From ABN to UX: 90+ Business Acronyms you Need to Know

Ever wondered what ABN means, or the difference between EBA and EBAS?

Small business owners in Australia encounter a wide variety of acronyms. From setting KPIs to dealing with the ATO to registering an ABN, understanding business acronyms can save time, reduce misunderstandings and enhance communication.

For busy SMEs, acronyms are more than just shorthand. They’re basically a language in their own right, helping to get a message across ASAP.

That said, overusing business acronyms can start to sound like jargon or even cause confusion.

So, while these 90+ acronyms are handy to know, we encourage responsible use.

General business acronyms


Acronym	Meaning	Explanation
1:1	One-to-one meeting	Usually a meeting between an employee and their manager.
ABN	Australian Business Number	A unique identifier for businesses in Australia.
ACN	Australian Company Number	A unique identifier for companies in Australia.
ASIC	Australian Securities and Investments Commission	The Government agency overseeing company registration, securities and investment markets in Australia.
ABS	Australian Bureau of Statistics	The Government agency responsible for collecting and publishing Australian statistics.
ATO	Australian Taxation Office	The Government agency that collects and administers taxes in Australia.
CCI	Chamber of Commerce and Industry	Local networks promoting business interests in their state, such as the WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIWA).
B2B	Business-to-business	A transaction (or marketing) between two businesses.
B2C	Business-to-consumer	A transaction (or marketing) between a business and a consumer.
CC	Carbon Copy	Sending a copy of an email or message to another person, often to keep them informed.
COB	close of business	The end of the business day, generally understood to be 5pm.
DEI	Diversity, Equity and Inclusion	The policies and initiatives that promote an equitable and inclusive workplace.
DM / IM	Direct Message / Instant Message	A term borrowed from social media to mean sending a message through a chat system like Slack.
ESG	Environmental, Social and Governance	An increasingly important framework for assessing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and investing in responsible companies.
ETA	Estimated Time of Arrival	The time someone expects to complete a task, though not usually a hard deadline.
EX	Employee Experience	An emerging way to assess employee engagement and well-being.
FTE	Full-Time Equivalent	Used to calculate a company’s staffing requirements. An FTE day in Australia is 7.6 hours.
HECS-HELP	Higher Education Contribution Scheme - Higher Education Loan Program	A Government scheme for students to defer tuition fees until after they graduate and start earning.
HQ	Headquarters	The business’s base of operations.
KPI	Key performance indicator	A measurable value that is used to track the performance of a business or process.
M&A	Mergers and Acquisitions	Combining two firms into one, often by one buying out the other’s shares.
MOM / YOY	Month-Over-Month / Year-Over-Year	Used to show the change (usually in percentage) from one month/year to the next.
NDA	Non-Disclosure Agreement	A legal contract used to protect sensitive information and business interests.
OOO	Out Of Office	Letting you know someone is not in the office – although not always on holiday.
QA	Quality Assurance	Dealing with quality management of end products.
R&D	Research and Development	The people or processes responsible for developing new ideas or products.
RDO	Rostered Day Off	Also Paid Time Off (PTO), leave time accrued by an employee.
Re:	Referring to	Most commonly used in email subject lines to refer back to a previous topic.
RFP	Request for Proposal	Usually seen in tender or contract bids, this document outlines how a supplier should pitch.
SLA	Service Level Agreement	A contract that outlines the expected service/support offered by a service provider.
SME	Small to Medium-Sized Enterprise	A business with annual turnover between $10m and $250m.
SWOT	Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats	A framework for assessing business viability or new product development.
T&Cs	Terms and Conditions	The fine print in a contract or agreement.
TBC / TBD	To Be Confirmed / Determined	Details that will be locked in later.
TOIL	Time Off In Lieu	Taking time off (in lieu of pay) to make up for working overtime.
TOS	Terms of Service	Details a service provider’s responsibilities and a user’s rights.

Software and Technology acronyms


Acronym	Meaning	Explanation
AI	Artificial Intelligence	Machines that mimic human thinking, either to create content (generative AI) or analyse large data sets.
CRM	Customer Relationship Management	Software that helps businesses manage customer records and interactions.
eCommerce	Electronic Commerce	Buying and selling goods and services online.
ERP	Enterprise Resource Planning	Software to manage core business processes, such as accounting, manufacturing and human resources.
HRIS	Human Resources Information System	Software that helps businesses manage human resources data and processes.
HTML	Hypertext Markup Language	The standard programming language used to build websites and online experiences.
IT	Information Technology	Encompassing everything to do with managing technology in the workplace.
OS	Operating System	A computer’s foundation program, like Windows, AppleOS or Linux on a computer, and iOS or Android on mobile devices.
SaaS	Software as a Service	Software hosted by the vendor and accessed over the internet.
URL	Uniform Resource Locator	Also known as a website address, URLs help you navigate the internet.
VPN	Virtual Private Network	An encrypted online connection used to protect company information when an employee works offsite or from home.

Financial acronyms


Acronym	Meaning	Explanation
BAS	Business Activity Statement	A quarterly tax return that Australian businesses must lodge with the ATO.
COGS	Cost of goods sold	The cost of the goods that a business has sold in a given period.
DGR	Deductible Gift Recipient	A charity or not-for-profit organisation that is eligible to receive tax-deductible donations.
EBAS	Electronic Business Activity Statement	A type of business activity statement that can be lodged online.
EBA	Enterprise Bargaining Agreement	An agreement between an employer and employees on wages and working conditions.
EBITDA	Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation	A measure of company performance in a given period.
EFT	Electronic Funds Transfer	Transferring money electronically from one bank account to another.
EPS	Earnings Per Share	Calculating a company’s profitability by dividing annual earnings by the number of shares.
FBT	Fringe Benefits Tax	A tax on certain benefits that employers provide to their employees, like a gym membership or car parking.
GST	Goods and Services Tax	A 10% consumption tax applied to most goods and services sold in Australia.
P/E	Price/Earnings ratio	Used to determine if a company’s share price is correctly valued.
PAYG	Pay As You Go	Tax paid regularly, such as weekly or fortnightly, based on expected tax repayments.
ROI	Return on Investment	A measure of profitability for an investment or business initiative.
SG	Superannuation Guarantee	A scheme requiring employers to make superannuation contributions for employees
TFN	Tax File Number	A unique tax identifier for anyone working in Australia.

Marketing acronyms


Acronym	Meaning	Explanation
A/B test	A and B versions of marketing material	Experimenting with two (or more) versions of a marketing campaign to see which one performs better.
API	Application Programming Interface	A set of rules that define how two software applications communicate with each other.
CAC	Customer Acquisition Cost	The average cost of acquiring a new customer.
CLV	Customer Lifetime Value	The total revenue that a customer is expected to generate over the course of their relationship with a business.
CMS	Content Management System	The place you store, access and manage files for a website or other online platform.
CPA	Cost Per Action	The amount that a business invests for each desired action, such as a purchase or a sign-up.
CPC	Cost Per Click	The amount of money a business pays an ad vendor (like Google) for each click on their ad.
CPL	Cost Per Lead	The amount of money that a business invests for each lead that it generates.
CRM	Customer Relationship Management	A software solution that helps businesses manage their customer interactions.
CRO	Conversion Rate Optimisation	Improving the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as purchasing or signing up for a newsletter.
CTA	Call To Action	A statement that tells the reader what to do next, like “Click here to learn more” or “Sign up for our newsletter.”
CTR	Click-Through Rate	The percentage of people who click on a link.
CX(M)	Customer Experience (Management)	A customer’s interactions with a business, and how the business manages those interactions (including customer data).
DM	Direct Mail	Marketing materials sent directly to a customer’s physical address.
MQL	Marketing Qualified Lead	A prospective customer who meets certain criteria to be deemed interesting enough to pursue.
PPC	Pay-Per-Click	Advertisers are charged each time a user clicks on a link.
SEM	Search Engine Marketing	A type of online advertising that uses paid search ads to reach potential customers.
SEO	Search Engine Optimisation	The process of improving the visibility and ranking of a website in search engine results.
SMM	Social Media Marketing	The use of social media platforms to promote a product or service.
UX	User Experience	The overall experience that a user has when interacting with a product or service.

Job titles


Acronym	Meaning	Explanation
CEO	Chief Executive Officer	Responsible for overall management and direction.
CFO	Chief Financial Officer	Responsible for financial management and reporting.
CHRO	Chief Human Resources Officer	Responsible for overall people management.
CIO or CTO	Chief Information or Technology Officer	Responsible for technology, information systems and infrastructure.
CMO	Chief Marketing Officer	Responsible for marketing and advertising strategies.
COO	Chief Operating Officer	Responsible for day-to-day operations.
HR	Human Resources	The department responsible for hiring, people management and training.
PR	Public Relations	A person, department or external consultant dealing with publicity and media relationships.

Would you believe this is just the shortlist of SME acronyms?

Whether you’re a new sole trader or seasoned entrepreneur, there is always a lot to learn in the ever-changing world of business. Hopefully this list helped to answer some of your questions about common SME acronyms, like “What does ABN mean?” and “Why does the CFO want PAYG info by EOD?”.

Registry is here to help small businesses. Our online business services give you a simpler way to manage everything from ABN registration to business name renewal to web hosting.

You won’t find jargon here. Just affordable, easy-to-use business services.

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