August 2026 · Small business
Finding the ATO guidance
that fits your industry.
Industry material is useful when it helps you ask better questions, choose the correct business code and strengthen records. It is not a substitute for applying the law to your actual facts.
Describe the business accurately
Begin with what
earns the income.
Write down your main activities, customers, income streams, workers, equipment and selling channels. Where a business has several activities, identify which produces the highest gross income or smallest loss when choosing the principal business industry code.
An overly broad or outdated description can lead you to irrelevant guidance and comparisons. Review the code as the business changes.
Business industry code
Use the ATO’s business industry code tool to find the closest activity—not merely the owner’s job title.
ATO business industry code tool ↗Tax-time guidance
Check official material for business income, deductions, GST, workers, FBT and record keeping relevant to the activity.
ATO small-business support ↗Benchmarks
Use an industry benchmark as a comparison signal. Investigate differences rather than forcing the accounts to resemble an average.
Read the benchmark guide →Make it operational
Turn guidance
into a control.
If guidance identifies a recurring risk—cash sales, mixed expenses, stock, vehicle use, contractor reporting or payroll—build that question into the bookkeeping and monthly review process. Keep source evidence and document unusual results while the facts are fresh.
Use current official material and keep the scope clear. Tax guidance does not decide employment status, contracts, licences or legal rights.
General information only