Please note - the ability to combine VAT returns is a Level 2 feature. Please contact us on farmplansales@proagrica.com for more information.
Combining VAT allows users who have more than 1 entity (on Farmplan Business Cloud or other accounting software) that share a VAT Registration number but the accounts are kept separate, to submit the combined figures to HMRC as one submission.
If you have more than one company on Farmplan Business Cloud, only the company that will be submitting the combined VAT return needs to be a Level 2 company and have this feature enabled.
Combining VAT process summary
Ensure the company that you will be submitting the VAT return to HMRC from, has been upgraded to a Level 2 company.
Enable the Combine VAT feature
Prepare import of figures from other location(s).
Create your VAT period within your current business on Farmplan Business Cloud
Import the csv file containing your imported figures
Lock the VAT return
Submit the VAT return (including granting authority to HMRC if this has not been completed already)
Enabling the Combine VAT feature
Ensure your company is a Level 2 company. (For more information, click here)
Go to the cog in the top right of the home screen.
Select Company Settings > Level 2 Features.
Tick the box to enable 'Combine VAT'.
Click 'Update Company'.
Exporting VAT figures from a Farmplan Business Cloud company which is not submitting direct to HMRC
If you have more than 1 company on Farmplan Business Cloud for the same VAT registration number, then you will need to decide which company you will submit the VAT to HMRC from. For the company(s) you are not submitting from, you will create the VAT return as normal, save and lock the return when ready, and then click the button below to produce the export file.
Import file requirements
Only one csv file can be imported per VAT return, meaning if you are importing figures from more than one other company/entity, then these will need to be combined first before being imported. The csv file needs to have the following column headers:
Vatstart
Vatend
Box1
Box2
Box3
Box4
Box5
Box6
Box7
Box8
Box9
If you are combining VAT from another Farmplan Business Cloud company, you will have the ability to produce this file by selecting the report icon below once you have locked a VAT return, and providing you have not granted authority with HMRC to submit VAT returns from this company.
For Farmplan Business Cloud companies where you are NOT directly submitting the VAT to HMRC from, you will need to select 'Flag as submitted' to finalise the VAT period.
You can create the export file before OR after flagging it as submitted, however we would recommend flagging it as submitted BEFORE producing the export file, so that you know no further changes can be made to that period's figures.
Create your VAT return within the company to submit to HMRC
As is the process when creating a non-combined VAT return, go to Reports > VAT Returns, click to 'Add New VAT Return', enter the date period for the return and click to create. You will now see a screen with 3 forms:
This Business - VAT return of the business submitting the return
Imported - the figures imported via csv file
Total - This Business + Imported
Import csv file
Click 'New' under the 'Imported' column, then add a description and browse to/drag in your csv file.
Save and Upload
This will then display as below.
Note - Boxes 6 & 7 are rounded to the nearest £ as per standard HMRC requirements.
Saving and Submitting VAT Return
Normal protocol for submitting VAT on Farmplan Business Cloud can then be followed, by saving and locking the return, checking reports if required, and then submitting the return direct to HMRC.
Note - The PDF and Excel report options from the VAT return screen, either before or after submitting the return, will give the breakdown of 'This Business', 'Imported' and 'Total' figures, as well as the audit of transactions for 'This Business'