Making Tax Digital guides, from your first update to your tax return.
Step-by-step guides for sole traders and landlords using SimpleTaxFlow: get your figures in from a spreadsheet or Bookkeeping, send each quarterly update to HMRC and submit your tax return at the end of the year.
The regular MTD workflow
- 1
Connect HMRC
Sign up for Making Tax Digital with HMRC, then connect your HMRC account.
- 2
Get your figures in
Import your spreadsheet totals for the tax year so far, or add income and expenses in Bookkeeping.
- 3
Check
Choose Simple or Detailed expenses, then check the figures HMRC will receive.
- 4
Send
Send each quarterly update by HMRC’s deadline and see HMRC’s calculation.
- 5
Year end
Make year-end adjustments, add other income and submit your tax return.
Browse by task
Guides for the work in front of you
22 guides across SimpleTaxFlow
Daily bookkeeping
2 guidesMTD expense categories explained
What goes in each Making Tax Digital income and expense category for self-employment and UK property, what does not, with an example and HMRC’s guidance for each.
How to add income and expenses for Making Tax Digital
Add income and expenses for Making Tax Digital for free in Bookkeeping, one at a time or several at once. They feed your quarterly update.
Quarterly filing
8 guidesImport your spreadsheet figures for a quarterly update
Send an MTD quarterly update from your spreadsheet. Upload a CSV of your tax year so far, check the figures and carry on in Bookkeeping.
Does a spreadsheet count as a digital record for MTD?
Spreadsheets count as digital records for Making Tax Digital when used with bridging software. Excel, Google Sheets and digital links explained.
How to fill in the MTD spreadsheet template
MTD spreadsheet template: download it from your quarterly update, link each line to your spreadsheet records with a formula, save as CSV and upload it.
MTD spreadsheet template lines explained
Every line in the MTD spreadsheet template for self-employment and UK property, what it means, and which lines Simple and Detailed use.
Simple or detailed expenses for MTD: the £90,000 rule
Consolidated expenses for MTD: under £90,000 turnover send one expenses total. At £90,000 or more, split expenses into HMRC categories.
Send quarterly updates for jointly owned UK property from your own account
How joint owners send MTD quarterly updates for UK property from a spreadsheet, which figures each owner uploads and what each filing plan costs.
How to send an MTD quarterly update to HMRC
Check your figures for the tax year so far, confirm them and send your Making Tax Digital quarterly update from Tax.
How to correct an MTD quarterly update you already sent
Fix a mistake after sending a quarterly update, send corrected figures for the tax year so far and find your receipts in Tax.
VAT filing
2 guidesSet up VAT and connect HMRC
Check VAT availability, business and record prerequisites, plan access and the separate VAT HMRC connection in SimpleTaxFlow.
Prepare and submit a VAT return
Review VAT records, empty-period coverage, nine boxes, adjustments and warnings, then make an explicit declaration and retain the receipt in the enabled preview.
Year end & tax
9 guidesYour MTD year: updates, tax return and payments
Find each business update, your annual tax return and the separate payment calendar in Tax.
Annual allowances and adjustments in MTD explained
What capital allowances and annual adjustments are under Making Tax Digital, when you need them and where to add them.
How to correct a submitted MTD tax return
Change your Making Tax Digital tax return after you submit it, within 12 months of the 31 January deadline.
How to record CIS deductions in your MTD tax return
Add the CIS tax contractors took from your pay, so HMRC counts it in your Making Tax Digital tax return.
How to submit your MTD tax return
Check HMRC’s calculation, confirm the declaration and submit your Making Tax Digital tax return in SimpleTaxFlow.
How to make year-end adjustments in MTD
Add annual allowances and adjust HMRC’s business summary before you submit your Making Tax Digital tax return.
How to add employment, savings and dividends to your MTD tax return
Add PAYE employment, UK savings interest and UK or foreign dividends to your Making Tax Digital tax return.
How to claim a loss in MTD
Record losses brought forward and make loss claims for self-employment and UK property in your Making Tax Digital software.
Your MTD tax calculation: HMRC’s figure, our estimate and payment dates
What HMRC’s in-year tax calculation shows, how the SimpleTaxFlow estimate differs and when Self Assessment tax is usually paid.
Account & access
1 guideReview your HMRC businesses and reporting settings
Check business sources, accounting periods, quarterly cadence, and accounting method before relying on filing dates.
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Understand the Making Tax Digital rules
Ready to put the guidance into practice?
£30.00 + VAT a year or £3.50 + VAT a month. Bookkeeping is free. Pay when you send to HMRC.