Resubmit a manual VAT return with Making Tax Digital (MTD)

If you signed up for MTD but accidentally submitted a VAT Return without it, HMRC won't receive the VAT Return. Follow the steps below to correct this.

Before you begin

  • Make sure you authorise Accounting Start to submit VAT returns to HMRC.

  • Make a note of the figures in Boxes 1-9 on your manually submitted VAT Return.

Create a new VAT Return

You cannot resubmit a VAT Return if it’s already been manually submitted. Instead, you must create a new VAT Return in order to submit your figures to HMRC.

  1. Go to Reporting, then select VAT Return.

  2. Choose Create VAT Return. The VAT Period From and To will pre populate if you’re connected to MTD.

  3. Select Calculate.

Adjust the VAT Return

Your VAT Return will have a Nil balance at this stage. This is because your transactions are already included on the manually submitted return. To fix this, adjust the VAT Return using the same figures from your manual VAT Return.

  1. Select Adjust on line 1 of the VAT Return.

  2. Under Change VAT figure by, enter the figure that you noted from Box 1 on the manual return.

  3. Enter a reason for change and select Save.

  4. Repeat these steps for each line on the VAT Return so that your figures match the manual submission.

Submit the VAT Return, then Pay/Reclaim VAT

Now that your VAT Return matches the manually submitted return, you’re ready to submit to HMRC.

  1. Select Submit online to HMRC.

  2. Choose Save.

  3. When prompted, choose Finalise, then Submit to complete the submission. We send your VAT Return directly to HMRC.

  4. Select Pay/Reclaim and enter the required details.

  5. Select Save.

Adjust your ledger accounts

When you complete the steps above, your VAT postings will duplicate. The steps below will help you post a journal entry to reverse the duplicated transactions.

  1. Go to Adjustments, Journals.

  2. Select New Journal.

  3. Enter the ledger category noted from the Audit Trail in the Reference field.

  4. Select the relevant and enter the amount for the debit on the first line. For example, if the MTD return reclaimed £50 from HMRC, you would debit your VAT Liability account £50.

  5. Select the relevant ledger account and enter the amount for the credit on the second line. For example, select the bank account from which it was paid.

  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the payment and then select Save.

Related topics

Set up VAT