VAT electronic submission

[Cowabunga]

There's a topic on Xero but what about Free Agent? What about other simple alternatives.

I don't particularly want to pay £300/year for Xero so just now I downloaded a free, to Natwest business customers, copy of Free Agent.
I've filled the initial information and linked to bank account but apart from that cannot as yet make head nor tail of the damned thing. I want to start from 1st March if possible.
Is Xero better than Free Agent and are there tutorials on-line for farmers on these things? I can see absolute chaos when this thing becomes compulsory for VAT submission because I count myself as above average tech-savvy and if I'm at a loss, most other small/medium farmers will also be lost.

Are there other simpler programs that mimic the old NFU Vat record book?

 

[nonemouse]

Farmplan are doing a cut down accounts package, our accountants are pushing this option, but it still works out at £20 ish per month

 

[Suffolk Serf]

I too had a go at Free Agent, FOC being a Natwest customer. I too failed miserably to try and understand how to set it up.
Out of frustration I’ve ended up using Xero for over a year now which was very easy to set up and use.

 

[Still Farming]

Just go under the 85k turnover level and stay as you are?

 

[Cow1]

Can you use or develop an Excel spreadsheet?

You can then use this bridging software that costs £40.

https://www.absoluteexcelvatfiler.co.uk/

 

[stewart]

There's a topic on Xero but what about Free Agent? What about other simple alternatives.

I don't particularly want to pay £300/year for Xero so just now I downloaded a free, to Natwest business customers, copy of Free Agent.
I've filled the initial information and linked to bank account but apart from that cannot as yet make head nor tail of the damned thing. I want to start from 1st March if possible.
Is Xero better than Free Agent and are there tutorials on-line for farmers on these things? I can see absolute chaos when this thing becomes compulsory for VAT submission because I count myself as above average tech-savvy and if I'm at a loss, most other small/medium farmers will also be lost.

Are there other simpler programs that mimic the old NFU Vat record book?

Just pay the 300 and go Xero.

 

[Cowabunga]

Can you use or develop an Excel spreadsheet?

You can then use this bridging software that costs £40.

https://www.absoluteexcelvatfiler.co.uk/

Ive tried writing code for this purpose to a spreadsheet but it’s not that simple. Not for me at any rate. If anyone has a templates.......

 

[ewald]

Using quick books via accountants at about £10 per month.
Taken a few calls to get it working, but seems fairly straightforward now.

 

[DRC]

Using quick books via accountants at about £10 per month.
Taken a few calls to get it working, but seems fairly straightforward now.

same as this. Been doing it for a long time with no problems

 

[Steevo]

Xero needn't cost £300/year. I use the cut down version at £9/month.

 

[farmerm]

Pandle, similar to xero but is free for the basic version, seems to do everything I want.

 

[Cowabunga]

Pandle, similar to xero but is free for the basic version, seems to do everything I want.

I had a quick look at Pandle this morning. I'll have another look tomorrow.

My wife, who currently does the VAT, is having kittens about this.

 

[Bob]

Just go under the 85k turnover level and stay as you are?

Most farms will have a turnover grater than 85K wont they?

 

[Cowabunga]

Most farms will have a turnover grater than 85K wont they?

Most yes. Quite a large minority will be under though. Most of those will voluntarily register because most farms claim back far more than they pay.

 

[Jobjobbed]

I use this money manager business edition. Does everything I want and from April will submit vat to HMRC. No monthly fee
https://moneysoft.co.uk/business-edition/

 

[farmerm]

I had a quick look at Pandle this morning. I'll have another look tomorrow.

My wife, who currently does the VAT, is having kittens about this.

Online accounting takes a bit of adapting too from a paper based system... written accounts are more flexible when it comes to things like self bill invoices from grain and livestock sales... software is also fiddly when you have invoices that you are only claiming some of the VAT etc.. I am in the process of putting my last years accounts into Pandle but due to a few differences in how the paper version was calculated and how Pandle works its a bit of a game getting the Pandle VAT calculation for each month to match up with the actual submissions.

But once it is cracked it will be better! I have already put the last tax year into Pandle and that saved a fair chunk of our accountants bill!

 

[two-cylinder]

Has anyone tried easybooks?

 

[Still Farming]

Most farms will have a turnover grater than 85K wont they?

Big farmers and big sfp claimers maybe???

 

[nick...]

This is striking the fear of god into me.our farm vat the accountant is doing but my small plant hire business I’ve got to do myself,get accountant to do it or deregister which seems the easy way out apart from repaying vat on bought machines
Nick...

 

[Cowabunga]

This is striking the fear of god into me.our farm vat the accountant is doing but my small plant hire business I’ve got to do myself,get accountant to do it or deregister which seems the easy way out apart from repaying vat on bought machines
Nick...

You can join my wife looking after kittens. Both of you will probably give birth to them at the same time.