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Payments & finance

QuickBooks VAT return checks before you file

VAT readiness checks look through a quarter’s records in QuickBooks for the gaps that slow a return down. They list missing receipts, unusual VAT codes, possible duplicates and uncategorised spending, so the person preparing the return starts from a short checklist.

An example of how the studio would build it. No live services are connected.

From the end of a VAT quarter to books ready for the return.

  1. Step 01

    Quarter ends

    Start the checks on an agreed day after the VAT period ends, well before the filing deadline.

  2. Step 02

    Books read

    Read the quarter’s purchases, bills, sales and VAT codes from QuickBooks Online.

  3. Step 03

    Receipts checked

    List purchases above an agreed amount that have no receipt or bill attached, so they can be found in Dext or requested.

  4. Step 04

    Codes reviewed

    Flag unusual VAT codes for a supplier, possible duplicate bills and spending left in uncategorised accounts.

  5. Step 05

    Checklist sent

    Post one checklist to Microsoft Teams for the person preparing the return, with a link to each item in QuickBooks.

The result

Each VAT return starts from tidy books rather than a last-minute scramble.

The checks only read and report. Nothing is recategorised or changed in QuickBooks, and the return itself is always reviewed and submitted by a person.

Before we connect it.

Where this is useful

Useful for VAT-registered businesses and their bookkeepers, where problems tend to surface in the last few days before the deadline. A sensible first version runs the two checks that cause the most rework, such as missing receipts and uncategorised spending, and adds others once the list is trusted.

What we need to connect

  1. 01QuickBooks Online access to read purchases, bills, attachments, accounts and VAT codes for the period.
  2. 02A Dext account already publishing receipts and bills into QuickBooks, so attached documents can be checked.
  3. 03Your VAT scheme, the amount above which a receipt is expected and the Teams channel or person who receives the checklist.

What needs careful handling

Some VAT schemes, such as the Flat Rate Scheme, change which checks matter, so the rules are set for each business rather than assumed. Lower-value purchases may only need a simplified VAT invoice, so the receipt check uses a threshold agreed with your accountant. A supplier can legitimately charge different VAT rates on different items, so unusual codes are raised as questions rather than treated as mistakes.

Questions people ask.

Will it submit my VAT return?

No. Returns are submitted through Making Tax Digital compatible software by you or your accountant. These checks only help the books get ready before that happens.

Is this useful if my accountant does the return?

Often it helps most then. The checklist goes to whoever prepares the return, and fixing gaps before they start can mean fewer queries and less back-and-forth near the deadline.

Receipt received → Filed in Xero
Automation 38

Email receipts to Dext and Xero automation

Queries gathered → Posted by a person
Automation 43

Xero suspense account queries sent to clients

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