Xero - tips and tricks

[bitwrx]

Have an issue with last quarter's VAT return. Our second VAT quarter on Xero. First one worked fine. I submitted this one promptly (0745, Apr 1st ), but have heard nothing since. Xero is giving this slightly confusing information:

As you can see, our return for qtr to March has been filed, but also needs attention. HMRC do not have any record of the return being filed, but Xero say that it must have been, because I have a VAT receipt number on the VAT receipt for the return.

So with me being pushed from pillar to post, and short of a decent amount of VAT to be returned, I have to ask, has anyone else out there seen this problem before? If so, what was the solution?

I've taken a lot of flak from senior management for moving away from Farmplan, so I kinda need Xero to work...

ETA: also, while I'm here, what's the 'correct' way for me - someone who is neither the accountant for, nor agent of, nor partner in the business - to get VAT info from the government gateway? I'm currently using one of the business partners to log in on my behalf, but it's becoming tedious. Can I link the business to my own gov gateway account and become a delegate, a bit like I have done with my RPA account for BPS?

 

[Dairyfarmerswife]

Have an issue with last quarter's VAT return. Our second VAT quarter on Xero. First one worked fine. I submitted this one promptly (0745, Apr 1st ), but have heard nothing since. Xero is giving this slightly confusing information:
View attachment 957281
As you can see, our return for qtr to March has been filed, but also needs attention. HMRC do not have any record of the return being filed, but Xero say that it must have been, because I have a VAT receipt number on the VAT receipt for the return.

So with me being pushed from pillar to post, and short of a decent amount of VAT to be returned, I have to ask, has anyone else out there seen this problem before? If so, what was the solution?

I've taken a lot of flak from senior management for moving away from Farmplan, so I kinda need Xero to work...

ETA: also, while I'm here, what's the 'correct' way for me - someone who is neither the accountant for, nor agent of, nor partner in the business - to get VAT info from the government gateway? I'm currently using one of the business partners to log in on my behalf, but it's becoming tedious. Can I link the business to my own gov gateway account and become a delegate, a bit like I have done with my RPA account for BPS?

It's a bit of a puzzle. Surely the point of there being a vat receipt and receipt number is that there is a trail of this kind of thing happens? Can Xero advise how you might approach HMRC? Have you raised a support case?

 

[bitwrx]

It's a bit of a puzzle. Surely the point of there being a vat receipt and receipt number is that there is a trail of this kind of thing happens? Can Xero advise how you might approach HMRC? Have you raised a support case?

You'd have thought so. Something has gone wrong though. Just wondering if the return might be subject to an inspection I don't know about...

Support case raised with Xero. Will try again with HMRC tomorrow.

 

[Lincsman]

Have an issue with last quarter's VAT return. Our second VAT quarter on Xero. First one worked fine. I submitted this one promptly (0745, Apr 1st ), but have heard nothing since. Xero is giving this slightly confusing information:
View attachment 957281
As you can see, our return for qtr to March has been filed, but also needs attention. HMRC do not have any record of the return being filed, but Xero say that it must have been, because I have a VAT receipt number on the VAT receipt for the return.

So with me being pushed from pillar to post, and short of a decent amount of VAT to be returned, I have to ask, has anyone else out there seen this problem before? If so, what was the solution?

I've taken a lot of flak from senior management for moving away from Farmplan, so I kinda need Xero to work...

ETA: also, while I'm here, what's the 'correct' way for me - someone who is neither the accountant for, nor agent of, nor partner in the business - to get VAT info from the government gateway? I'm currently using one of the business partners to log in on my behalf, but it's becoming tedious. Can I link the business to my own gov gateway account and become a delegate, a bit like I have done with my RPA account for BPS?

So the gov online says no return sent?

You can be an "agent" i think to get access once permission is granted.

 

[Chae1]

Not xero but Sage one won't connect to clydesdale bank. Now Virgin money. If I log into banking app directly through computer it works fine.

 

[bitwrx]

So the gov online says no return sent?

You can be an "agent" i think to get access once permission is granted.

Yup, no return sent. But then none of our previous returns are visible either. I have no idea if this is normal as I only started doing the books in sept, and moved to Xero at the same time.

One chap at HMRC said something about a hybrid MTD account, but I didn't really understand. Then he hung up on me.

Will look up the agent thing at a later date. Thanks for the pointer.

 

[Lincsman]

Yup, no return sent. But then none of our previous returns are visible either. I have no idea if this is normal as I only started doing the books in sept, and moved to Xero at the same time.

One chap at HMRC said something about a hybrid MTD account, but I didn't really understand. Then he hung up on me.

Will look up the agent thing at a later date. Thanks for the pointer.

Just looked at mine at gov online, for the first time in 15 months! and they are all there, maybe you need to disconnect the gov link and reset it, its a bit vague now but isnt it a 2 stage thing with HMRC sending something in the post?

 

[bitwrx]

Just looked at mine at gov online, for the first time in 15 months! and they are all there, maybe you need to disconnect the gov link and reset it, its a bit vague now but isnt it a 2 stage thing with HMRC sending something in the post?

Have disconnected Xero from HMRC and reconnected. Got through fairly quickly to HMRC on the phone just now; they can see that an attempt has been made to submit the return, but it has not gone through for some reason. It's been passed to the returns team.

Apparently, if it's easily resolved, they'll just sort it, but won't be in touch. If there are issues, they'll be in touch. He recommended that I can call after a couple of weeks to see if they've addressed it or not. Good job I don't really need the VAT money back...

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

At last! Xero has just fixed the broken bank feed from Handelsbanken following the banking changes in March 2020.

 

[tepapa]

Well I'm tryin to leave xero and move over to a different program, purely based on price and poor quote/estimate options compared to others. But my god you wouldn't believe how hard it is to migrate to a different company. QuickBooks help guides are absolutely useless. Even though they are by far the cheapest and I think have a good over all package I had to bin them off after a month of trying to set up the program. So I've tried sage and the online form to register doesn't work properly. You'd think that they would make sure the set up and payment system was right but no they haven't done anything after a week so lost patience with them too. I'll be sticking with xero at this rate.

 

[bitwrx]

Share your frustration.

I'd love there to be a perfect accounts package, but I just don't think there is one.

I'll stick with Xero for the moment, despite its manifold drawbacks. It's a step up from farmplan in some areas that are useful for me. I'll take that as a win.

(I love how when I log in on a Thursday to do the books, all my regular bills are just there ready to code.)

 

[bitwrx]

More VAT fun. The problem was with HMRC, and they have clearly done something to shuffle it along, because:

• I'm now showing two VAT returns for the quarter to March in both Xero and the Gov Gateway account.
• I've received the VAT refund, plus a mystery 5% bonus.

Internet says HMRC pay only 0.5% on late VAT refunds. Methinks someone dibbed in the wrong number to the calcumalator...

So Xero is in the clear, but the fun is not over.

ETA: Just off the phone to them now. It's a compensation payment because the processing time was over 30 days.
The question now is, what do I spend my extra £456 on? The answer is, of course, pig feed.

 

[Clive]

Is the HMRC link to Xero playing up?

Trying to submit VAT return and says cant communicate with HMRC....

you have to renew the link every few months

 

[mrs mtx]

We’ve just started with xero,
I’m getting used to it all now, I have a few questions that the accountant still hasn’t got back to me. Any ideas…..

When reconciling the bank:
What category do I pick for a loan repayment to a family member that has no interest? (The loan was used for the business but from a few years ago if that makes a difference).
And then a vat and deposit payment for a large item that will be on finance?

 

[Steevo]

We’ve just started with xero,
I’m getting used to it all now, I have a few questions that the accountant still hasn’t got back to me. Any ideas…..

When reconciling the bank:
What category do I pick for a loan repayment to a family member that has no interest? (The loan was used for the business but from a few years ago if that makes a difference).
And then a vat and deposit payment for a large item that will be on finance?

Welcome to the club!!

For question two, this earlier post by @Boysground should see you right:

If I have what you are trying to do correct this should work

Line 1, Total price of machine +vat
Line 2, Less deposit +vat
Line 3 Less total amount of machine no vat, this is the figure that is financed so could show as a loan or in a hp account code.

It should work.
Bg

 

[Steevo]

For question 1, I have never had to do this so can't speak from experience but looking at my categories, I have "Bank loans" and "Other loans".

Has your accountant set up all of the categories for you?

 

[upnortheast]

You family loan.
You can pick , say " other loans "& rename it Aunty Mary loan, or whatever.
The opening balance of the loan should be put in so every repay you make reduces the balance Speak to your accountant. if you are not sure


Screen shot of a van bought on HP which might help
1st line the van is introduced
2nd line the amount is transfered as a negative amount to a HP heading
3rd & 4th lines RFL & arr fee are dealt with
last line the 1st repay is taken off the HP heading

 

[rusty]

Anyone having difficulty logging on this morning? Tried on 2 different computers we use and saying password not recognized despite it being saved on both computers.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Anyone having difficulty logging on this morning? Tried on 2 different computers we use and saying password not recognized despite it being saved on both computers.

Not letting me in either....

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Anyone having difficulty logging on this morning? Tried on 2 different computers we use and saying password not recognized despite it being saved on both computers.

Xero Status

Welcome to Xero's home for real-time and historical data on system performance.

status.xero.com