The Dividend Wizard allows you to create Dividend Vouchers and, if needed, a Board Minute approving them.

The Dividend Wizard will check that there is a Shareholder Contact Address for each shareholder. This will allow the dividend vouchers to be posted. If any shareholders do not have an Address it is easy to add one.

How do I add or change a Shareholder Contact Address?

You can also have the company logo that the dividends are being created for appear on the vouchers themselves if you wish.  How do I add the company logo?

When you are ready to produce the Dividend Voucher:

1. Go to the 'Shareholders' tab.

2. Click on the blue 'Maintain dividends' button.           

3. This will take you to the Dividend history screen shown below. If Inform Direct has already been used to create some dividend vouchers for the company these will be shown here, otherwise it will be blank as shown below.     

4. Whether you are creating the first dividend voucher or adding more click on the blue 'Generate dividend vouchers' button. This will start the dividend voucher wizard.

5. The first screen of the dividend vouchers wizard (shown below) will require you to complete the following: 

• Which share class the dividend will be being paid out on. If there is only one share class, then this is the only class that will show. However if there is more than one share class you will be presented with a dropdown list of all possible options. Select the share class required.
• You will be required to choose a Description of the dividend. e.g. Final or Interim.  If you want to add your own description select Other.  A text box will then appear, you can type 'Special dividend' or whatever wording you require.  Be sure to include the word 'dividend' in whatever you type.
• The Payment date is the date that the dividend will be paid. Choose the date using the calendar provided or free type.
• The Holding date will be the date on which a shareholder must be recorded on the shareholders' register to receive the dividend. The date cannot be in the future.
• Lastly, Inform Direct will calculate the Financial year ending in which the dividend is being paid. If this is incorrect, you can use the calendar provided to amend this.

6. Click on the green 'Next' button to go the next screen:

• You will then need to choose the Currency of dividend that the dividend will be paid in. This will default to £ GB Pounds. If the dividend will be paid in another currency choose from the drop down list.
• Then enter either the 'Net amount payable per share' or the 'Total dividend payable'. Whichever figure you enter Inform Direct will calculate the other. Do not use a comma separator. So for £2,000 enter 2000.
   

7. Click on the green 'Next' button to be taken to the screen shown below which gives you the option to accommodate a dividend waiver if needs be. This guide will assume 'No' has been selected here.

If you need to accommodate a waiver, then please see here.

8. Click the green 'Next' button. This will take you to a list of all the shareholders who will be getting a dividend. You can edit the Dividend payable to take account of any rounding if required.

Additionally you can also edit the Voucher number if necessary. 

9. Click the green 'Next' button. Here, you will be asked if approval is required. This allows you to create a summary document if you require it. Selecting Yes will take you through the process to create the approval document if required.

Selecting No does not create the summary document and proceeds to the next step to complete the process.

Note: The approval feature is only available to subscribers of the software, please see What are the benefits of subscribing to Inform Direct? Pay as you go users will skip straight to step 10 below. 

10. There are range of template designs which you can pick from, please see What Does the Dividend Voucher Look Like?.

Select your template choice and then click the green 'Continue' button. 

11. You will now be presented with a summary of the details. If you need to make amendments you can select the 'Previous' button. Once you are happy you can click the green 'Submit' button. 

Note: This will not send a message to Companies House.

Note: Dividend vouchers and minutes are included at no extra charge as part of the Inform Direct subscription service. Users who are not subscribers will need to pay a fee for the tax credits to be calculated and the dividend voucher(s) and minutes prepared for printing.

12. At the final stage you have the option to generate additional supporting documents (where applicable):

• Shareholders resolutions (including written)
• Board minutes
• Dividend waiver

Tick alongside the documents that you wish to create.

Note: Depending on the information input into the wizard, you will be presented with the appropriate options. I.E. board minutes relating to either an interim, or final, depending on your selection. 

Your dividend voucher(s) and any elected supporting documents will be saved automatically into your Document Library whether you select to Download now, or later. 

The File name will include the Shareholder Name and Dividend voucher number.

How Do I Search For a Document?

How Do I Print Dividend Vouchers?

Additional Information.

The history of dividends paid and how much each shareholder has received will be saved by Inform Direct.  The dividend history for any dividends created using Inform Direct will show at step 3 above. You will be able to see who received these dividends.  

Inform Direct will also let you see all the dividends any particular shareholder has received. This is very useful if there is more than one share class. Go to the Shareholders tab and click on the blue arrow opposite their name. In addition to their personal details, appointments (if any) and their shareholdings you will also be able to see any dividends they have received (or waived) for any class of share.