Xero - tips and tricks

Boysground

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
I have a bank charges heading code. Bank does send me an invoice. Interest paid also has its own code but no invoice so I create 1. These invoices which change little each month I have as repeating bills. They then get created automatically each month I just change the reference and amount if required and add the copy of the invoice then confirm it.

Saves a lot of time.

A tip if you set up a repeating bill, by reference it says insert placeholder. Put month/year in this. In the reference box the month and year will show. Then you know which month that particular bill is for handy for quarterly vat. Put the year as after you have done the bill for a whole year you will get a duplicate reference error each time you do that bill if you don’t.

This works just let he same for invoices. It’s how I have my milk cheque set up.

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Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Anyone done the VAT MTD thing yet ? all set up with HMRC no issue but when I connect I get this error - is it just a matter of waiting for HMRC to catch up ? it did mention something about 72hrs when I completed the HMRC bit

upload_2019-3-26_14-11-23.png
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
Anyone done the VAT MTD thing yet ? all set up with HMRC no issue but when I connect I get this error - is it just a matter of waiting for HMRC to catch up ? it did mention something about 72hrs when I completed the HMRC bit

View attachment 781280

I saw the message in Xero a couple of day ago but thought I'd steer clear for now and submit March return the "old fasioned" way. I did read somewhere you should leave it 7 days from a submission before you set up the new MTD system.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
Anyone done the VAT MTD thing yet ? all set up with HMRC no issue but when I connect I get this error - is it just a matter of waiting for HMRC to catch up ? it did mention something about 72hrs when I completed the HMRC bit

View attachment 781280



Once you have registered with HMRC, it can take up to 72 hours to receive confirmation from them. When you receive confirmation from HMRC, you will be able to use Xero for your MTD VAT Returns.


https://www.xero.com/uk/resources/making-tax-digital/small-business-resources/mtd-faq/
 
Anyone done the VAT MTD thing yet ? all set up with HMRC no issue but when I connect I get this error - is it just a matter of waiting for HMRC to catch up ? it did mention something about 72hrs when I completed the HMRC bit

View attachment 781280
Having applied last week with HMRC, I only got the MTD activation email through this morning.

So yeah as Steevo says it takes 72+ hours for HMRC to do their bit.

18E05238-7967-411D-86A0-C19B4A6D107D.jpeg
 
I signed up this morning, and got the 72 hours message.
Would that be farming 'hours' or HMRC hours?

I love the next bit "If you're unsure an email is from HMRC, Do not reply or click on links".

And they are sending the confirmation stuff out via email? Unencrypted? Excellent. :whistle:
To be fair there’s nothing in the final HMRC confirmation email, that gives anything away. It’s all generic.

See snipet I posted above.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
I'm curious why people are signing up for MTD now....given you don't need it until you submit returns for periods starting after 1st April. At the earliest this would be your return at end of April?
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
If you sign up now....does it mean your next submission will be done MTD?

yes, no going back apparantley as far as I could see without causing complication - one business is on monthly and others are all quarterly vat so will be testing it soon I guess !
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
yes, no going back apparantley as far as I could see without causing complication - one business is on monthly and others are all quarterly vat so will be testing it soon I guess !

I wasn't sure if enabling MTD was preparation for after April submissions only....or whether it submitted "non-required" / "pre-deadline" submissions in too. I was under the impression the latter, and I think that's what you've suggested. Hence why I can see many have held off signing up already.

After this VAT submission I've got to set up MTD.....and switch to monthly VAT submissions too! I hope I'm not asking too much for HMRC to process..! Fingers crossed!!
 
I'm curious why people are signing up for MTD now....given you don't need it until you submit returns for periods starting after 1st April. At the earliest this would be your return at end of April?
Last submission for the quarter ending Feb was done on the existing system, so much like Clive thought it best to move over now. Hence (ought to be) plenty of time to get any teething issues out of the way.

No time like the present as they say. :)
 

Jim Jackson

Member
I did Januarys return through the MTD system (on Farmplan) and it was pretty painless. It was easier to do than entering figures manually online. I would imagine just the same with Xero
 
I did Januarys return through the MTD system (on Farmplan) and it was pretty painless. It was easier to do than entering figures manually online. I would imagine just the same with Xero
I’ve been submitting VAT returns via Xero for the past 4.5 years. Usually takes me oh about 15 seconds and three button presses.

So I’m hardly bothered about MTD to be fair.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
I did Januarys return through the MTD system (on Farmplan) and it was pretty painless. It was easier to do than entering figures manually online. I would imagine just the same with Xero

Was your submission actual MTD (having signed up)? or just software submission rather than via HMRC website?

I’ve been submitting VAT returns via Xero for the past 4.5 years. Usually takes me oh about 15 seconds and three button presses.

So I’m hardly bothered about MTD to be fair.

Submission via Xero or such using the old HMRC system....a doddle.

I'm just nervous of the "new" HMRC backend MTD system.
 

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