From Paper to Platform: How lex-aml Turns AUSTRAC's Starter Kits into a Live Compliance System
AUSTRAC published the starter kits. lex-aml digitises them — turning Word documents and PDF checklists into workflows, automated risk scoring, and built-in reporting across 10 modules and a 7-phase compliance lifecycle.
The Problem We Solve
AUSTRAC's starter kits are comprehensive. But they are paper documents. A three-person conveyancing practice downloading a 40-page Word document, a 30-page Process Document, and a Risk Assessment template still needs to figure out how to actually run compliance day to day. How do you track which customers have been verified? How do you know when a periodic review is due? How do you file an SMR in the right format? How do you prove to AUSTRAC that you're doing what your program says you're doing?
lex-aml takes AUSTRAC's three-step lifecycle — Customise, Use, Maintain — and turns each step into software. Every form is digitised. Every decision is tracked. Every record is retained. Every deadline is enforced.
The Three-Step Lifecycle, Digitised
How lex-aml maps to AUSTRAC's Customise, Use, Maintain framework
Customise Your Program
AUSTRAC says: Download the starter kit, read the Customise Guide, fill in Word documents, print and file.
lex-aml provides a guided setup wizard. Configure your organisation, designated services, risk appetite, country ratings, and personnel. Complete Personnel Due Diligence (PDD) digitally. Get senior manager approval with a tracked approval workflow. Your Risk Assessment and Policy Document are generated from your configuration — not typed into a blank template.
Use Your Program Daily
AUSTRAC says: Use your Process Document SOPs to onboard customers, verify identity, run screening, score risk, escalate, and file reports. Keep records.
lex-aml digitises every SOP into a workflow. Onboard a customer and the system walks your staff through the CDD process step by step — collect KYC, verify identity, screen sanctions and PEP lists, assess source of funds, assign a risk rating, and flag anything suspicious. Escalations route to the compliance officer. Reports are generated in AUSTRAC format. Every decision, every check, every document is recorded automatically.
Maintain and Review
AUSTRAC says: Review your risk assessment annually. Review your program every 3 years. Conduct effectiveness checks. Provide an annual report to your governing body.
lex-aml tracks review deadlines automatically. When your annual risk assessment review is due, the system prompts your compliance officer. When an independent evaluation is required, it generates the evaluation framework. Program amendments are version-controlled. The annual report to the governing body is compiled from platform data — cases processed, risks identified, reports filed, training completed.
Ten Modules
Each maps to AUSTRAC's policy and process documents
lex-aml is structured as 10 modules. Each module maps to a specific section of AUSTRAC's Policy Document or Process Document. Access is role-based: Contact Person (CP) handles day-to-day customer work, Compliance Officer (CO) manages the program and files reports, and the Governing Body (GB) approves the program and high-risk decisions.
Seven-Phase Compliance Lifecycle
One continuous loop — not a one-time exercise
AUSTRAC's Process Document defines a compliance lifecycle that every reporting entity must follow. lex-aml structures this as a 7-phase continuous loop. Every CDD case moves through these phases, and the platform tracks where each case sits at any given time.
The Dashboard shows a pipeline view of all cases across these 7 phases. At a glance, your compliance officer can see how many cases are in CDD, how many are escalated, how many reports are pending, and how many periodic reviews are due. This is the operational cockpit that the paper-based starter kit cannot provide.
Regulatory Alignment
How each obligation maps to the platform
The AML/CTF Act and Rules impose 8 core obligations on every reporting entity. Here is how each maps to a lex-aml module and the specific legislative provision it satisfies.
| # | Obligation | What It Requires | lex-aml Module | Legislative Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Enrol | Within 28 days of providing a designated service | Organisation | Act Part 3A · Rules Part 3 |
| 02 | Program | Risk-based AML/CTF program in place before providing services | AML/CTF Program | Act Part 1A · Rules Part 5 |
| 03 | CDD | Verify customer identity before providing a designated service | CDD Cases | Act Part 2 · Rules Part 6 |
| 04 | Monitoring | Ongoing CDD proportionate to risk | Ongoing CDD | Rules 6-37 to 6-39 |
| 05 | Reporting | SMRs, TTRs, cross-border movement reports | Reporting | Act Part 3 · Rules Part 9 |
| 06 | Records | 7-year retention minimum | All modules | Act Part 10 |
| 07 | Officer | Appoint AML/CTF compliance officer | Personnel | Act s26J · Rules 5-14 |
| 08 | Training | Personnel trained and competent | Personnel | Rules 5-10 to 5-12 |
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lex-aml is currently in early access for Tranche 2 entities. Request access to see how the platform handles your sector's starter kit.
Request Early AccessDisclaimer: This article is published by GetPost Labs Pty Ltd, a technology company building compliance software. All content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or compliance advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, this article may contain errors or omissions. Always refer to the authoritative text on legislation.gov.au and seek professional advice for your specific circumstances. If you spot an error or have a suggestion, please reach out to sumit@getpostlabs.io.