The following documents the beginnings of our journey, developing tools to interface with government services, and to provide: (i) more accurate, and (ii) efficient / cheaper tools to clients.

We are “building in public”. This means we document our journey.

In here will contain an overview of how to build to the ATO API as well as ASIC’s API - if we get there.

DSP - Becoming a Digital Services Provider (DSP)

If you want to access the API, you will need to register as a DSP (Digital Services Provider).

1. You need MyGov credentials. All citizens will tend to have this.
2. Using these credentials, you can register to become a DSP: https://www.sbr.gov.au/digital-service-providers/software-development-steps
3. This presumes you know what services you are after.

In order to find out what services are available, go to a link within sbr.gov.au which lists artefacts and find a link which says: “Service Registry”. This should be an excel spreadsheet - and you can review all the services in the “services action tab”.

Apply for DSP Provider Status

The outline is here: https://www.sbr.gov.au/digital-service-providers/software-development-steps

Here is a facsimilie:

Accessing Online services for DSPs You will need to use a Digital ID, such as myID to log in to Online services for DSPsExternal link. Follow these steps to do this:

1. Set up a myIDExternal link.
2. Get your Online services for DSPs authorisation set up in RAM. You will need your business’s RAM principal authority or authorisation administrator to set the authorisation.
3. Note: When setting up an authorisation the principal authority or authorisation administrator must select Online services for digital software provider in the Agency access field, instead of Australian Taxation Office.
4. Log in to RAM using your myID to accept your authorisation.
5. Log in to and access Online services for DSPsExternal link using your myID.

If you are a new user, you will need to complete a registration form the first time you access Online services for DSPs. Once we process your registration you will have access to the full suite of requests. Note: The notifications in Online services for DSPs are sent to the email address associated with your myID (a personal email is recommended). You can change your email address when you register for Online services for DSPsExternal link and later via Update your registration details (Registrations and profiles) on the Online services for DSPs page. This does not change your myID email address.

Ideally you need to have an entity of some sort already set up with RAM. This is before you can even log in. Secondly, all your documentation needs to be in perfect order. If you are using a driver’s license, and you mistake an “O” for an “0” - which is very easy to do, then your authorisation will fail. It was surprisingly easy to trouble shoot - I simply called up someone in the SBR office and they sorted it out for me. Once you are authorised, you can apply to become a DSP.

You will have to provide reasons and your use cases. After you are approved you will receive further documentation.

The Development Steps:

1. Review all the documentation re: development.

A key overiew is available at the SBR software development steps page.

This is where we are currently at. I am reviewing all the documentation to enable us to make requests to test against the ATO’s infrastructure. Once that is done we can proceed to run tests against ASIC’s API.