Like many people, I regularly use the PDF system employed by Companies House for online filing of abbreviated accounts. This involves downloading the PDF, putting in the figures, and doing the filing. All quite straightforward, and takes well under 5 minutes.
As I consider future software options, can anyone please fill me in on whether any of them offer an alternative to this - just pressing a button, for example, to file the accounts if the authorisation code is held for the client. IRIS and Digita can prepare abbreviated accounts at the press of a button - but can they file them? Using the Companies House PDF isn't a problem, but direct software filing would seem like the next logical step.
Thanks for your help,
WS.
Replies (16)
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Iris and Digita
You can use Iris and Digita to file directly to Companies House.
http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/toolsToHelp/accountsSoftware.shtml
PTP too
I've been e filing accounts at Companies House for months and assumed all software providers had given this option, I was quite surprised to find there was only a few that did.
It's great - it shows on the webcheck screen as filed within 5 minutes at the most which is very reassuring. The only time I had to file in paper was when I had unpaid share capital.
Just to expand
In Iris there is a drop down menu, you can click to prepare e-file accounts to send to companies house or click iXBRL to produce a set to file with HMRC alongside the CT600. IRIS has an auto scanner that you can calibrate yourself for the frequecy of scans, and this automatically polls Companies House and lets you know when the accounts (or Annual Return, or other CH forms) have been accepted.
Is True Data Filer still in existence?
I've been trying to have a look at it, but the home page is blank and the download page doesn't display correctly. Can anyone else access the homepage or the download page?
@Tonykelly
Many thanks for the link. Your link works fine, unlike the one I found in Google.
I will download the trial when I next file Abbreviated Accounts.
.
Thats interesting, I didn't know you could do this easily and have been printing and sticking stamps on.
Can I ask, on the companies house log ins, do you have to maintain a register of those for each company (we dont by policy complete annual returns for clients so I dont have a Dbase of those) or is it a "one time" log in?
Depends ...
... with IRIS you set up your presenter id's etc on your own details once, for each client you then store their reference against their data on the system.
I do however maintain a excel sheet of them all just in case.
If you go via the companies house site you should keep a data base of the references, although you may be able to get windows to remember them that is not advised, and they will be lost if you ever need to clear your history cache.
.
Thanks OGA.
I have just filed one for a client using the CH software using their authentication code and its a waste of time like that, but I can see the use if it was deadline day or the client was doing business overseas and couldn't provide a ink signature.
I have checked VT's website and they have it in their list of improvements for this year, and once its fully integrated it ought to be a "no brainer" once I have collected all the codes as it will save time and stamps and paper.
Digita will do this but you need the Company Secretarial software to do the submission - the accounts software will only produce ixbrl accounts ready to send
M
Do you need Company Secretarial with IRIS....
.... or can you file using the accounts function only?
I think ...
... you can file from accounts producton without having CoSec, but as we have CoSec I can't be sure!
BTC
I use BTC software. You simply attach the iXBRL abbreviated accounts file into Practice Manager and then, provided you have the Companies House authentication code, you can submit the accounts with the press of a button. Simple!