Resubmitting a VAT return

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1

I have just submitted a VAT return and realised that I had neglected to code my last sales invoice as paid. I then saw I could roll back the return which I activated. But I now realise I cannot resubmit the return with the missing sales invoice included. The difference is a few hundred pounds. I assume I can include this in my next VAT return but I wanted to check what I should do next. Do I just leave the current return as rolled back? What happens when I come to submit the next return at the beginning of June?

2

As you have discovered, it is not possible to amend a VAT return once it has been submitted. If the error was not deliberate and it amounts to less than £10k underpaid VAT then HMRC’s own advice is to correct it in your next return.

So the thing to do now is

  • delete or untag the payment you’ve just created, to get the VAT-relevant parts of your books back to the state they were in before you corrected for the mistake
  • on your QuickFile VAT settings page set the drop down box for HMRC account to no online filing
  • now prepare a new vat return for the rolled-back quarter. Check that all the numbers match what you actually submitted, then “save” the return. Because you turned off online filing this will lock down the transactions and create the VAT journal as normal but won’t try and send anything to HMRC
  • go back to the settings page and re-select your tax account to turn online filing back on ready for next quarter
  • only now should you recreate or re-tag the extra payment. You should log this payment on the correct date even though that falls within the quarter you’ve already filed

The way QuickFile works, when you make a return for a quarter it will include all items dated within or before that quarter that have not already been included in a previous return, so it will include this late entry next time automatically.

In future if you make any similar mistakes it’s best not to roll back, simply enter the items as you normally would with their correct dates and everything should even out next time by itself.

3

If any of the numbers don’t match you’ll need to make manual adjustments to get it to line up, then next quarter apply the same adjustments in reverse.

4

Hi Ian

Many thanks for the response and apologies for the delay in replying. I have a further query.

By untag the invoice does that mean I can change its status from paid in full to unpaid? I have had a look under Modify Invoice and I can’t see how to untag.

If not possible then I guess I have to delete the invoice and set it up again. Am I able to use the same invoice number so that it matches what I sent to the client?

If that is not possible what do you suggest I do?

Regards

Jack

5

The easiest way is to find the bank transaction that corresponds to the payment, click the green “tagged” button and click “detag transaction”. This will delete the payment, revert the invoice to unpaid, and put the transaction back to the red “untagged” button.

After you’ve re-saved the rolled back VAT return you can tag the transaction again in the normal way to re-create the payment.

6

Thank you Ian

I have untagged the invoice, turned HMRC account to no online filing, recreated the VAT return which matches the rolled back one.

So on my VAT returns page I now have a Rolled Back Return with a red button in the Status column and the new return which is Saved with an amber button in the status column.

I presume I can now retag the Sales Invoice as paid?

Thank you for your help. Much appreciated.

Regards

7

Yes, that all sounds correct to me. Just remember to re-select the HMRC account so that your next return can submit online properly.

8

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