AUSkey replaced by a myGovID and RAM by end of March 2020

Andrew LeniartIT Professional, Freelance Journalist, Certified Editor
IT Professional - Helping others to help themselves. https://andrewleniart.com & https://www.computerhelpzone.com.au/testimonial/
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The Australian Taxation Office has decided to stop the use of AUSkeys for business communications and transactions as of the end of March 2020. It's therefore important for all business owners to register for a new myGovID account. This article explains how to do it.

From a recent notice that was issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)

Say goodbye to AUSkey


There’s less than two months left to make the move to myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) as AUSkey and Manage ABN Connections are retiring at the end of March 2020.


myGovID is the Australian Government's digital identity provider to prove who you are online. It's like the 100 point ID check, but on your smart device. It is different to a myGov account.


RAM is a new Australian Government authorisation service that allows you to act on behalf of an entity with participating government online services.


The way Australian business access government online services is changing. The myGovID is an authentication service that allows you to prove who you are online. It is different from your myGov account.


Further, the Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) is now the authorisation service that will allow you to act on behalf of your business online when it's linked to your myGovID. You'll use your myGovID to log in to RAM.


Sound confusing? You bet, but it wouldn't be the ATO if they didn't make things more complicated than they need to be. 


Getting Ready


Here's an account of my own experience of getting ready, providing step by step instructions to what you need to do for your business to be prepared for the end of March cut-off date.


Before following the steps below, check that your company ABN details are up to date on the Australian Business Register and that all users you've authorised in your AUSkey manager are up to date and correct. Now would be a good time to delete any users that you no longer employ and re-check the permissions you've given to other authorised users of your AUSkey. 


That done, continue following the steps below.


Download and Install the myGovID App to your Apple or Android Smart Device


- For Android Mobile Phones and Devices, go to myGovID for Android


- For Apple iPhones or iPads, go to myGovID for Apple


Once it's installed, open the app on your mobile phone and tap on the "Create a myGovID" button. 


You'll see some helpful information, and when ready, go ahead and tap the "Start now" button.


Read through and then tap "Accept" to agree to the Terms and Conditions of Use.


Enter your primary business email address and then tap the "Get code" button.


You'll now need to check your email to find your "myGovID" verification code. 


Enter the code which was sent to you in an email into the myGovID App and tap the "Next" button.


At this point, if your smartphone accepts fingerprint identification, you can turn that on to use as an authentication method when opening the app, or skip that step and you can activate it later.


Now create a password for the app. The password will need to be at least ten characters long, with both Upper and Lower case letters, and at least 1 number or special character. You'll need to enter the password twice.


Once you've created your password, tap the "Next" button.


Now type in your details. Given name, Family name, and Date of Birth. Then tap the "Done" button.


You should now increase your myGovID identify strength from Basic to Standard by providing information from at least two of the following documents, or you won't be able to log in to Services.


  • Australian Passport
  • Drivers Licence
  • Birth Certificate
  • Medicare Card


Select one of the above and complete the step. 


I chose to use my Medicare card, so the app offered to either "Scan my card" or "Enter my details."  I don't hold a great deal of faith in OCR technology getting things right, so I elected to input my details manually. You'll need the Card number, Name (as it appears on your Medicare card) Individual reference number, the colour of your card, its expiry date, and your date of birth.


I used my drivers' licence for the second identity check and needed the Licence number, First, Middle and Last name, Date of Birth, and the State my licence was issued in.


Once your identity strength has been increased to at least "Standard" level, you're done with this part and can close the app for now.


Link your ABN to your myGovID


Log in to the Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) and link your company Australian Business Number(s) to your myGovID account. At the time of writing, the RAM was still in a public beta phase.


Click the "Login with myGovID" button on the above page.


Enter the email address you used in the myGovID app and click or tap the "Login" button.


A four-digit code will appear on the screen. Open your myGovID app and type the "four-digit code" when prompted by the app, and tap the Accept button. Once that's done, your browser will automatically continue to log you in.


Click or tap the "Link your business" option and then the "Continue" button.


At this point, you'll be asked to verify your personal address details which will be checked once again with the Australian Business Register (ABR) as well as your personal Australian Tax Office account details. You will then be able to link any Australian Business Numbers (ABN) to your myGovID account, and you're done. 


You're now all set for the end of March 2020 AUSkey cut-off date. I hope this walkthrough of the myGovID registration process was helpful to you.


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Andrew LeniartIT Professional, Freelance Journalist, Certified Editor
IT Professional - Helping others to help themselves. https://andrewleniart.com & https://www.computerhelpzone.com.au/testimonial/

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