IT Support for Accounting Firms in Sydney

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Why Accounting Firms Need Specialist IT Support

Your firm runs on software that most IT providers have never opened. Xero Practice Manager, BGL Simple Fund 360, CCH iFirm, MYOB AccountRight. These are not standard business applications. They have specific network requirements, integration dependencies and update cycles that a generalist provider will not understand until something breaks.

On top of that, your compliance obligations are expanding. AML/CTF Tranche 2 now applies to accounting firms. The TPB expects registered tax agents to maintain adequate cyber security controls under Code Item 6. The ATO runs compliance programs that scrutinise how client data is stored, accessed and protected. None of this is optional, and none of it is something your IT provider should be learning on the job.

Synergy IT provides managed IT services built specifically for Sydney accounting practices. We know the software, we understand the regulatory pressure, and we have seen what happens when firms try to get by with generic support during tax season.

Talk to a Specialist

AML/CTF Tranche 2: what accounting firms need in place

The Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Act designates accounting firms as reporting entities for the first time. If your practice provides services such as company formation, real property transactions or asset management, you are required to enrol with AUSTRAC, appoint an AML compliance officer and implement an AML/CTF program.

The IT implications are significant. Your systems need to support customer due diligence workflows, suspicious matter reporting, encrypted document storage with full audit trails and staff training records. These are not features you bolt on after the fact. They require planning, configuration and testing.

Synergy IT helps accounting firms comply by auditing current IT systems for AML/CTF readiness, configuring secure client onboarding and identity verification workflows, integrating AML compliance tools with your existing practice management software and delivering staff cyber security awareness training that covers AML obligations alongside phishing and data handling.

Book an AML/CTF Readiness Assessment

TPB Code Item 6: Cyber Security is a Professional Obligation

Code Item 6 of the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 requires registered tax agents to protect the confidentiality of client information. The TPB’s Information Sheet TPB(I) 21/2014 sets out what the Board considers when assessing compliance. The question is whether you have taken reasonable steps to maintain sufficient IT controls and whether your approach to cyber security could be considered reckless.

In practice, that means multi-factor authentication across all platforms your team uses, encrypted storage for client files, secure remote access controls and documented cyber security policies. The Code Determination 2024 introduced additional obligations including requirements around quality management systems and record keeping that are now in effect.

Synergy IT designs and documents IT environments that satisfy TPB expectations. We do not just configure the controls. We produce the documentation you need to demonstrate compliance if the Board ever asks. Regular penetration testing strengthens that position by providing independent evidence that your security controls are working as intended.

Discuss Your TPB Compliance
IT compliance team reviewing cyber security controls on multiple devices

Accounting Software We Support

We work inside these platforms every day. That means we know the common failure points, the update cycles, the integration dependencies and the workarounds that save hours when something breaks.
Discuss Your Accounting Software

Xero

Practice Manager, Xero HQ, Xero Tax and client Xero files. Migration, API integrations, user provisioning and troubleshooting.

MYOB

AccountRight, MYOB Business and MYOB Practice Management (formerly GreatSoft). Installation, updates, network configuration and cloud migration.

BGL

Simple Fund 360 and CAS 360. SMSF administration and company secretarial software. Security, access management and backup configuration.

CCH iFirm

Tax, compliance and practice management. Cloud configuration, migration from legacy CCH products and ongoing support.

HandiSoft

Tax, accounts preparation and practice management. Updates, multi-user environments and integration with ATO services.

Class

SMSF administration, portfolio reporting and trustee access. Secure access configuration and data feed management.

Cyber Security Built for Accounting Firms

Cyber security monitoring and network protection for accounting firms
Accounting firms are among the most targeted businesses in Australia. Tax season brings a surge in phishing attacks impersonating the ATO, and business email compromise targeting large transactions remains one of the most common attack vectors. The data your firm holds, from tax file numbers to trust account details, is precisely what attackers are after.

Synergy IT delivers cyber security that reflects how accounting firms actually operate. That includes Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Defender for Business and Advanced Threat Protection, MFA enforced across all platforms including Xero, MYOB and email, dark web monitoring for compromised staff credentials, Essential Eight Maturity Level assessments, and security awareness training that includes ATO impersonation phishing simulations.

For a formal assessment of your current security posture, start with a Cyber Security Audit.

Book a Cyber Security Audit

Tax Season Does Not Forgive Downtime

Between July and October, your firm operates at capacity. Every lodgement deadline, every client meeting, every ATO portal session depends on your IT environment working. A server failure during the final week of lodgements is not an inconvenience. It is a missed deadline with professional consequences.

Synergy IT builds IT environments that account for the operational rhythm of accounting practices. That means stress-testing systems before the end of financial year, verifying that ATO Online Services for Agents and SBR connections are stable, ensuring redundant internet is in place and confirming that recovery processes actually work under load.

We have seen what tax season does to firms that rely on generic IT support. The tickets spike. The response times stretch. The provider does not understand why the urgency is different from any other week. We understand that, because we work inside it every year.

Discuss Business Continuity

ATO Access and Secure Cloud Infrastructure

Your team depends on ATO Online Services for Agents, myGovID authentication, the Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) and SBR-enabled lodgement channels. When any of these fail or misconfigure, lodgements stop. Synergy IT manages the full ATO connectivity stack, including myGovID provisioning, RAM delegation setup, browser and certificate requirements, and SBR channel diagnostics.

Beyond ATO access, most accounting practices now operate across office, home and client sites. Your team needs to reach Xero, MYOB, practice management tools and client files from anywhere, without compromise on security. Synergy IT delivers this using Azure Virtual Desktop for secure access to locally installed applications, Microsoft 365 with Teams and SharePoint for collaboration, and zero-trust network access policies that keep client data protected regardless of where your team is working. We configure these environments for how accounting firms actually work: multi-monitor layouts for tax returns, seamless printing for client documents and session persistence so nothing is lost when a connection drops.

Discuss Your Cloud Infrastructure
Secure cloud desktop and mobile access for accounting firm staff

IT Support for Financial Planners and Advisers

Financial planning practices face IT compliance obligations that most general providers do not understand. If you hold an Australian Financial Services Licence, ASIC expects you to have adequate cyber security measures, adequate resources and adequate risk management systems in place under sections 912A(1)(a), (d) and (h) of the Corporations Act.

This is not theoretical. In ASIC v RI Advice Group (2022), the Federal Court declared that an AFSL holder’s failure to implement adequate cyber security controls across its adviser network breached its financial services obligations. Nearly 40% of AFSL holders still do not have a documented cyber resilience policy, according to the Holley Nethercote 2024 compliance trends survey.

Synergy IT supports financial planning practices alongside accounting firms because the compliance, software and operational requirements overlap heavily. Your practice likely runs Xero or MYOB for trust accounting, uses platforms like Iress (Xplan), Midwinter or Asendium for advice production and needs secure client portal access for document exchange. We configure, support and secure all of these.

What we cover for financial planners and advisers: AFSL cyber security compliance documentation and evidence, secure client portal and document exchange configuration, Iress Xplan and Midwinter support and integration, multi-factor authentication and access controls across all platforms, dark web monitoring for adviser and client credential exposure, Essential Eight maturity assessments, staff cyber security awareness training and Microsoft 365 security and governance configured for financial services.

If your practice holds its own AFSL or operates under an authorised representative arrangement, your IT environment is auditable. Talk to an IT provider that understands what ASIC expects.

Frequently Asked Questions

What IT obligations do accounting firms have under TPB Code Item 6?

Code Item 6 of the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 requires registered tax agents to take reasonable steps to protect client data. The TPB considers whether you have sufficient IT controls in place and whether your approach to cyber security is adequate. In practice, this means MFA, encrypted storage, secure remote access and documented policies. Synergy IT designs and documents environments that satisfy these obligations.

Will our accounting firm be affected by AML/CTF Tranche 2?

If your firm provides services such as company formation, property transaction assistance or asset management, you are a reporting entity under AUSTRAC. This requires enrolment, an AML/CTF program, customer due diligence systems and suspicious matter reporting capability. Synergy IT offers readiness assessments to identify and close IT gaps.

Do you support cloud and desktop versions of Xero and MYOB?

Yes. We support cloud-hosted and locally installed versions of both platforms, including migrations from desktop to cloud, multi-user network configurations and integration with third-party tools.

How do you protect against ATO impersonation phishing attacks?

We implement DMARC, DKIM and SPF email authentication, deploy Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection and run regular phishing simulations. These simulations include ATO-specific scenarios timed around lodgement periods when your team is most vulnerable.

Can you help us migrate from an on-premises server to the cloud?

Yes. We design and execute full cloud migrations for accounting firms, including data migration, software reconfiguration and staff training. Migrations are planned around your operational calendar to minimise disruption, and we never schedule them during peak lodgement periods.

What accounting software does Synergy IT support?

We support Xero (including Practice Manager and Xero HQ), MYOB (AccountRight, MYOB Business, MYOB Practice Management), BGL (Simple Fund 360, CAS 360), CCH iFirm, HandiSoft and Class. We also support integrations with ATO online services, document management platforms and cloud storage.

What cyber security obligations do AFSL holders have?

Under sections 912A(1)(a), (d) and (h) of the Corporations Act, AFSL holders must ensure their financial services are provided efficiently, honestly and fairly, with adequate resources and risk management systems. Since ASIC v RI Advice Group in 2022, this explicitly includes adequate cyber security controls. Synergy IT helps financial planning practices build and document the controls ASIC expects.

Talk to Synergy IT About Your Accounting Firm

Your compliance obligations are growing. Your software is specialised. Your clients expect their data to be protected. Talk to an IT provider who already understands all of that. Or explore our other industry specialisations to see how we work across regulated sectors.
Contact Us
1300 796 796 | hello@synergyit.com.au | synergyit.com.au

Managed IT support for Sydney accounting firms. Xero, MYOB, BGL, CCH iFirm, HandiSoft and Class specialists.