Use our OVERVIEW sheet
If you’re using a spreadsheet to keep your records for HMRC, you’re in good company.
Plenty of landlords and sole traders prefer a simple spreadsheet over complicated accounting software. It’s clear, flexible and, once set up properly, surprisingly easy to maintain.
That’s exactly what suiteSheets is designed for.
The Overview sheet is perfect if you already have your own spreadsheet and simply want a straightforward way to connect your totals to the suiteSheets system for submission. Whether you’re a landlord or a sole trader, the exact categories that HMRC asks for are slightly different.
Landlords track rental income and property expenses.
Sole traders track business income and trading costs.
The good news?The process for using the suiteSheets Overview sheet is exactly the same.
You keep using your existing spreadsheet as normal. The Overview sheet simply links to your totals so they can be stored and submitted in line with HMRC’s ‘digital link’ requirements.
Let’s walk through the basics.
Digital link requirements
Under MTD, HMRC requires a clear digital link from your transactions all the way through to submission.
In practice, that means your totals should be calculated using formulas (not typed in), with data flowing automatically from your records to your summary. From there, your figures must be sent to HMRC using MTD-compatible software, like suiteSheets!
Cash accounting
suiteSheets works with cash accounting, which is the simplest way to keep records for tax. Instead of worrying about when invoices were issued, you simply record money when it actually moves.
When rent or business income hits your account, record it as income.
When you pay an expense, record it as an expense.
If nothing has been paid in or out yet, nothing gets recorded yet.
That’s it. No complicated accruals, no accounting gymnastics. Just real money in, real money out.
For many landlords and small businesses, this approach keeps bookkeeping manageable without needing accounting training.
Standard reporting period
suiteSheets follows the standard reporting period used by HMRC. The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April the following year. Your spreadsheet should be organised around this cycle so that:
Your records match the tax year
Your quarterly updates stay organised
Your totals are ready when you need them
No mental arithmetic required.
Is it right for you?
The Overview sheet works best for people who already keep their own spreadsheet and just need a simple way to connect their totals to HMRC. It’s ideal for:
Landlords reporting rental income
Sole traders or freelancers
People using cash accounting
People who want to continue using their own spreadsheet
People comfortable using a basic spreadsheet formula
Businesses with annual income under roughly £90,000 are typically a good fit.
If that sounds like you, you’re exactly who the Overview sheet was built for.
Record each transaction
To keep compliant digital records for HMRC, each transaction should still be recorded individually in your own spreadsheet. For every entry you should record:
Date
Category (income, expense etc)
Amount
You can also add a description if you want a reminder of what the transaction was for. It’s not strictly required, but future you may appreciate the extra detail. Your own spreadsheet continues to handle all of this. The Overview sheet simply links to the totals you already calculate.
Running totals
HMRC requires four updates per year, with each update showing running (cumulative) totals, meaning each quarter builds on the previous one.
Your spreadsheet should therefore keep totals that build across the year. These totals are what you will link to the suiteSheets Overview sheet.
Top tip: To keep things even simpler, many users set a monthly reminder to update their transactions. Ten minutes a month can save a surprising amount of stress later.
Connect the Overview sheet to your spreadsheet
Setting up the Overview sheet is straightforward.
You simply copy and paste the Overview sheet into your existing spreadsheet and, using a simple formula, connect your existing totals. You must use the simple formula to connect your existing totals in order to comply with MTD requirements for a digital link between transactions and submissions.
Let your spreadsheet do the heavy lifting
Once your totals are linked, the Overview sheet quietly does its job.
You keep full control of your own spreadsheet and your data.
suiteSheets simply reads the totals from the Overview sheet when you ask it to.
Full instructions
Don’t worry about memorising everything straight away.
The full step-by-step instructions for both landlords and sole traders are included directly inside your template download.
Just head to the Welcome sheet in your template and follow the guidance there. It’s all laid out clearly so you can get started in minutes.
Submission
The first Making Tax Digital quarterly submission for 2026 must be completed by the beginning of August 2026.
When you’re ready to submit, simply upload your spreadsheet to your suiteSheets account. Our system reads the totals directly from your Overview sheet, shows them clearly on screen, and asks you to confirm that everything looks correct. Once you’re happy, you can submit the figures straight to HMRC.
No complicated steps — just a quick check and a simple submission.
Next steps
We look forward to inviting you to create your suiteSheets account soon!
In the meantime, you can:
Find a summary of what to expect in our article - Create a suiteSheets account
Make sure you join the waiting list to stay updated -Join waiting list
Download your suiteSheets OVERVIEW template - Download template
Start your MTD compliance journey with suiteSheets TODAY!