How to use the register

Learn how to use the dashboard and register data file to search for payment times information. 

Using the register dashboard

The register dashboard allows a user to quickly search for information from the Home page and the Payment times reports page. 

Visit the register

Search from Home 

The home page shows a view of the average payment terms from all available reports– the average shortest, average longest and overall average term the searched business offers their small business suppliers.

Search from Payment times reports 

The reports page shows payment information from a searched business, or a user can select more than one business to compare payment information.

For each searched business the dashboard shows:

  • their procurement from small businesses
  • times taken to pay their small business suppliers
  • standard payment terms
  • supply chain and other arrangements.

Reports only contain combined supplier payment information.

Find a business in the register

The register includes reports from most large Australian businesses.

The most accurate way to a find business's payment information is to search by the Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN). A business name search is also available. ABN Lookup is a useful tool to find business names, ABNs and ACNs.

The register is updated regularly. If a particular report does not appear in the register, it may be because:

  • the entity has not lodged the report yet
  • the wrong ABN/ACN or business name is used in the search– check in the ABN Lookup tool
  • the entity isn’t eligible to report – not all entities have to report under the Act
  • the entity no longer needs to report – for example, an entity’s income dropped below the threshold
  • the regulator hasn’t published the report yet.

Searching for reporting groups

A reporting group is a collection of member entities and their controlling corporation. Each member of a reporting group will submit reports for their individual ABN, not as a group average.

A user can search for multiple ABNs in the register to compare payment information from different entities within a reporting group.

Dashboard help

There are 2 types of help available:

  • Tips – look for tips by hovering above each a section. A symbol indicates a tip.
  • Page help – select How to use this page at the top right of each page for more detailed step-by-step instructions.

Using the register data file

The register data file has all available payment times report information and this can be downloaded for free. Once downloaded, the payment information can be analysed, searched by industry code and payment times reports can be compared.

Listed below are some of the main parts of the register and related data columns.

Business details

The most accurate way to find a business' payment information is to search by:

  • business name in column A (not the trading name) or
  • Australian Business Number (ABN)/Australian Company Number (ACN) in columns B and C.

Use ABN Lookup to find business names, ABNs and ACNs.

Controlling corporation 

Controlling corporation details are in columns D to F. A controlling corporation is an Australian body corporate that isn't a subsidiary of another Australian body corporate. 

Head entity 

Head entity details in columns G to I are included where a reporting entity is a member of a group of related entities (such as a partnership, trust or foreign group) and the head entity isn't a controlling corporation.

Industry 

The Business Industry Code in column J is for the reporting business’s main industry or business activity. The industry each code represents is in column AY. Check industry codes by entering them into the ATO’s Business Industry Code Tool.

Report period

Columns K and L show the start date and end date of the reporting period covered by the report. There are 2 reporting periods in each income year, the first 6 months and the second 6 months of the reporting entity’s income year. 

Payment terms 

Payment terms information is shown in columns M to U. 

These are the contract payment periods (in calendar days) offered by reporting entities to their small business suppliers. These times don’t account for any supply chain finance arrangements. 

Payment times 

These are shown in the register as the percent of small business invoices paid within specified timeframes, for example within 20 days. 

Payment times are reported as both: 

  • percentage of total number of invoices paid – see columns V to AA
  • percentage of total value of invoices paid – see columns AB to AG. 

Specified time periods are in calendar days.

Small business procurement 

This is the reporting entity’s procurement from small business suppliers during the reporting period. Values are reported as the percentage of the total value of procurement from small business suppliers – see column AK. 

Supply chain finance arrangements 

Supply chain finance (columns AL to AP) refers to any arrangement where a large business agrees to pay a small business invoice, or arranges a third party to pay the small business invoice, earlier than the agreed payment period in exchange for a discount.  

Other details and arrangements 

Columns AH and AT show other details submitted in reports, including any comments the business added about their payment practices. 

For more detailed information, about the different parts of a payment times report read Guidance note 2, Appendix 1: Payment times reporting instructions

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