A calculator is only one step
Price calculations do not replace bookkeeping or filing software. Making Tax Digital requires digital records and compatible submission software unless an exemption applies. Check current HMRC guidance for the records and digital links relevant to your system.
Map the route from invoice to return
Write down where sales and purchase information first enters your workflow, how it is classified, how totals move between systems and how the return is submitted. This map helps identify manual copying and missing evidence before the filing deadline.
Test with a small sample
Follow one sales invoice, one purchase invoice and one adjustment all the way to the return report. Compare amounts, dates and tax codes at each stage. Investigate differences before assuming that a successful software connection means the numbers are correct.
Keep a clear boundary
Use these calculators for checking arithmetic and learning formulas. Keep your accounting records in your chosen system, and use compatible software for submission. No calculator on this site connects to your HMRC account or submits information on your behalf.
Keep learning
FAQs
Who has to follow Making Tax Digital for VAT?
Since April 2022, all VAT-registered businesses must follow MTD rules, whatever their turnover — keeping digital records and filing returns through compatible software. There is no longer a turnover exemption for new registrations.
What counts as keeping digital records?
You must keep the core figures (such as total sales, purchases and VAT) in digital form, using software or spreadsheets that can send returns to HMRC digitally. Day-to-day documents like invoices and receipts can still be paper, but the totals must be recorded digitally with digital links between them.
Can I still use spreadsheets?
Yes, if they are linked to bridging software that submits the return to HMRC, and the data flows digitally (no retyping figures between the spreadsheet and the submission). Typing figures into the HMRC website manually no longer complies.
What happens if I file late under MTD?
Late returns earn penalty points, and a £200 fine applies once you reach your threshold (4 points for quarterly filers). Late payments attract separate penalties that grow at 15 and 30 days, plus daily interest.
How do I sign up for MTD?
Choose MTD-compatible software first, then sign up through GOV.UK. Do not leave it to the last minute: sign up at least 7 working days before your first MTD return is due if you do not pay by Direct Debit, or at least 3 working days before if you do. Your agent can sign up for you.
Official sources
Sources checked: 2026-09-26. Check the official guidance for later changes.
Educational information and estimates. These tools do not submit VAT returns or determine the treatment of a specific transaction.