A 'What Changed This BAS Quarter' Email Template Accounting Clients Actually Read

21 September 2026·4 min read

Quick answer: A BAS quarter update email gets read when it's short, specific to the client's business type, and leads with "here's what's different this quarter" instead of a generic compliance reminder. Skip the legislation recap, name the one or two things that actually apply to them, and always send clients to the ATO's current deadlines and their own adviser for specifics rather than quoting figures yourself. Do that and it stops reading like spam and starts reading like a service. ✨

Most BAS reminder emails get deleted in about two seconds, because they read exactly like what they are: a compliance nudge dressed up as client communication. The firms whose clients actually open these emails have figured out something simple — nobody wants a legislative summary, they want to know "does this affect me, and what do I need to do." 💖 Everything else is noise.

What most accounting firms get wrong

Sending the same generic reminder to every client regardless of business type — a sole trader and a business with employees have almost nothing in common in a BAS quarter.
Leading with dates and lodgement mechanics instead of what's actually changed or worth paying attention to.
Quoting specific thresholds, rates or figures in a mass email, which risks going stale the moment anything shifts and reads as advice rather than a nudge to check.
Writing in compliance-department tone rather than the same voice the client hears in a normal conversation with their accountant.

The "what changed this quarter" email template

Subject line: Quick update before this quarter's BAS — nothing urgent, just useful

One-line opener: "Here's the short version of what's relevant to businesses like yours this BAS quarter."
The one or two things that actually apply: "The main thing worth knowing this quarter is [plain-English summary — e.g. a reporting change, a common mistake we're seeing, a reminder about record-keeping]."
What it means for them specifically: "For a business your size, this mostly means [one practical action, not a legal explainer]."
The deadline nudge (no specific date quoted in the mass email): "As always, check the ATO's current lodgement deadlines or your portal reminder — we're also tracking it on our end."
The low-pressure close: "If any of this raises a question, just reply — happy to jump on a quick call."

A sole-trader tradie client: The firm's quarterly note skipped payroll entirely (not relevant) and focused on one line about vehicle expense record-keeping, since that was the recurring error in this client's bookkeeping. Short, specific, actually read.

A small business with four employees: Their update focused on a reminder about superannuation timing and payroll reporting accuracy, framed around "we've seen a few clients catch this out — worth a quick check on your end." No legislative detail, just a practical nudge.

An online retailer with GST complexity: The firm flagged one specific area — how they were categorising a newer product line — without quoting a rate or threshold, and invited a five-minute call to walk through it before lodgement rather than trying to explain it fully in an email.

How to build this into a quarterly habit

Segment your client list by business type (sole trader, employer, GST-registered retailer, etc.) before you write anything — a single template split three or four ways beats one generic version every time. Keep each version to under 150 words. Write the "what changed" line first, then work backwards to the subject line, so the email leads with relevance rather than admin. Never hardcode a specific dollar figure, rate or date into a template that goes out to a list — link to the ATO's current guidance instead, since anything you quote directly can go stale and become inaccurate advice by the time it's sent.

Please note: general information, not tax advice — check the ATO's current deadlines and guidance, or speak to a qualified accountant, before relying on any of this for your own lodgement.

💡 Relevance beats completeness A two-line email that says exactly what applies to this client beats a thorough one covering everyone. Clients skim for "does this affect me" — answer that question first.

Mistakes to avoid

Don't send one identical email to every client regardless of business type.
Don't quote specific thresholds, rates or dates as fixed facts in a template — they change, and you can't guarantee accuracy at scale.
Don't bury the relevant point under a full compliance recap.
Don't send it the week of the deadline — a heads-up two to three weeks out is far more useful than a last-minute reminder.

Frequently asked questions

How often should this email go out?

Once per BAS quarter, timed two to three weeks ahead of the relevant lodgement window, works well for most firms without becoming noise.

Should I automate this or write it fresh each quarter?

A template structure can be automated, but the "what changed" content should be reviewed and updated each quarter — a stale or irrelevant update is worse than no update at all.

Is it okay to mention specific dollar thresholds if I'm confident they're current?

It's safer not to. Thresholds and rates can change, mass emails sit in inboxes and get reread later, and a figure that was accurate when sent can be wrong by the time a client acts on it — pointing to current ATO guidance avoids that risk entirely.

What if a client has a question the email doesn't answer?

That's the point of the low-pressure close — a short "just reply" line converts more genuine questions into billable conversations than a generic "contact us" footer ever does.

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Written by

Kate, founder of Chronically Online

I help Gold Coast and Brisbane businesses grow with branding, websites and marketing that actually works.

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