What is this for?

BrightBooks now supports importing your quarterly MTD ITSA returns via a specialized Excel template. This feature enables you to upload finalized quarterly income and expense journals directly into BrightBooks without manual data entry, saving time and ensuring that your bookkeeping matches your official HMRC Making Tax Digital submissions.

Getting Started

Step 1: Navigate to Import Templates

• Go to Settings > Data > Imports
• You will see the list of available import templates
• Select "MTD ITSA Quarterly Returns" (located below the "Yearly Budget import" option)

Step 2: Prepare Your Excel File

Before uploading, ensure:

• You use the official Template provided by BrightBooks.
• You complete all necessary data adjustments inside Excel, as this import expects complete and final quarter data.

• The Excel includes up to:

  • 19 rows for Q1
  • 38 rows for Q2
  • 57 rows for Q3
  • 76 rows for Q4
   
• Data is entered only for the specific quarter (not cumulative). The system calculates cumulative totals internally.
• Zero-value journals (both Debit = 0 and Credit = 0) are ignored by the system; do not include unnecessary zero lines.

Important: Post-import manual changes in BrightBooks to these quarters — such as extra journal or bank entries — can cause mismatches with your HMRC figures.

Step 3: Import Configuration Page

On the import configuration page, you will see:

• Layer 1 (Warning):
  A prominently displayed yellow box with important messages:

   

   

  ⚠️ Important: Complete Records Only

  This import requires complete and final quarterly income and expenses for your HMRC submission.

  Do NOT use this if planning manual adjustments afterward.

  Any edits post-import will cause discrepancies with HMRC data.

  Best Practice: Finalize Excel before importing.

   

   

   
• Layer 2 (Help Icon):
  Click the "?" icon for expandable help titled Understanding This Import, explaining the importance of importing final data and a real-world example of risks if you don't finalize in Excel first.
• Tax Year Dropdown: Choose from 2025/6, 2026/7 (default), 2027/8, 2028/9.
• Quarter Dropdown: Options depend on your tax calendar setup.
• File Upload: Select your completed Excel file (.xlsx only).
• The Import button will be disabled until you select Tax Year, Quarter, and upload a valid Excel file.

Step 4: Enable Import Button

After selecting Tax Year, Quarter, and uploading Excel:

• The Import button will activate automatically.

Step 5: Confirm Before Importing

Clicking Import triggers a confirm dialog with mandatory checkboxes confirming:

• Your Excel contains complete quarterly figures
• These represent your final HMRC submission numbers
• You will NOT post additional journals or bank entries for these transactions in BrightBooks
• You understand that any additional entries will increase your HMRC submission figures unexpectedly

Only when all are checked will the Proceed with Import button activate. This ensures you have acknowledged the import constraints and audit requirements.

Best Practices and Tips

• Always finalize and review your Excel quarterly data before importing. Changes after import to related journals or bank entries will cause mismatches with HMRC reports.
• Import quarters in any order you prefer; the system supports flexible import sequencing with intelligent change detection.
• Keep your Excel files organized with correct quarter data only in the respective tabs to prevent errors.
• Use the embedded warnings and help messages as a guide. They exist to ensure compliance and avoid costly mistakes.
• Review imported journals post-import via BrightBooks to confirm values and notes.