Good record-keeping is essential to meet your reporting requirements to the organisation, funding bodies, clients, government and the community
To ensure that you are keeping your records properly, you'll need to understand:
- where it should be kept
- how it is meant to be used
- what information is required
- who is responsible for collecting the information
- what procedure will be used to collect the information
- how long it must be kept.
What you should record
Community organisations that are incorporated in South Australia must make sure they record:
- the details of the association's transactions and its financial position - visit Accounts and audits for more detail about recording finances in community organisations that are incorporated
- who is the public officer, the main contact person
- minutes of all committee and general meetings.
You will also need to keep any records that are required under other relevant legislation, or agreements that you have with funding bodies if you receive grants.
Co-operative registers
Co-operatives must keep a formal register of:
- directors
- members
- cancelled members
- minute books.
Check schedule two of Co-operatives (South Australia) Regulations 2015 for details about other registers that are specific to your co-operative.
Location of registers
The registers must be kept in South Australia at:
- the co-operative’s registered office
- the main place of business
- an office where the register is worked on
- another place approved by Consumer and Business Services (CBS).
Notify CBS within 28 days if the registers are moved – late fees apply – and make sure the following are available in the same office for members to inspect:
- co-operative's legislation
- rules
- minutes of general meetings
- the last annual report
- register of directors
- register of members
- registers of loans and credit.
Other records
Records that your organisation should keep to ensure that it runs as well as possible include:
- employee records
- management committee records
- volunteer records
- client records.
Your organisation will also need to ensure that any personal information is collected, kept and used in a way that meets the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988.
Related information
On this site
Other websites
- Information for non-profit organisations - Australian Taxation Office
- Community service organisations - Australian Tax Office
- Record-keeping for treasurers - Our Community
