The short answer
An MTD quarterly update is a cumulative summary of the digital income and expense records for one business. Review the records first, confirm the period and totals, then submit through SimpleTaxFlow by the applicable HMRC deadline. It is not a tax return and does not normally require year-end accounting or tax adjustments.
What an MTD quarterly update contains
Compatible software adds together the digital records for each self-employment or property business and sends HMRC totals for the income and expense categories used. Each business has its own updates. The submission is a summary rather than a copy of every transaction, receipt or mileage journey.
From 2026/27, each update is cumulative: it covers from the start of the tax year to the end of the current update period. You can therefore correct a digital record and let the revised total flow into the next update rather than automatically resending every earlier quarter.
Quarterly update periods and deadlines
Standard cumulative update periods start on 6 April and end on 5 July, 5 October, 5 January and 5 April. Calendar update periods start on 1 April and end on 30 June, 30 September, 31 December and 31 March. Both use the same deadlines: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May.
You can send an update after the period ends and before its deadline. HMRC also allows submission up to 10 days before the period ends when you do not expect any more transactions. Use the obligation shown in SimpleTaxFlow because your accounting period and HMRC settings determine which dates apply.
Review the records; do not turn the update into year end
You do not normally need to make accounting or tax adjustments before a quarterly update. Focus on whether the digital records are complete and accurate for the period: missing income, duplicate transactions, incorrect businesses, unclear categories, private use and unsupported mileage can all distort the totals.
Annual allowances, reliefs and other year-end adjustments belong in the finalisation and tax-return workflow. The quarterly review is still valuable because it catches record problems while they are easier to investigate.
1. Check what is due
Use DUE in WhatsApp or open Filing to see the next obligation and its date. This tells you which period needs your attention.
See DUE in action2. Resolve missing or uncertain records
Review Activity for uncategorised, incomplete, or needs-review records. Add missing income and expenses before you rely on the quarterly totals.
Read the records guide3. Use READY to check the quarter
READY gives a concise health check and identifies issues preventing a confident submission. Work through the fixes it returns, then check again.
See a READY response4. Preview the figures
Send PREVIEW to create a secure review link. Confirm the period, income, expenses, categories, and supporting transactions before moving to submission.
Review the filing flow5. Submit, then keep the trail
Once the preview is acknowledged, use SUBMIT or the Filing workspace. After acceptance, keep the receipt and submission history alongside the underlying records.
See filing historyBefore you move on
- The correct quarterly obligation is selected
- Uncategorised and needs-review records are resolved
- READY no longer shows an unresolved blocker
- PREVIEW figures have been checked before SUBMIT
- Accepted submission evidence is stored in Filing
Frequently asked questions
Are quarterly updates separate tax returns?
No. They are cumulative summaries of business income and expenses from your digital records. You still submit an Income Tax return after the end of the tax year.
Do quarterly updates show how much tax I must pay?
A quarterly update is not a payment demand. Software may show an estimate, but your final tax position depends on the completed tax return, adjustments, allowances and other income.
What if I find a mistake after submitting?
Correct the digital record as soon as possible. Because updates are cumulative, the corrected totals can be included in the next update. If the fourth update has already been sent, follow HMRC guidance for correcting records before finalising your Income Tax position.
Does every business need its own update?
Yes. HMRC requires separate records and updates for each self-employment business, while the relevant UK or foreign property business is also handled as its own income source.
Check the official rules
Tax rules can change and individual circumstances matter. Use HMRC’s current guidance to confirm the treatment that applies to you.
Put the guide into practice.
Open the relevant workspace and complete the next step with this guide available in another tab.
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