How to use suiteSheets OVERVIEW sheet
30-second answer
The suiteSheets Overview sheet is designed for sole traders and landlords who already keep their business records in a spreadsheet and want to continue using it for Making Tax Digital submissions.
You keep recording income and expenses in your current spreadsheet, add the suiteSheets Overview sheet and simply link in your existing totals.
When a submission is due, upload your spreadsheet to suiteSheets, review the figures from your Overview sheet and submit them to HMRC.
No monthly subscription. No complicated software. Simply spreadsheets.
This guide is most relevant if you are:
- A sole trader or landlord
- Already using your own spreadsheet
- New to suiteSheets
- New to Making Tax Digital
- Using Excel or Google Sheets
This guide covers
This guide is provided for general information only and is based on HMRC guidance available at the time of writing.
HMRC allows sole traders and landlords to use spreadsheets as part of their Making Tax Digital record-keeping process.
So you can continue to keep your records in a spreadsheet, as long as those records form part of a digital process and submissions are made using compatible software.
In short
HMRC allows spreadsheets. The key requirement is that your records form part of a digital process and can be submitted through compatible software.
The suiteSheets Overview sheet helps sole traders and landlords using spreadsheets to connect their existing records to HMRC for Making Tax Digital submissions.
It does not replace your spreadsheet. It sits as an additional sheet inside your existing spreadsheet and pulls together the figures needed for MTD quarterly updates.
You continue using your own spreadsheet as normal, simply link your existing totals into the Overview sheet.
The Overview sheet provides the structure needed for suiteSheets to read your figures and submit them to HMRC.
In short
The Overview sheet connects your existing spreadsheet to the suiteSheets MTD submission process.
The Overview sheet is designed to be added to your existing spreadsheet.
Your own spreadsheet remains where you record income, expenses and any other information you already track.
You continue using your existing spreadsheet to record your income and expenses.
For landlords, this typically means rental income and property expenses.
For sole traders, this typically means business income and business expenses.
The Overview sheet is the sheet suiteSheets reads when you upload your spreadsheet for submission.
It brings together the figures needed for Making Tax Digital reporting and submission.
These are the only figures suiteSheets reads when you upload your spreadsheet.
Because of this, it is important that the structure and format of the Overview sheet remains unchanged. The suiteSheets platform relies on that structure to identify and read the correct figures.
You link your existing spreadsheet totals into the Overview sheet using formulas.
This is important because the figures need to move digitally from your records into the Overview sheet.
You should not manually type totals into the Overview sheet. These figures should be calculated elsewhere in your spreadsheet.
When a submission is due, you upload your spreadsheet to your suiteSheets account.
suiteSheets reads the figures from the Overview sheet, displays them for review and, once confirmed, submits them to HMRC.
One of the key requirements under Making Tax Digital is maintaining a digital link from your transactions through to submission.
In practice, this means your totals should be calculated digitally, rather than manually typed.
If you use the Overview sheet, your digital link is created by connecting the totals in your own spreadsheet to the Overview sheet.
From there, suiteSheets reads the Overview sheet and uses those figures for submission.
suiteSheets works with cash accounting, which is the simplest way to keep records for tax.
Instead of worrying about when invoices were issued, you record money when it actually moves.
When rent or business income reaches your account, record it as income.
When you pay an expense, record it as an expense.
If no money has moved, nothing gets recorded yet.
For many landlords and small businesses, this keeps bookkeeping manageable without needing accounting training.
In short
Cash accounting means recording real money in and real money out.
One of the things that surprises people about Making Tax Digital is that many sole traders and landlords won't need to categorise every transaction into detailed expense headings for quarterly updates.
For most suiteSheets users, this means recording income and expenses without needing to split every transaction into categories such as travel, advertising or professional fees.
There is one small exception for landlords. Finance costs, such as mortgage interest, must be recorded separately because HMRC requires these figures to be reported differently.
If you use your own spreadsheet, make sure the totals linked into the Overview sheet match the figures needed for your business type.
Making Tax Digital requires quarterly updates throughout the tax year.
Your spreadsheet should follow the standard UK tax year from 6 April to 5 April, helping keep records aligned with HMRC reporting periods.
Quarterly updates are cumulative, which means each update builds on the previous one.
Your spreadsheet should keep running totals across the tax year. These totals are what you link into the Overview sheet so your figures are organised and ready when needed.
Before submitting, you'll be asked to review the figures displayed on screen and confirm that they are correct.
suiteSheets reads the figures from your Overview sheet and transmits them to HMRC, but it does not verify the accuracy of those figures. You remain responsible for ensuring your records and submissions are complete and correct.
When a submission is due:
- Review the figures in your Overview sheet
- Upload your spreadsheet to your suiteSheets account
- Check the figures displayed on screen
- Confirm everything looks correct
- Submit to HMRC
Your spreadsheet remains your source record throughout the process.
suiteSheets is designed to help spreadsheet users prepare and submit information to HMRC.
When you upload a spreadsheet, suiteSheets reads the figures from your Overview sheet and displays them for review before submission.
It is your responsibility to ensure those figures are complete and accurate before submitting them to HMRC.
suiteSheets does not verify your bookkeeping records, categorise transactions or check whether figures have been entered correctly.
In short
You stay in control of your records and remain responsible for the figures submitted to HMRC.
Creating a suiteSheets account is free.
You can download the Overview sheet, prepare your figures and get your spreadsheet ready without paying a thing.
When you're ready to make your first submission of the tax year, you purchase access for that business.
Current pricing is:
- £20 per business for the tax year
- £10 per additional business
Once purchased, you can submit as many quarterly updates as needed throughout the tax year without paying a penny more.
In short
No monthly subscription. Pay once and submit all year.
The Overview sheet is designed to keep things simple, but there are a few habits worth avoiding.
- Typing figures directly into the Overview sheet instead of linking them
- Linking to totals that do not match the MTD reporting period
- Breaking or overwriting formulas
- Changing the Overview sheet format
- Uploading the wrong spreadsheet
In short
The Overview sheet works best when your totals are linked properly and the format is left unchanged.
Yes. You can keep using your existing spreadsheet, provided it forms part of a digital process and submissions are made using compatible software.
Yes. suiteSheets is HMRC recognised bridging software.
The Overview sheet brings together the figures needed for MTD reporting and submission. These are the only figures the suiteSheets system reads so it is important the format is not adjusted.
Excel can be used as part of a compliant MTD process when connected to compatible software.
Google Sheets can be used as part of a compliant MTD process when connected to compatible software.
Creating a suiteSheets account is free.
Access costs £20 per business for the tax year and £10 for each additional business.
Once purchased, you can submit quarterly updates for that business throughout the tax year without paying again.
Upload your spreadsheet to your suiteSheets account, review the figures displayed on screen and submit them directly to HMRC through suiteSheets.
This guide is provided for general information only and is based on HMRC guidance available at the time of writing.
suiteSheets is software for spreadsheet users. We do not provide tax advice, accounting advice or legal advice. If you are unsure how Making Tax Digital applies to your circumstances, contact HMRC or a qualified adviser.
These HMRC pages provide further context on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, eligibility, digital records, compatible software, signing up and quarterly updates.
Try the FREE suiteSheets Overview sheet
Already have a spreadsheet you like using?
Download the suiteSheets Overview sheet and connect your existing totals to a spreadsheet-based MTD submission process.
Open a FREE suiteSheets account
suiteSheets is MTD-compatible software designed for sole traders and landlords who prefer a spreadsheet-based approach to Making Tax Digital.
Open your free suiteSheets account and explore Making Tax Digital made easy.