Software for VAT returns

Watson

This has been briefly discussed before here, I know, but my specific situation hasn't been touched on and I would appreciate any thoughts.  I am a self-employed freelance writer and when I was at my most successful I registered for VAT.  Now my income is minimal but I've kept the registration because apart from ordinary business-related purchases my agents also charge VAT on their fees, which I can claim back.

So I now need accounting software, but my business book-keeping is so basic it can hardly be referred to as "book keeping" at all: I simply use my bank account, supplemented by occasional written notes, to keep track of  income and expenditure. The problem is that all the software I've looked at seems to be designed for far more sophisticated input; can anyone point me to a truly simple program which might meet my truly simple needs, let alone my truly simple brain?  I can work out for myself the total figures required, all I need is a way of transmitting those totals to HMRC.

Many thanks.

J_B

Is this any help?

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/vat-software-for-small-business.358898/

inspectorperez

Several of the comments appearing on the link page which J_B mentions in above post describe exactly what I use for my own business VAT returns.

To be precise, a combination of a simple Excel spreadsheet and Vital Tax (cost circa £1 per month) as the link software for MTD purposes.

If your bank account provides a facility to download transactional data in csv files, then it would be a simple matter of importing the data from those records and ensuring the income and expenditure was properly analysed.

It goes without saying of course that you should ensure that the resulting returns have been prepared on the correct basis, vis a vis cash basis or accruals basis. If you are in any doubt, I would certainly take professional advice as VAT is not a simple subject and certainly does not necessarily follow logical rules.

shiraz99

Watson said:

This has been briefly discussed before here, I know, but my specific situation hasn't been touched on and I would appreciate any thoughts.  I am a self-employed freelance writer and when I was at my most successful I registered for VAT.  Now my income is minimal but I've kept the registration because apart from ordinary business-related purchases my agents also charge VAT on their fees, which I can claim back.

So I now need accounting software, but my business book-keeping is so basic it can hardly be referred to as "book keeping" at all: I simply use my bank account, supplemented by occasional written notes, to keep track of  income and expenditure. The problem is that all the software I've looked at seems to be designed for far more sophisticated input; can anyone point me to a truly simple program which might meet my truly simple needs, let alone my truly simple brain?  I can work out for myself the total figures required, all I need is a way of transmitting those totals to HMRC.

Many thanks.

I started up a similar thread before. I looked at using bridging software but in the end I just went for the FreeAgent software that Natwest were giving away free as part of their business banking service. It seems very straightforward and easy to set up, and the advantage is it can also link to your bank account so automatically tracks transactions without any input from you, other than telling the software what the transaction is.

I've not yet used it to file a VAT return as my returns period was Feb to April, but I don't anticipate any issues for the next returns period.

Watson

Belated thanks for the answers and suggestions.  Another quick look round this morning does suggest that there's no specific software to do precisely what I want - the simple transmission to HMRC of the six or so figures needed for the VAT return which I've already calculated myself - so I'll have to find whichever program comes the nearest to that.

inspectorperez

If you were looking at Vital Tax in your research, here is a link to a very short video on how to install it as an Add-in withing Excel and then use it to submit you VAT returns within the MTD framework. It is very simple to install and use from my own experience.

Also if you visit HMRC website, there is a list of approved suppliers of MTD software.

Good luck

https://vitaltax.uk/

DE_612183

I've used freeagent in the past - excellent service etc not just for VAT.

Watson

Inspectorperez, thanks for that; I'll take a look.

Dave 46049, thanks for the recommendation.