I have a deadline this week and the client is "away".
I can finalise the accounts and email and they can sign and scan the abbreviated balance sheet and email it back to me. (it's possible I could get a live signature on Monday which is preferred).
Anyway, it's all getting close to the deadline (Tuesday) so thinking of having a go online. I file pretty much everything else online and have the necessary login at CoHouse but have never filed accounts. So the simple question is - is it a straightforward matter and do I only need the signed abbreviated accounts in front of me?
Thanks for any replies.
Replies (24)
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Sort of straightforward
It's straightforward but unnecessarily tedious. The template is out of date - it doesn't even include reference to the latest FRSSE and the way that it's laid out it's easy to miss bits, like the declaration on the balance sheet, and get an error message. It doesn't automatically produce notes for basic things like share capital.
Basically it's worthwhile to save a £150 penalty but no way is it worth it to save a postage stamp
Yes it is straightforward although a little fiddly
but I would say have an electronic copy of the abbrev .acs in front of you so you can copy and paste and you can do it in a 15 minutes (5 if very simple and your well-versed in it!)
Online filing code
No one seems to have asked if you have the Companies House Authentication Code that is specific for the company?
You need your own login, but when asked about the company details you will need its authentication code to proceed. If you so not have it then Companies House will post it to the registered address but it normally takes a week or so to arrive.
Dead easy
It takes me about 3 minutes to fill it out, just copying the accounts we've prepared. We file all of our Abbrv Accounts this way.
better than by post
as you know they are accepted , they may send them back if you post them , they can be very cantankerous
Filing accounts at CH
I file when I really have to but only to save the penalty. I've never had a set go through without calling them and/or sending the template to CH for them to review and file. And don't cut and paste, that's one of the reasons given to me for failure of filing.
@Brian
Brian,
That's odd - I've never had any problems with it. The only time I did was when I added a custom note, and a quick phonecall sorted that out and they manually approved it.
What version of Adobe Reader are you using? I'm still on 9 as I haven't been brave enough for X. If you're on 8 or older that might be partially why?
Also, I copy and paste (notes wording) without a problem.
Not meaning to rub it in of course, just trying to help!
@ Monsoon
I'm using X now but don't know what version I was using when I was told about this by CH but it wasn't that long ago. I suppose it's just a warning that if you get an error message when verifying that may be the reason. but the again it may not!
Thanks for being helpful though, it's appreciated (I'm not being sarcastic which is what I'm usually accused of.)
Template/File using software
The template is pretty poor. Besides the latest FRSSE missing you can have problems with brought forward fixed assets. It's still better to use the template than send paper copies though.
Another option - longer term of course - is to get accounts production software that files accounts with Companies House automatically. There's a list on Companies House website.
Some software is rubbish / likely to be unreliable
The template is pretty poor. Besides the latest FRSSE missing you can have problems with brought forward fixed assets. It's still better to use the template than send paper copies though.
Another option - longer term of course - is to get accounts production software that files accounts with Companies House automatically. There's a list on Companies House website.
NEVER EVER would I trust the current Sage Accounts Production for Abbreviated Accounts filing - too many errors and lots of time has to be spent calling over and correcting the Abbreviated Accounts produced by Sage Accounts production...Balance Sheets that sometimes don't add up; "Section 15" wrongly stated in directors statement on Balance Sheet are two of the latest issues encountered.
MUCH EASIER to use the Companies House template (but with the wrong year FRSSE niggle to put right).
Whilst Sage Accounts Production (SAP) is capable (in a fashion) of producing iXBRL accounts for CT filing purposes, this is a good example of how bad SAP is - often the iXBRL accounts differ in content from the full accounts - I'd expect any Abbreviated Accounts "solution" from SAP to repeat all this aggro of inconsistency. So, no time-saving likely compared to using the Companies House .pdf option.
As Kryten would say ...
... smug mode.
Press a button in IRIS, takes a bit less time than blinking!
Sage
OK, I should have specifically excluded Sage from the list. Digita and Iris seem to do the job without problems.
Oh ...
... super smug mode, IRIS is absolutely spot on for iXBRL too, a monkey could use it.
Must dash though, just off to the shops for a sack of peanuts - pay day tomorrow :o)
OGA....are you joking....
have I been a plank (don't all answer at once) for the last few years and submitted accounts to co house online using the template when i could have just pressed a button within IRIS???? (i set up a new co. last week and it did ask for an authentification code.....hmmm was that some sort of clue i wonder!?)
I would say ...
... 6" x 2" at least! (If you have CoSec you can file most forms online too, if you are already doing this you will have the agent registration you need)
Also, if you have CoSec you can import most of the company data straight in to IRIS and don't have to key it all in, the only bit you manually do is the share details.
In AP, under edit, enter the CH authentication code.
Under reports, there is E-File accounts (the clue is in the name)
Finalise accounts, click generate, then submit - it will update when accepted, or you can manually re-fresh to check.
You have to register with CH first to use this function, this is in the AP help under electrionic filing (I think it is £5pcm "subscription") You will be given some codes to enter under Practice Options and have to set the registered e-mail address (you have to go in as MASTER to set these I think):
Electronic Filing within Accounts Production
Electronic Filing of accounts to Companies House is available for un-audited, abbreviated accounts for Small Limited Companies.
All users MUST be registered with Companies House for Electronic Software Filing (E-Filing), and their Presenter Reference, Authentication and Registered Email Address entered within IRIS via Setup | Practice Options | C/H Identifiers.
Abbreviated Accounts produced in XBRL format supplied by Companies House may not include all the disclosure requirements.
All accounts must be reviewed with care to ensure they meet the requirements made on the directors by the Companies Act. If the Electronic version of the accounts do not meet this requirement, then the accounts must be submitted by paper.
Please note: The Abbreviated Accounts produced through Reports | Annual (the paper version) will not be identical to the accounts produced through the E-File accounts option.
Many thanks....
although there is a little bit more to it than i presumed....so perhaps we can make that plank 3" x 1".
am i correct in ssuming that if you
use a software package to submit the lead time for approval canbe 2 /3 days or is it almost instantaneous like CH template
In my experience of IRIS
usually almost simultaneous, but it will be logged as sent instantly, and because IRIS pre-screens it I have never had a rejection, that is, it won't send it if it won't be accepted.
If you log on to web-check at companies house, it should show up in red as filed but not available almost immediately.
That said, I did get a penalty waived on a CH template one once because I had some niggles and didn't press send until 00.02, I appealed on the grounds the window shuts at midnight for template submission, so if they accepted it it must have been on time,and they cancelled the penalty.
I think if you are in the template before midnight you can send, but it may have changed because I haven't used the revised template.
Justso, OK, but should probably be 75 x 25 these days!
Excellent ...
... nice one Peter!
I have just filed a set from IRIS, in the time it took me to log on to CH web check, they were shown as received but not available for viewing.
EDIT
And in the time it took to write this they are showing as accepted in IRIS! sent 17:08, when I forced an status check at 17:14 they were accepted, and may have been before that if I hadn't been updating this post!