If you act as an agent and complete VAT returns on behalf of your clients, you can connect to HMRC and authorise Inform Direct to retrieve the VAT dates of any client linked to your HMRC agent services account (ASA).
Doing this allows Inform Direct to display important VAT due dates and send you email reminders when a client VAT deadline is approaching. You can also choose to display your clients VAT deadlines on your Portfolio page.
How do I connect to HMRC and authorise Inform Direct to retrieve the VAT dates of my clients?
Note: Reminder emails are generated whether the due dates are synced with HMRC, or entered manually.
To make sure you are aware when your clients' VAT returns must be filed you will receive both:
• Email reminders; and
• System Alerts.
System Alerts
On the Portfolio Screen
If you choose to include it, the ‘Next VAT Due Date’ can be shown for each company in your portfolio that you have entered the VAT registration number for (and that is connected to your agent services account). You can sort the companies in your portfolio using the ‘Next VAT Due Date’ heading. Doing this, you will be able to bring those with the most imminent VAT filing due date to the top – making it easy to prioritise your workload.
On the Company Dashboard
There is a Key Dates section for each company. You will see the ‘Next VAT return due date’ is highlighted, together with a counter that as well as showing the months or days until the filing is due, also changes from green > amber > red as a visual cue that the deadline is moving closer.
The ‘Alerts & Notifications’ section will also generate system alerts, which in turn will trigger a check alert triangle to display on your portfolio screen. These alerts are designed to be a spur to action and to remind you when a VAT return filing is due in 7 days and if still not filed, on the due date itself.
Email reminders
An email reminder will be sent:
• 7 days before the VAT return is due to be filed
• On the latest date to file the VAT return
Note: If the VAT return is filed before any of the above deadlines are reached, then of course the email reminders and dashboard notifications will not be triggered.