Recommendations for easy to learn CT filing software to replace HMRC's own

Sandy Dog

I only have a couple of one share simple Ltd Co clients but now HMRC have withdrawn their own CT filing software, I am looking for recommendations of a cheap and simple to learn/use alternative software.
Any advice welcome

MarieNoelle

I use Taxcalc and find it easy to use. May not be the cheapest on the market for a couple of clients though.
Try also Taxfiler?

burg

We use Keytime but am currently exploring trying to get everything into the cloud. Take a look at Taxfiler which seems good value. In my opinion the accounts prep needs some work but the tax side looks good

rwb

Taxfiler is excellent, great value and easy to use. Agree with Burg that the accounts side is a bit lacking at the moment (although it is workable).

Sandy Dog

Sorry, I have not responded earlier. I have only just got back to this.
Thank you all for your advice.
Just FYI, I've decided to go for Taxfiler as 2 1/2 of you recommended it.
Also for anyone else I also read this forum - http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/any-answers/taxfiler-v-taxcalc
And it's on a monthly basis so I can easily drop it if I don't like it.

Monsoon

Taxfiler is amazing.
I've only just started using the accounts prep, and for simple companies it's fine, and I won't be renewing my VT subs next year. I can't believe I've just said that! VT is incredible but I can't justify paying for it when Taxfiler just works.

Sandy Dog

Hi Monsoon

Yes, the accounts prep is really useful and it does make you wonder whether to carry on with VT's accounts production as it seems it's just doubling up on packages.

Feel bad about that though as VT is great bookkeeping software.

Haven't tried Taxfiler enough to say though and it does involve re-typing the trial balance

Be good to hear of others' experiences

Monsoon

Sandy, that's why I didn't try it for ages. However....

I still bookkeep in VT T+, because it's ace. Once you've bought a VT Accounts licence, I believe T+ continues to be free. I do need to check this with VT before my renewal comes up next year.

The thing of beauty is that if you switch to spreadsheet view in T+ and copy the TB, it will paste straight into Taxfiler. You don't have to re-key it in. That was the deciding factor for me. The mappings are near perfect so there's very little to do after that to get your accounts finished - I would say it's comparable to VT Accounts.

Monsoon

VT have just confirmed that T+ will still work without an accounts licence, as long as you have had one in the past

burg

I also like the look of Taxfiler but for me the Accounts Prep software is not up to standard. I can't see it has been improved although they said it would by the end of the summer. My issues are:-

1 - The account descriptions are not editable so you are stuck with the standard descriptions. Fine for the majority of our clients but some it simply won't work such as farmers.

2 - There is no system to edit balances within the software such as a journal entry screen. Just means working outside of accounts prep and then re-importing a TB. For me this would slow up working.

If they could fix these issues then I would go for it. I think our choice is likely to be BTC software. Cloud version on the horizon I hear too, albeit a distant horizon.

Monsoon

Thanks burg,

I didn't know the accounts heads couldn't be edited.

The journal thing is mildly annoying but as I only paste in a finished TB, I haven't found it a hindrance as yet.