Level 1

10 points

Mac Numbers - UK HMRC "Making Tax Digital" bridgeware

The UK HMRC has introduced some rules called "Making Tax Digital" (MTD) about digital record keeping, and submission of VAT returns. From April 2018, a business cannot submit VAT returns by hand. They must be submitted by approved software using a secure interface to HMRC, and the returns must be derived from automated digital records.

All the accounting packages (Sage, Xero, Quickbooks.... etc.) have introduced the automated submission.

But not all businesses use accounting packages - many use spreadsheets to give more flexibility. HMRC has (reluctantly) allowed the use of spreadsheets, but has insisted never-the-less that the data from the spreadsheets be submitted by approved "bridgeware". A few approved "bridgeware" products are under development, but all of them work solely with Excel.

I am a book-keeper who uses Mac Numbers exclusively. I dont know what I am going to do. I need bridgeware for MTD in Mac Numbers.

Is this something Apple are considering for their UK customers?

Does anyone know of any third party MTD products for Numbers being developed.

This is a bit of a disaster waiting to happen.

Hoping someone is looking into this.

Gordon Jones

Posted on Dec 21, 2018 11:46 AM

Top-ranking reply

gajaj Author

Level 1

10 points

Posted on Feb 25, 2019 1:55 PM

I started this discussion and its probably time I gave an update.

I have successfully submitted a quarterly VAT return to the HMRC MTD interface using the intermediary www.vat.direct.

HMRC does NOT accept csv files. HMRC will take JSNON or XML data through an API from "approved" clients.

Some "approved client" software suppliers will take extracts from spreadsheets and submit the VAT data from those extracts. I picked www.vat.direct precisely because their interface accepts a simple csv extract, so is not restricted to EXCEL as some of the other suppliers are.

I did not use the script kindly supplied by SG, instead I use the csv export from mac numbers and trashed the files I didn't need.

If you chose the somewhat clunky, but effective interface from www.vat.direct then there are a number of videos describing the format of the file that they accept.

Good luck to all those who still have to do this.

Gordon Jones

View in context

24 replies

VicJano

Level 1

8 points

Feb 25, 2019 11:54 AM in response to ihatekenburns

Hi All, Would someone be able to send me a screen grab of what the CSV document should look like with the information/figures HMRC needs for a digital VAT submission. I've used the script kindly supplied by SG to get a CSV file from a Mac Numbers document and the result has re-configured layouts and columns. I'm hoping I can just edit a CSV file with the correct figures in the right positions and format for HMRC. But perhaps its not that easy?

Thanks in advance

Chris

Badunit

Level 7

30,720 points

Dec 22, 2018 11:46 AM in response to gajaj

Do the bridgeware products run from within Excel or are they separate apps that use Excel files as their input?

Feb 26, 2019 4:50 AM in response to ihatekenburns

Also, I'm sure that I saw that you can get vat.direct for £20 per year if you sign for the year Gajaj.

ps thanks for all the info

VicJano

Level 1

8 points

Feb 26, 2019 5:21 AM in response to gajaj

Thanks, very helpful.

Chris

Barry

Level 9

60,023 points

Mar 29, 2019 10:14 PM in response to gajaj

(deleted by author—redundant)

-dotty-

Level 1

8 points

Jan 3, 2019 8:33 AM in response to gajaj

You're not the only one with this situation - and thanks for your info.! It is more helpful than many links I've been looking at re; these requirements.

I do not quite understand what the MTD bridging software is and how to obtain it.

VicJano

Level 1

8 points

Feb 26, 2019 4:05 AM in response to gajaj

Hi Gordon, Thanks that's very helpful.

I've just worked out how to get CSV file from Mac's Numbers software, so will use vat.direct.

Can you advise me if I should take out the '£' sign from the figures in my Numbers spread sheet.

They have come across into the CSV file. Will this confuse HRMC do you think?

Chris

Mar 29, 2019 5:43 PM in response to gajaj

You are not alone!!!!! it is a disgrace thet HMRC is not offerning free software for that, and not highlighting apple supported software.

I hope some freeware will come out. I saw apple products that cost 50 GBP + VAT (=60) per anum (!!!) for one VAT number. That is a lot per VAT return...!!!! Harassment by HMRC. Equally carefully planned as Brexit. Also the timing...

Apr 20, 2019 3:59 PM in response to martinfromforres

This Mac or iPhone app is £21.50+vat for a years worth of returns without having to change your data.

https://vatmtd.com

It’ll import data from a Numbers spreadsheet.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Mac Numbers - UK HMRC "Making Tax Digital" bridgeware