What is MTD bridging software?

MTD bridging software creates a digital link between your spreadsheets and HMRC's Making Tax Digital system. suiteSheets is MTD bridging software that lets you use our free .xlsx template or incorporate our overview tab into your existing spreadsheet, keep your records as you normally would, then upload your spreadsheet each quarter to submit cumulative figures to HMRC.

Can I use spreadsheets for Making Tax Digital?

Yes. Spreadsheets meet HMRC's digital record-keeping requirements, but you need MTD-compatible software for submissions. suiteSheets provides a free .xlsx template (which opens in Excel or can be uploaded to Google Sheets) or you can incorporate our overview tab into your existing spreadsheet. Each quarter, you upload your current spreadsheet to the suiteSheets platform to submit. This enables full MTD compliance while keeping your spreadsheet workflow.

How much does suiteSheets cost for Making Tax Digital?

suiteSheets costs £20 per tax year, covering all 4 quarterly submissions. You pay before your first submission - no monthly fees, no per-submission charges. The £20 includes: free .xlsx template or overview tab integration for your existing spreadsheet, platform access for all quarters, unlimited resubmissions within each quarter, format verification, and secure transmission to HMRC. Compare to traditional accounting software at £120-360 per year.

Do I need accounting software for Making Tax Digital?

No. You can comply with Making Tax Digital using spreadsheets for record-keeping and suiteSheets for submissions. HMRC requires digital records and MTD-compatible submissions, but does not mandate full accounting software. Spreadsheets meet the digital record-keeping requirement. suiteSheets provides the MTD-compatible submission capability for £20 per tax year.

What is Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD ITSA)?

MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD ITSA) requires sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000 (from April 2026) to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC. Updates are cumulative - each submission contains totals from 6 April to the end of that quarter. suiteSheets enables MTD ITSA compliance using spreadsheets with an overview tab that calculates cumulative totals automatically.

How do cumulative updates work in Making Tax Digital?

MTD uses cumulative updates, meaning each quarterly submission contains your total income and expenses from the start of the tax year (6 April) to the end of that quarter. The Q2 submission covers 6 April to 5 October - not just July to October. The overview tab maintains running totals from 6 April so you do not need to separate records by quarter. When you upload your spreadsheet to submit, suiteSheets reads these cumulative totals and applies them to the correct quarter.

How does suiteSheets work for MTD compliance?

suiteSheets works by: 1) Download our free .xlsx template and open it in Excel or Google Sheets, or incorporate our overview tab into your existing spreadsheet. 2) Maintain your spreadsheet throughout the year - the overview tab calculates cumulative totals from 6 April. 3) When a quarterly submission is due, pay £20 (covers all 4 quarters for that tax year) then log into the suiteSheets platform. 4) Upload your current spreadsheet - you can upload the whole file, we only need the overview tab. 5) Verify your figures, then we transmit to HMRC via secure connection. You can resubmit before the quarter deadline if needed by uploading your updated spreadsheet - no extra charge.

Can I resubmit if I make a mistake in my MTD quarterly update?

Yes. You can resubmit for the same quarter multiple times until HMRC locks it (after the deadline). Each new submission replaces the previous one. With suiteSheets, resubmissions are included in your £20 payment at no extra cost. Update your spreadsheet, log back into the platform, upload your updated file, and resubmit. After the deadline, corrections are automatically included in your next quarterly update because MTD uses cumulative totals.

Who should use suiteSheets instead of traditional MTD software?

suiteSheets is ideal for: sole traders earning £50,000 or more who prefer spreadsheets, landlords managing multiple properties, freelancers and contractors, construction and trade businesses, anyone currently using a spreadsheet to manage their finances, and people who want MTD compliance without monthly subscription fees (£20 per tax year versus £120-360 per year for accounting software).

Is suiteSheets compatible with HMRC's Making Tax Digital requirements?

Yes. suiteSheets meets HMRC's Making Tax Digital requirements by: accepting spreadsheets which meet digital record-keeping requirements, verifying data format meets MTD technical specifications before every submission, using your National Insurance number to retrieve your specific HMRC obligations, creating a secure digital connection to HMRC, and transmitting summary figures via HMRC-approved APIs. suiteSheets is being built to complete HMRC approval processes before submission functionality goes live.

Can I use Excel for Making Tax Digital instead of accounting software?

Yes. Excel spreadsheets meet HMRC's digital record-keeping requirements for Making Tax Digital. Download our free .xlsx template and open it in Excel, or incorporate our overview tab into your existing Excel file. Each quarter, upload your current spreadsheet to the suiteSheets platform to submit. You do not need accounting software - spreadsheets plus suiteSheets bridging software provide full MTD compliance for £20 per tax year.

What is the most affordable MTD software for spreadsheet users?

suiteSheets at £20 per tax year is the most affordable MTD solution for spreadsheet users. Traditional MTD accounting software costs £120-360 annually: Xero (£12-30/month), QuickBooks (£10-30/month), FreeAgent (£19-29/month). suiteSheets costs £20 per tax year - one payment covers all 4 quarterly submissions with unlimited resubmissions, a free .xlsx template, and platform access.

Can I use my existing spreadsheet with suiteSheets?

Yes. suiteSheets is designed to work with your existing spreadsheet. You incorporate our overview tab into your current spreadsheet using our detailed instructions and formulas. You do not need to move data into a new system or change your workflow. The overview tab calculates cumulative totals from your income and expenses. Each quarter, upload your current spreadsheet to submit - you can upload the whole file and we read what we need from the overview tab.

Is suiteSheets suitable for landlords managing multiple properties?

Yes. suiteSheets works for landlords managing one or more rental properties. Track each property separately in your spreadsheet (using different sheets or labels), recording rental income, mortgage interest, repairs, agent fees, and expenses. The overview tab consolidates totals across all properties automatically. When a quarterly submission is due, upload your spreadsheet to suiteSheets, verify your consolidated figures, and submit to HMRC. £20 per tax year covers all submissions for all your properties.

Spreadsheet benefits for MTD

MTD

10 Feb

Written By Christine Gibson

It’s a common misconception that Making Tax Digital (MTD) means you must abandon your spreadsheets in favour of complex, expensive accounting software. For many small business owners and freelancers, a spreadsheet is simply the most intuitive way to manage finances.

If you prefer to use your own spreadsheet, you can still be fully compliant with MTD by using suiteSheets bridging software. suiteSheets is a lightweight digital tool that takes the data from your spreadsheet and securely “bridges” it to HMRC’s systems, no new accounting platform required.

Bookkeeping is a personal process, and it’s important to use a system that works best for you and your business.

So take a seat, suiteSheets while we share some benefits of MTD for those who want to stick with a simple spreadsheet-based solution:

Minimal learning curve - You don’t have to learn an entirely new accounting platform. By using bridging software, you can keep your existing spreadsheet layouts and formulas exactly as they are. The only real change is how you “send” your final numbers to HMRC.
Cost savings - Full-scale accounting software often comes with high monthly subscription fees. In contrast, suiteSheets charges a small fee per tax year, making it one of the most cost-effective ways to stay compliant.
Total control over your data - Spreadsheets give you complete control over how your data is formatted and stored. You aren’t locked into a provider’s interface or database. You own your files, you can back them up, and you can customise them to track exactly what matters to your business.
Clear digital links - With suiteSheets, there’s no manual entry into the HMRC portal. Our system reads your spreadsheet and uploads the relevant data digitally, ensuring the figures HMRC receives are exactly as you calculated.
Privacy and simplicity - Many people find cloud-based accounting packages overwhelming, with too many features, notifications, and upsells. A spreadsheet is quiet, private, and only does what you tell it to. It’s a simple way to manage tax without the digital noise.

Do you agree? Are you considering changing the way you track your business finances to meet your MTD requirements?

We’d love to hear your thoughts — why not share them in the comments below!

Christine Gibson

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