OnboardMe supports Tax Agent linking during client onboarding, allowing your clients to nominate you as their registered TAX or BAS agent in the ATO's online services. This article explains how to set up your Tax Agent details and what your clients will see.
What is Tax Agent linking?
Client-to-agent linking is an ATO requirement that enhances security for online services and protects taxpayer information. It requires entities with an ABN (excluding sole traders) to nominate their registered agent in Online services for business before the agent can:
Access the client's tax information
Act on the client's behalf with the ATO
When you configure Tax Agent details in OnboardMe, clients with tax entities will see a Tax Agent Linking step during their onboarding, prompting them to complete this nomination in the ATO portal.
Before you start
You must have your Tax Agent Number (TAN) ready. This is an 8-digit number issued by the Tax Practitioners Board.
You'll need Administrator access to your OnboardMe account to configure Tax Agent details.
This feature applies to Australian practices working with clients who have tax entities.
How to set up your Tax Agent details
Follow these steps to configure your Tax Agent details so clients can see them during onboarding:
Navigate to Settings from the main menu.
Select Business Details.
Go to the System Settings tab.
Scroll down to the Tax / BAS Agent Details section.
Enter your Tax Agent information in the rich text editor. Include:
Your practice name
Your Tax Agent Number (TAN)
Any additional details clients need when nominating you in the ATO (such as your practice address or ABN)
Click the Preview button (eye icon) to see how your Tax Agent details will appear to clients during onboarding.
Click Save to save your Tax Agent details.
What clients see during onboarding
When a client with tax entities completes their onboarding, they will see a Tax Agent Linking step (also called "Agent Linking" in the onboarding stepper). Here's what happens:
Client onboarding experience
Tax Agent details displayed - Your practice name and the Tax Agent details you configured are shown to the client.
ATO instructions link - Clients see a button to "View ATO instructions" that opens the official ATO guide for nominating a registered agent.
Entities requiring linking - The system lists all tax entities that need agent linking, showing each entity's name and type.
Confirmation step - After completing the nomination in the ATO portal, clients click "I've completed the agent linking" to mark this step as done.
Cannot proceed without completion - Clients cannot submit or complete their onboarding until they confirm they've completed the Tax Agent linking for all required entities.
Which entities require Tax Agent linking?
The Tax Agent Linking step appears for clients when they have entities marked as tax entities, such as:
Companies
Trusts
Partnerships
Other tax entities with an ABN
Sole traders and non-tax entities are exempt from this requirement.
What clients need to do in the ATO
Your clients will need to complete these steps in the ATO's Online services for business:
Log in to Online services for business on the ATO website.
Navigate to the agent nomination section.
Search for your practice using your Tax Agent Number (TAN).
Select the authorisations they want to grant (for example, Income Tax, BAS, or both).
Confirm the nomination.
The official ATO guide is available at: https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/preparing-lodging-and-paying/agent-nomination/how-to-nominate-your-registered-agent
Viewing Tax Agent Linking status
Once clients have completed their onboarding, you can see their Tax Agent Linking status:
When viewing an onboarding from the practice side, a Tax Agent Linking Status summary section shows which entities have been marked as linked.
Each entity displays either a "Completed" badge (green) if the client confirmed the linking, or "Pending" if not yet done.
Important notes
OnboardMe tracks confirmation only - The system records when clients confirm they've completed the ATO nomination, but does not verify the actual nomination status with the ATO.
Changes to Tax Agent details - If you update your Tax Agent details after clients have already onboarded, existing onboarding records will not automatically reflect the new details.
Client communication - Consider sending clients a reminder or instructions about Tax Agent linking before they start their onboarding, so they're prepared.
No Tax Agent details? - If you haven't configured Tax Agent details in Business Details, the Tax Agent Linking step will not appear for clients during onboarding.
Related
For more information about onboarding setup and client management, see:
Client Onboarding overview
Business Details settings
Managing client entities
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