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SA Online progress report - the final stretch

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27th Jan 2009
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As we near the 2007-08 Self Assessment tax deadline, AccountingWEB.co.uk is tracking how the Self Assessment Online portal is coping with the workload leading up to 31 January.

We introduced the poll following several comments and complaints in Any Answers during the early part of the month.

In spite of reports that HMRC's own software mechanism was struggling to cope with the workload over the weekend of 18-19 January as individual taxpayers filed their returns, agents taking part in the poll have rated SA Online's performance more highly as the month progressed.

Week 1 poll results (12-19 Jan)

During the early voting stages, those who were happy with the system were in the minority (45%), but by the 19th, the number choosing this option had risen to 59%. During the week that followed, The number of niggles being reported fell away, with the happy majority rising to a peak of 77% on Wednesday 27 January.

However, a batch of "slow response" votes came through on the 27th, cutting 5% from the "everything's fine" rating at the start of the day. With more than 60,000 tax returns pumping through the system every hour, the last two days of filing are the point at which the system is at its most vulernable.

Our quick and easy online poll mechanism (see below) is designed to give busy practitioners a way to register their experiences with the online system.

HMRC appears to be paying attention to the points raised by members during the month and has highlighted sources of trouble on its online filing exclusions list as well as recommended solutions to blank client statement files.

The online poll will continue to play an important part in the dialogue between HMRC and AccountingWEB.co.uk members right up to the filing deadline and will either provide independent validation of improvements made to SA Online's performance this year, or expose any shortcomings that emerge as the workload peaks.

To take part, select the situation that most closely matches your current situation. If none of the options apply, choose "Other" and please summarise the issue that is currently bothering you using the Post a Comment button below.

Tax Zone's 2009 Self Assessment Online issues poll

Have you experienced any problems with SA Online this week?
I cannot see client lists/data online

I am not receiving acknowledgements when returns are filed

I cannot get into my agent pages

SA Online response times are too slow/timing me out

No problems - SA Online is working fine for me

Other (specify here)

Latest results!

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Replies (4)

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Stephen Quay
By squay
02nd Feb 2009 18:17

"We received your tax return on 27 March 2008"
I had one of these last year and I thought it would be sorted out when the return was actually submiited. It wasn't and the client was due a refund. I phoned the local tax office who confirmed the return I submitted had been received but they had to upload the data manually to the client's account. This they did and in a couple of days I was able to see the correct data and push the tax refund through.

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By User deleted
27th Jan 2009 15:17

"We received your tax return on 27 March 2008"
This made me smile. I have one with the above message under 'Your Current Client and the same under 'Tax Return Options' after giving the issue date 06 April.

Yes, I am looking at the correct year :o)

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By tuliptownman
24th Jan 2009 15:01

Misleading payment information
Whilst not an issue with the ability to file online, there is an issue with the "Your Current Client" screen where payments are due on 31 January. The summary amount is erroneously adding the second payments on account due on 31 July to the total and displaying it as if it were payable on 31 January. It is only when you drill down to the breakdown do you get the correct information. I have not had the opportunity to report this to online services but have taken some screen prints of an example that I will send as soon as possible. It is unlikely therefore that this will be fixed quickly so I thought I'd bring to the attention of those who are tempted to have a quick look at the summary and not drill down

Where the 1st payment on account for 2008/09 has already been paid, the summary screen does correctly show the second payment on account as being due on 31 July 2009.

It would be a lot easier if the client information screens could be enhanced so that you did not have to look through half a dozen screens to arrive at an understanding of what has been paid when. I think aspects of the old layout were better in this respect. The ability to identify cheque numbers of payments made is very welcome and proving useful in the case of clients who don't fill out their cheque stubs properly.

So far the ability to access client information has remained pretty reliable. I am not sure though how it will be on Friday!

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By pawncob
22nd Jan 2009 11:49

doesn't work
I can't reduce P.O.A.
Following HMRC software changes I lost PDF viewing (since remedied)

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