VAT Groups

Setup A VAT Group

1. Click on Companies tab and add each Company that is part of the VAT Group to Tax Manager
2. Next click on VAT Groups button
3. A grid of VAT Groups that are setup is shown. To add a new one click Add
4. You’ll be presented with a list of companies setup in Tax Manager. Tick the box beside each company that is part of the VAT Group. 
5. Next tick the box beside one of them to designate it as the Primary Company (see Technical Notes for ‘role’ of Primary Company). Click Save. 
6. Tax Manager will then ask for a name for the VAT Group (will not be sent to HMRC) and the VAT Registration Number of the Group (will be sent to HMRC)
7. Once the VAT Group is setup click Close.

NB: Tax Manager will warn you if the VAT number of any group companies don’t match – they should all be the same.

Overview

VAT Return Manager pulls the VAT Return details out of your TASBooks program ready to be submitted to HMRC, as part of the new Making Tax Digital (MTD) arrangements from April 2019. It meets the HMRC requirements as the 9 box VAT totals are calculated (by TASBooks) and pulled directly rather than being typed. 

The form is split into 3 segments. 

On the left hand side, there are 2 form elements. At the top is a list of VAT Returns pulled from TASBooks that, according to TAS, are unfiled. At the bottom are a list of VAT Returns that have been filed. If you see old records in the unfiled list, then you haven’t marked them as filed in TAS.

On the right hand side, you see a visual graphic of the VAT Return details, showing your VAT Group name, Group VAT Registration number, the dates being reported on and the values of the 9 boxes.

By hovering over the 9 Box values you can see a breakdown of how they were calculated.

To view a return, click the Ref cell to see the details. Depending on if the return has been filed or not, you’ll see a ‘File Your Return’ option under the visual graphic.

File Your Return

When you have created your Return in TASBooks (NB: FirstBooks VAT Groups not supported), then begin the filing process by clicking ‘File Your Return’. Clicking this button tells Tax Manager to connect to the HMRC portal and submit the return. See below for step by step instructions.

The Filing Process

The filing process can be summarised as follows:

1. Create a new VAT Return in TASBooks FOR EACH TASBooks company in the VAT Group
2. Open Tax Manager and login
3. Click on VAT Group Returns tab, then double-click on VAT Group to file for
4. Choose the Return to be filed from the list of UnFiled Returns in the top left corner of the screen
5. Click ‘File This Return’
6. The first time you submit a return you will need to authorise Tax Manager in the HMRC portal – enter your government gateway details then click “Grant Authority”
7. Finally a notice confirms that you are making a legal declaration that the information is true and complete – click Yes to submit the return
8. The return will be filed with HMRC – if successful then Tax Manager creates a log file plus a PDF Receipt (showing the Receipt ID and date/time the return was accepted). It will also mark the VAT return for each company in the Group as filed.
9. In the unlikely event that the return fails, you’ll be advised why and asked if you want to view the log. Please do so and email it to Infoplex Support for investigation

Technical Notes

• Primary Company data folder is used to store Infoplex Settings file, log files and PDF Receipts.
• List of Unfiled returns is read from Primary Company, then each company in the Group is checked to make sure the same return appears in its database
• VAT Group data files are stored in the Infoplex InfHome/SIM folder
• Filed returns are read from the Infoplex MTD Returns data file (which is why it will initially present as a blank list)
• Please ensure the Infoplex InfHome/SIM folder is backed up regularly (recommended daily)
• Any companies setup in a VAT Group are hidden from the VAT Returns tab

Limitations

• Only the standalone Tax Manager program supports VAT Groups
• VAT Groups available for TASBooks only
• All TASBooks companies in the group must be on the same Accounting Scheme
• If you need to change the Primary Co then you need to delete/recreate the VAT Group
• Once a return has been filed you cannot delete that VAT Group