verify or update the company's tax name, ABN, address, contact name, phone, and Location ID, then click Next.
- On the Supplier Information page (shown only if you ticked Submit as Supplier), enter the supplier ABN, name, address, phone, email, and file reference, then click Next.
- On the Select Employees page, choose the employees to include in the submission, then click Next.
- On the Payment Summaries page, review each employee's figures. Use Refresh to recalculate values from pay records, or Advanced to make manual adjustments. Click Next when the figures are correct.
- On the Save ATO ECI File page, confirm or change the save location using the folder icon, then click Next. Lightning Payroll generates and saves the EMPDUPE file and shows an ATO ECI File Saved Successfully confirmation.
- If you ticked the email option, the Email Summaries page appears next - review the list of recipients and send.
- The final Summary page confirms the assistant is complete. If you later edit any pay information, re-run the assistant to regenerate the file before lodging.
Lodging the File with the ATO
Once the EMPDUPE file is saved to your computer, log in to ATO Online Services for Business and upload it using the Lodge PAYG withholding annual report (ECI) option.
For an overview of all available end-of-year lodgement methods, see How Do I Process EOFY and Lodge With the ATO?. To edit payment summary figures before generating the file, see How Can I Edit Payment Summaries?.