Superannuation - Step by Step Guide

What is changing?

From 1 July 2025, Surreal is updating its system to collect more details from entertainers and improve how payments are handled.

For gigs from 1 July onwards, if the venue or agent has opted in and you're a sole trader, Surreal will manage Superannuation to your fund using the details in your profile — all from within the agreed fee, on behalf of the contributing party (venue or agent).

Why entity type and Super fund details are required.

Step by step guide

Step 1: Entertainers update their profile information

To process Super, Surreal will collect additional information from entertainers that are set up as sole traders; including TFNs, Super fund details, full legal name, and date of birth.
Entertainers will enter this in their Profile Settings, as shown below.

Step 2: Venue and agents opt into paying Superannuation on sole trader bookings

Opt in occurs by upgrading to the "Payments + Superannuation" subscription
Superannuation settings are then managed via "Profile settings"

Step 3: Venues and agents send offers to entertainers as per the normal booking process

The booking process will remain the same on Surreal. If the entertainer is a “Sole trader,” then the Superannuation will be itemised from within the Total offer/fee.
- Please note that the venue/booker will be able to increase the fee to allow for super to be paid 'on top' of the fee.
- Surreal takes no stance and gives no advice on the structure of agreements or contracts between parties to the booking. We suggest having the discussion with the other parties to the booking.

Offer example from venue (what the venue ses)

Step 4: Entertainers manage offers and can see the breakdown of Superannuation

Sole trader entertainer responding to an offer

Entertainer payments page showing the Superannuation breakdown

Step 5: Gig concludes and is invoiced to the accounts team of the venue (weekly basis)

Venue and group level invoices will look the same. Superannuation charges are not itemised, they are incorporated within the total charge (each line item) for each gig.

Step 6: Once the gig is paid to Surreal, Surreal will:

Send the Entertainer Fee portion to the entertainers' nominated bank account immediately (as per usual)
Queue the Super portion for payment, and contribute this quarterly on behalf of the elected employer (venue or agent), as per quarterly obligations
- From 1 July 2026, there are further measures coming into effect - Payday Super. Surreal is building for this and will move towards PayDay super for gigs dated October 2025 (current estimate, subject to change)
All users can track all Super activity via their new Superannuation page in the navigation menu
- All parties can track and download information around Superannuation contributions via their "Superannuation" screen
- This screen and data will be made available to groups, venues, agents and entertainers
- Each contribution will contain a status, and provide a reference number once successful

Superannuation Contributions screen as seen by venues

How does Surreal process Superannuation payments? Can there be delays?

⚠️ Please note there may be Super Contribution delays based on your Super fund

The below is a broad explanation of how the Superannuation Contributions process works on Surreal. Importantly, it addresses failed payments and contributions.

Surreal marks the venue invoices as paid (once paid), which automatically queues the relevant Super contributions
We process the Super contributions via a batched process, as per quarterly obligations (moving to PayDay in 2026
The Super Funds send notifications to Surreal if there are any contribution errors - this is where the delay normally occurs - as the Super Funds can often can take a number of weeks, sometimes even months at times to pass on this information. This is fund-dependent. (The good news is that many are quite quick).
Once Surreal receives this information, contributions are marked as failed, alongside any feedback received from the Super funds. We are unable to do this until we receive the notification from the funds.
Then, Surreal re-process Super contributions.

Surreal runs a daily process that checks for any errors and responses from Super funds. This means you are kept abreast of it as it happens as we’ll pass that information onto you. In the near future, steps 3-5 above will be an automated process too in real-time, reducing the time between failed and successful contributions.

More about Superannuation

Benefits of Superannuation

✔ Builds long-term savings

✔ Lower tax on contributions

✔ Includes insurance cover

✔ Harder to spend, easier to grow

✔ Compliance with ATO rules

Need help setting up a Super fund?

Surreal’s fund partner is Australian Retirement Trust. You can visit the link if you’d like to setup an account with them. Once you obtain your Super fund details, please add them to your profile settings.

What is Super?

MoneySmart: What is Super?