GUIDE — FOR ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESSES

How to securely share documents for an ATO tax audit

Responding to an ATO audit means handing over sensitive records — tax returns, BAS, bank statements, working papers. Emailing them around is risky. Here's how to share them securely, redact what you shouldn't disclose, and keep a defensible record of everything.

Set up a secure audit room

The five steps

1
Create a secure data room for the audit
Set up a room named for the client and ATO reference. Everything for this audit stays in one controlled, audited place — not scattered across email.
2
Upload the requested documents
Drag in tax returns, BAS, financial statements, working papers and source records. AI extracts the text so everything is searchable and auto-tagged.
3
Redact PII before sharing
Run the AI PII scan to detect Tax File Numbers, ABNs, BSBs and bank account numbers, and redact anything that shouldn't be disclosed before the auditor sees it.
4
Invite the ATO officer or auditor by email
They verify their identity with a 6-digit code — no account or password. Optionally require NDA acceptance first. You control whether they can download or view only.
5
Answer questions in-thread and keep the audit trail
Use Q&A to handle the auditor's questions against specific documents, and rely on the tamper-evident, exportable log as your record of exactly what was shared, with whom, and when.

Why not just email the documents?

Emailed attachments can't be controlled

Once sent, they can be forwarded indefinitely and you have no record of who opened them.

TFNs and bank details need redaction

AI PII detection finds and redacts sensitive identifiers before disclosure.

You need a defensible record

A tamper-evident, exportable audit trail proves exactly what was shared and when.

Australian data residency

Tax records stay in Sydney — never offshore — aligning with APP and ATO expectations.

ATO audit sharing FAQs

How do I securely send documents to the ATO or an auditor?

Create a secure data room, upload the requested documents, redact any PII you're not disclosing, then invite the ATO officer or auditor by email. They verify their identity with a code — no account needed — and you get a tamper-evident record of everything they access. This is far safer than emailing attachments or sharing a Drive link.

Is it safe to email tax documents to my accountant?

Email is risky for tax documents: attachments can be forwarded indefinitely, there's no record of who opened them, and TFNs/bank details sit unprotected in inboxes. A secure data room verifies the recipient, lets you redact PII, blocks downloading if you choose, and logs every access — much safer for the sensitive data in a tax matter.

Can I redact Tax File Numbers and bank details before sharing?

Yes. ShareAndGo's AI PII detection automatically finds TFNs, ABNs, BSBs and bank account numbers across your documents so you can redact them before an auditor or third party sees them.

Where are my tax documents stored?

In Sydney, Australia (Google Cloud australia-southeast1). Documents never leave Australian infrastructure, which aligns with the Australian Privacy Act / APPs and ATO data-handling expectations.

Do auditors need to install anything?

No. The auditor or ATO officer opens a secure link in their browser, verifies via email code, and views documents inline — including spreadsheets — with no software, account or download required.

Can I prove what I shared during the audit?

Yes. Every view, download and Q&A is recorded in a SHA-256 hash-chained audit trail you can export — a defensible record of exactly which documents were shared, with whom, and when.

Handle your next ATO audit securely

Set up a secure audit room in minutes. Free to start, data stored in Sydney.

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How to securely share documents for an ATO tax audit

The five steps

Create a secure data room for the audit

Upload the requested documents

Redact PII before sharing

Invite the ATO officer or auditor by email

Answer questions in-thread and keep the audit trail