Preparing for Making Tax Digital – with WinAccs

If you are VAT registered then you will need to move to digital record keeping (i.e. use software to record all your VAT invoices and receipts). If you are not VAT registered then digital record keeping is optional for now.

If you are VAT registered and do not yet use software to record your VAT information (invoices to customers and from suppliers) you need to start planning for Making Tax Digital. The new implementation date is 1 April 2019. Speak to one of our advisors today about a free trial of WinAccs.

If you are already using WinAccs then you are in good hands our software will be fully compliant with the new MTD requirements and will continue to support you in your new obligations under MTD.

Don’t be put off by this change, take Making Tax Digital as an opportunity. This is your chance to streamline your accounting and business management. Keeping records and filing tax digitally gives you the chance to update your processes, check your income, expenses and profit and potentially make better business decisions as a result. Essentially all you need to do is record your taxable records and submit your VAT returns through MTD-compatible software – like WinAccs.

Using WinAccs already? Compact software is very pleased to confirm that at no extra charge to existing customers, with WinAccs you’ll have everything you need in one place to be ready for the Making Tax Digital (MTD) deadline on April 1st 2019. Courtesy of Compact Software you will soon be able to upgrade your registration to include your MTD VAT Module completely free of charge.  Then you will be able to submit your VAT figures via WinAccs directly to the HMRC MTD service. Watch this space for public release of WinAccs v7.08 which will include all these MTD new features.

You must keep certain information – such as VAT-related transactions – in digital form. HMRC’s MTD rules state that all VAT registered businesses must “keep and preserve” their income and outgoings within “functional compatible software”. Therefore you need to start recording and storing your financial records using software or apps and be able to send this financial data to HMRC using HMRC-recognised software or apps (i.e that’s software that can link to HMRC’s API platform).

I have some records in Excel. Can I keep using these?

Essentially yes. It is possible to use software which will allow you to ‘bridge’ programmes like Excel (which are not MTD compatible themselves) with HMRC’s platform. However this can get complicated and using one solution such as WinAccs may be easier.

I have some paper records. Can I keep using these?

With some very limited exceptions, each and every transaction must be recorded electronically. Taking totals from paper records and recording those totals electronically does not meet the requirements of MTD. Records would have to be entered entry by entry into software which is likely to be very inefficient whilst using software such as WinAccs sooner may be easier.

Yes, WinAccs v7.08. Compact Software has been busy building MTD functionality and working closely with HMRC for a while so we are already good to go for April 2019! You will find us listed on the HMRC website’s compatible software list.

It will be available no later than March as you will need it installed before you process your last PAYE submission for 18/19.

The first VAT submission after the 1st April 2019 you must use MTD, this also requires you to be registered with HMRC VAT office to allow MTD submissions.

Yes, there will be penalties implemented by the HMRC. They have published details of the penalties system for late submissions and payments under Making Tax Digital confirming HMRC plans to pursue a points-based model. The surcharge penalty system for VAT applies for both late payment and late filing and can result in huge penalties for VAT payments which are only one day late.

As long as you install v7.08 before end of March and make sure you have purged your records for previous submissions, you will be ready.

You have until 2020 to come up with a digital link to merge the records into one system for submissions. If you are using multiple MTD compliant software solutions, there is the ‘soft landing period’ which is intended to give these businesses with multiple solutions a little more time to prepare for Making Tax Digital. Your multiple solutions must be digitally linked. For 12 months from April 1st 2019 the use of ‘cut and paste’ will constitute a digital link.

If you are using multiple MTD compliant software solutions, the soft landing period is intended to give these businesses a little more time to prepare for Making Tax Digital. Your multiple solutions must be digitally linked. For 12 months from April 1st 2019 the use of ‘cut and paste’ will constitute a digital link.

Yes, this can be done within the VAT submitting process. For the companies to be included in the consolidation they each need to have the same VAT registration code entered in the companies parameters.