The BAS Reminder Sequence That Gets Clients to Send Their Numbers on Time

17 September 2026·3 min read

Quick answer: A three-touch sequence — a two-week heads-up, a one-week reminder, and a final two-day nudge — each with a different tone and a single clear action, gets far more BAS records in on time than one email sent close to the deadline. The trick is making each touch feel useful rather than repetitive. 📱

Here's what usually happens 💖: one BAS reminder goes out a few days before the deadline, some clients respond, some don't, and the ones who don't get chased individually by phone — which is expensive in staff time and avoidable with a bit of sequencing.

What Most Accounting and Bookkeeping Firms Get Wrong

A single reminder relies on the client being ready to act the moment it lands, which many aren't — they mean to do it later and then forget. A sequence, spaced with escalating (but still friendly) urgency, catches clients at different points in their own routine instead of relying on one lucky moment of attention.

The Sequence

Touch 1 (2 weeks out): "Heads up — your BAS is due [date]. If you can start pulling together [specific items] now, it'll make this a lot easier."

Touch 2 (1 week out): "One week until your BAS is due. If you've already sent everything, ignore this — otherwise, [upload link] is the fastest way to get it to us."

Touch 3 (2 days out): "Your BAS is due in 2 days. If we don't have your figures by [time/date], we may not be able to lodge on time — please send through as soon as you can, or call us if something's holding you up."

A bookkeeping firm serving tradies: sends touch one and two by email but switches to SMS for touch three, since that's where their clients actually respond fastest when work is busy.

A small accounting practice: automatically excludes clients who've already submitted from the next touch in the sequence, so reliable clients aren't chased unnecessarily — which keeps the reminders feeling relevant rather than generic.

The Mechanics: Setting This Up Once

Build the three touches as templates in your email or practice management software, triggered from the BAS due date rather than sent manually each quarter. Exclude clients who've already submitted at each stage so the sequence stays targeted.

💡 Set it up once, use it every quarter: the effort is entirely front-loaded — once built, this sequence runs itself every BAS cycle with almost no ongoing admin.

Mistakes to Avoid

Sending all three touches with the same tone and wording
Not excluding clients who've already submitted, which trains people to ignore your reminders
Leaving touch three too close to the actual deadline to be useful
Relying only on email when SMS might get a faster response from some client groups

Please note: general information, not tax advice — BAS due dates and lodgment obligations vary by client, so confirm current ATO requirements for each situation.

Frequently asked questions

Is SMS worth the extra setup for touch three?

For client groups who are often out of the office or on tools, yes — open rates tend to be much higher than a third email in a short window.

Should this sequence be personalised per client?

The trigger and exclusion logic should be automatic, but a merge field with the client's name and BAS-specific detail keeps it from feeling robotic.

What about clients who are consistently early anyway?

Exclude them from the sequence entirely once they've submitted, and consider a short thank-you note instead — reinforcing the behaviour you want to see more of.

Does a three-touch sequence risk annoying clients?

Not if each touch is genuinely useful and stops once records are in. The annoyance comes from repetition without new information, not from reminders themselves.

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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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