First VAT return - claiming back pre-registered VAT

[MES1]

Hi, Could someone let me know the best way to input invoices pre VAT registration to allow me to claim back the VAT. (I’ve not been using Quickfile so the invoices aren’t on the system yet.
Do I just input them as usual with the original date?

Thanks

[ian_roberts]

If you’ve only been using QuickFile since your date of VAT registration then that will work, but if you’d already been using QuickFile prior to that date then you’ll have to do it via manual adjustments. When you prepare a VAT return in QuickFile it includes all invoices and purchases dated between the “VAT start date” in your settings and the end of the return period you’re filing. This is deliberate as it makes sure anything dated in a previous quarter but entered late (after you had submitted the relevant return) is accounted for as soon as possible, but it means that if you don’t set a start date then everything back to when you started using QuickFile will be pulled into your first return, inflating the values of boxes 6 and 7.

You’ll need to go back through your previous purchases and work out which ones you can claim back the VAT and how much. Make a journal with two lines for each of these purchases, with the VAT amount as a credit to whatever was the original expense code for that purchase and a debit to “manual adjustments”. Then when you submit the first return use the adjustment boxes to add the total extra VAT you’re reclaiming to box 4 and add the net total of the relevant purchases (i.e. the original total amount minus the VAT you’re reclaiming) to box 7.

[MES1]

Thanks for that Ian,