In this guide · 8 sections
- 01How Corppass, Singpass and your software fit together
- 02Which e-services payroll and accounting apps need
- 03Authorise a staff member to submit from your software
- 04Authorise an outside payroll or accounting firm
- 05Check, change and remove access
- 06Common submission errors and fixes
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Your Corppass Admin assigns the right e-service to the person who submits: Submission of Employment Income Records (Approver) for IR8A, GST (Filing and Applications) (Approver) for GST, and CPF e-Submission for CPF. Outside firms get access via Third Party Authorisation.
How Corppass, Singpass and your software fit together
Three things are involved. Your payroll or accounting app prepares the data. A person signs in with their own Singpass to send it. Corppass, the government's authorisation system for businesses, says whether that person may act for your company on that particular e-service.
| Role | Who | What they do here |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Officer | Director, partner, sole proprietor or company secretary on ACRA | Approves the Corppass Admin account |
| Corppass Admin | Up to 2 per entity, appointed by the Registered Officer | Adds e-services, authorises users and third parties |
| Corppass User | Any employee the Admin authorises | Submits through the software, if given the e-service |
| Third Party Entity | An outside firm, such as your payroll provider or accountant | Its own Admin assigns your e-services to its staff |
If you haven't set up Corppass at all yet, start with our Corppass roles guide, which covers registering the first Admin.
Which e-services payroll and accounting apps need
Each filing your software does maps to one Corppass e-service. Assign only the ones the person actually files.
| What the software files | Corppass e-service | Role to assign |
|---|---|---|
| IR8A, IR8S, Appendix 8A and 8B under AIS | Submission of Employment Income Records (IRAS) | Approver |
| GST F5 returns from Xero, QuickBooks or Zoho Books | GST (Filing and Applications) (IRAS) | Approver to submit; Preparer only drafts |
| Monthly CPF contributions | CPF e-Submission (CPF Board) | As listed in Corppass for CPF |
IRAS's page on submitting employment income records says only employees or third parties authorised as an Approver for Submission of Employment Income Records can submit, and records sent through payroll software do not show their details in myTax Portal, only the submission date and time. For GST, IRAS's GST e-filing overview says a Preparer can only save a draft, the Approver submits, and each user should have only one role.
Check, change and remove access
Corppass access tends to outlive the people who needed it. Review it whenever someone leaves or you change provider, and at least once a year before IR8A season.
Corppass access review
Corppass's third-party user guide shows the Manage Third Party Entities screen, where you can remove one e-service authorisation or remove the firm entirely. Note that Sub-Admins with restricted access cannot authorise or manage third parties.
Common submission errors and fixes
Most failed submissions come back to the person, not the software.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Page error or 'not authorised' when submitting IR8A | User lacks Approver role for Submission of Employment Income Records | Admin assigns the e-service with Approver role |
| GST return saved but can't be sent | User has Preparer, not Approver | Give the submitter Approver; keep one role per user |
| Outside firm says it can't see your company | Firm's Admin has not assigned your client e-service to its staff | Ask the firm to assign it under Assign Client's e-Service |
| E-service missing from the list to assign | It was never added to your entity's digital services | Add it to the entity first, then assign |
Choosing payroll software as well? Our payroll software comparison covers which apps submit to IRAS and CPF directly, and Xero vs QuickBooks covers GST filing from accounting software.
Do it yourself or get help?
Corppass changes themselves take an Admin ten minutes. The harder part is lining up the software settings, the Corppass roles and the people so the first real submission works, ideally weeks before the 1 March IR8A deadline.
Our Payroll Software Setup (S$390) sets up a Singapore payroll app with employees, CPF settings, payslips and the year-end IR8A and AIS settings, and runs a test pay run with you; you or your accountant still run payroll and submit. Accounting Software Setup (S$490) does the same for Xero, QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books, including user access and inviting your accountant. In both cases your Corppass Admin makes the Corppass changes; we send the exact steps.
Frequently asked questions
No. The software prepares the data, and a person you have authorised signs in with their own Singpass to submit it. That person needs the right Corppass e-service, such as Submission of Employment Income Records with the Approver role for IR8A. Some apps also ask you to approve the app's connection to IRAS the first time.
IRAS says only employees or third parties authorised as an Approver for the Submission of Employment Income Records digital service can submit employment income information. Your Corppass Admin assigns that e-service and role. Without it, the submission fails at the login or submit step.
Your Corppass Admin authorises the accounting firm as a Third Party Entity for GST (Filing and Applications) and picks the role, Approver if the firm will submit. The firm's own Corppass Admin then assigns your company's e-service to the staff who handle it. Never share a director's Singpass.
Log in as Corppass Admin, go to Third Party, Manage Third Party Entities, and open the firm. You can remove a single e-service authorisation or remove the firm as a third party altogether. Do this when the contract ends, and check that the new provider has been authorised before the next filing.
IRAS's Auto-Inclusion Scheme page says submission is mandatory for employers with 5 or more employees in year 2026, or employers who received an IRAS notice to file electronically. Records are due by 1 March each year, and late submission may lead to a fine of up to S$5,000.