Client insists on keeping the record

Client wishes to maintain his Excel cashbook but needs bridging software

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My client wishes to keep going with his Excel cashbook(that I designed). He is way behind in filing his VAT returns but thinks he registered for MTD at some point. Probably, he found he could no longer just enter the 9 boxes, so gave up and paid the estimated VAT bills that have arrived for about two years.

Can anyone recommend a good bridging software application, that I can provide to the client, since he is reluctant to give up and send me bank csvs on a quarterly basis.

Incidentally, he was a victim of Xero, he tried it and found it far too difficult to navigate. He should have bossed it with Sage :)

Replies (23)

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By TheNovice
28th Oct 2021 18:18

A really simple bridging and realtively cheap software is EasyMTDVAT - it's on HMRCs list of approved 'bridgers'.

Used it previously and found it very straightforward.

If it's just for this one client he'll need to pay £4.99 per return unless he buys bulk submissions which I assume they likely wont.

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By Paul Crowley
28th Oct 2021 18:24

If client cannot cope then he will need learning time for the bridging software

One client is using 123 sheets
No idea how it works or cost
They have used it from day 1 of MTD VAT and very happy with it

We started using a Bridge that was £1 per submission. It is now £24 per submission so I would not want to even mention their name
For clients still using spreadsheets we now use IRIS

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Replying to Paul Crowley:
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By Jo Nokes
28th Oct 2021 21:16

Thanks both of you, I'll take a look at those two

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By Peter Anderson
29th Oct 2021 09:12

I've used DataDear which is free and works fine for me.

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By Jo Nokes
29th Oct 2021 10:29

I took a look at Easy MTD VAT. I hadn’t looked at any bridging software before, and haven’t thought too much about it. There’s no magic involved, the box in the VAT return is derived from the cell in your spreadsheet that you specify. This avoids you typing in the number but it doesn’t change the fact that the figure in your spreadsheet could be completely wrong because of an error in your formula. There is nothing inherently more accurate in digital bookkeeping. Who knew!

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By Jo Nokes
31st Oct 2021 11:20

I should have realized this before, but VT (which I use) has an Excel for MTD function that seems to be a bridging solution. You have to map from the spreadsheet to the VAT return every submission, so I assume that, as with others, it still depends entirely on how accurate your spreadhseet is

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Replying to Jo Nokes:
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By Leywood
31st Oct 2021 15:37

MTD is not about accuracy. Only HMRC believe that rubbish.

Yes to your comment about (full version) VT, although I note you didnt raise it as a question.

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Replying to Leywood:
Morph
By kevinringer
04th Nov 2021 15:01

Agreed, with MTD HMRC are quite content receiving rubbish as long as it is digital rubbish.

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By TaxableBen
04th Nov 2021 09:34

Vital Tax is excellent and very cheap. Must download it via Microsoft store.

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By L Haldane
04th Nov 2021 09:45

123 sheets

Simple to use, cheap to buy.

Lots of my clients use it and love it.

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By taxinfo
04th Nov 2021 09:52

Another vote here for Vitaltax and VT. Some of our clients use those two and others (Larger ones) Quickbooks. Two use Xero but none use Sage.

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Donald MacKenzie
By Donald MacKenzie
04th Nov 2021 09:57

I would suggest you show the client VT Cashbook. Really simple and free. Much more useful outputs than Excel.

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By Dr Fauci
04th Nov 2021 10:00

Bokio is the solution - does MTD, very easy to navigate, has automated bank feeds, and is FREE to use. What's not to like?

Bokio will also be adding Director salary RTI payments from its platform as well in the very near future. A one-stop shop. Been using it for 2 years, never had a problem.

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By markabacus
04th Nov 2021 10:08

Absolute VatFiler - I've been using it for a couple of years and have 9 clients using our MTD SS

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By Vallery Lee
04th Nov 2021 10:09

As ever - Andica have the answer

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By NewACA
04th Nov 2021 10:40

We use 123 sheets too as do many of our clients.

I imagine they will have an ITSA MTD offering out shortly for Excel users: they were asking for volunteer users to join the ITSA private beta about a month ago, using their software. They were looking for sole traders and property rental tax payers that use Excel for their bookkeeping.

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Pile of Stones
By Beach Accountancy
04th Nov 2021 11:02

100pcVAT FreeBridge

Free (you can donate to charity as a fee if you want to), and as the author is a one-man band is worthy of support

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Hand
By Digit Dabbler
04th Nov 2021 12:08

Another vote for Absolute VAT filer. I added their data page to a client‘s quarterly excel template. VAT information from the numerous tabs already fed to a VAT summary page so I linked those boxes to the Absolute data page. Each quarter she opens the Absolute master, clicks a button to select that quarter’s spreadsheet. It automatically links to the data page and the figures feed through to the master. Click another button, enter the password and submission completed. So simple to set up and use

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By North East Accountant
04th Nov 2021 12:54

Another vote here for Andica.

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Morph
By kevinringer
04th Nov 2021 15:04

We use Absolute VAT Filer for the hundreds of VATs we do, and some clients have bought Absolute VAT Filer and use it themselves. Absolute can be linked to any spreadsheet one VAT return box at a time, or you can use Absolute's import sheet which does it all in one hit. We've build our own spreadsheet fronted by Absolute's import sheet, and we give this free of charge to our clients. Some file it themselves but most email it to use and we file it.

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By Jo Nokes
04th Nov 2021 16:44

Well, thanks for all the suggestions. I did think that maybe I could use VT after all, if the client just emails me his Excel cashbook but it does mean (I think) that you have to enter into the VAT return module the cell reference from the spreadsheet each time you file. Not too much work really, but I think you've explained that with Absolute VATfiler, this isn't necessary, it 'remembers' where the info comes from each time without any further entries. I hope I have that right.

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Replying to Jo Nokes:
Morph
By kevinringer
04th Nov 2021 19:30

Jo, Absolute doesn't remember where the info comes from because the next VAT period you're likely to be linking to a different spreadsheet. Instead, Absolute has an optional import sheet that it can bridge call the cells to in one navigation instead of linking each cell individually.

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Replying to Jo Nokes:
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By Leywood
04th Nov 2021 20:33

You enter the cell refs each time but it’s a 2second job.

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