CT600 and accounts production software for accountants
Your clients’ accounts and tax returns, from one set of books. Keep each client’s books, prepare the statutory accounts and the Corporation Tax return from the same figures, and file with Companies House and HMRC. No exporting figures into a second product.
Free to get started. No card required.
What you get for each client
Every client under one login
Add each client company, and individuals too, and switch between them from one account. Each company keeps its own books, filings and history.
The accounts your clients need
Micro-entity (FRS 105), small (FRS 102 section 1A), full FRS 102, audited and dormant accounts, as full, filleted or abridged, with the notes generated from the books.
A real tax computation
Add-backs, capital allowance pools with AIA and full expensing, losses carried forward and back, associated companies and marginal relief. CT600A, CT600L and amended returns are supported.
Companies House forms
Confirmation statements, registered office and name changes, officer appointments, changes and resignations, and new company incorporations.
Checks before anything is sent
Out-of-date documents must be rebuilt before filing, a balance sheet that doesn’t balance can’t be filed, and live accounts need the board approval date.
Each client’s year end, step by step
Every company has a year-end checklist in the sidebar. It shows how far through you are and what’s next, so you can pick up any client where you left off.
- Reconcile bankMatch the bank to the books
- Year-end journalsAccruals, depreciation, adjustments
- Trial balanceCheck it before the accounts
- Statutory accountsBuilt from the trial balance
- Tax computationStarts from the accounts profit
- CT600 returnFilled in from the computation
Compared with separate products
Where the time goes when bookkeeping, accounts production and tax are three different systems, and what happens instead in A4O Accounts.
| Step | Separate products | A4O Accounts |
|---|---|---|
| Books to accounts | Export the trial balance and import it into accounts software | The accounts are built from the ledger |
| Accounts to tax | Key the profit and figures into tax software | The computation starts from the accounts profit |
| iXBRL | Tag the accounts and computation, sometimes in another tool | Tagged as they’re produced |
| A late change | Change it in each product and check they still agree | Change the books; out-of-date documents must be rebuilt before filing |
| Filing | File from each product, keep receipts in each | File both from the company, with each submission kept there |
Staff and clients, with the right access
Access is given company by company. Invite someone from the company’s page: A4O Accounts creates a link, valid for 14 days, for you to send them.
| They can | Viewer | Editor | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| See the books, invoices and reports | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Change the books and invoices | No | Yes | Yes |
| Submit filings to Companies House and HMRC | No | No | Yes |
| Change company settings and invite people | No | No | Yes |
A client can be a Viewer on their own company, to see the books without changing them.
Adding clients and moving them across
1. Add the company
Add it by name, then enter the company number, Companies House authentication code, UTR and filing contact on its page. The authentication code is stored encrypted.
2. Bring in the opening position
Set the opening balance date and enter the balances from the last accounts as a journal.
3. Import the bank
Import bank statements as CSV, Excel or OFX files, including several UK banks’ own layouts, and check the account suggested for each line before posting.
Want a hand?
We’ll help with your first client’s import. Email us and we reply within one working day.
How filing works for a practice
Companies House
Enter each company’s authentication code once; it’s stored encrypted. Accounts and forms go through Companies House’s filing gateway, and rejections come back with the reason so you can fix and resend. Each accounts submission is kept with the documents as filed.
HMRC Corporation Tax
The CT600 goes with the accounts and computation tagged in iXBRL. You enter the Government Gateway login when you submit; it’s used for that return and not stored. Once HMRC accepts it, the computation is locked, and corrections go in as an amended return.
Test first
Accounts and Corporation Tax returns can be sent as a test submission first, so you can see them pass before sending them for real.
Not there yet
So you know before you move clients over.
A practice-wide deadline view
Deadlines and what’s due are shown for each client on its own dashboard, not across all clients at once.
Search and bulk actions
Clients are picked from a list, and each filing is prepared one company at a time.
HMRC agent features
There’s no agent authorisation, and a CT600 is declared by a director. You enter the Government Gateway login for each return when you submit it.
Teams
People are invited to each company separately. Groups of staff assigned to groups of clients aren’t available yet.
Consolidated group accounts
Group accounts with intra-group eliminations aren’t supported.
Making Tax Digital
Built, and waiting for HMRC approval. It stays marked Coming soon until it’s switched on. Payroll (PAYE) is live.
The A4O Early Practice Programme
We’re inviting a small number of UK accountants and bookkeepers to use A4O Accounts with real clients while we develop the practice workflow.
You’ll get direct access to the A4O team, help getting set up and the current platform at no charge. In return, we want candid feedback about what would make A4O Accounts useful across your client base.
It suits practices with a good number of micro and small limited company clients. Start by putting one suitable company through the whole year end: books, accounts, CT600 and filing.
Email us to join. Tell us roughly how many limited company clients you look after, and we reply within one working day.
Questions from practices
Can I use it for all my clients?
Yes. Add each client company under one login and switch between them. Each company keeps its own books, filings and history, and you invite staff and clients to each company as a Manager, Editor or Viewer.
Does it replace my accounts production and tax software?
It can, for a client whose books are in A4O Accounts. The statutory accounts, the tax computation, the CT600 and the iXBRL are all produced from those books, with nothing exported to a separate accounts production or tax product. Group and consolidated accounts aren’t supported.
Can I file as an agent?
Not with HMRC agent authorisation. A CT600 is declared by a director, and you enter the company’s Government Gateway user ID and password when you submit each return. Companies House filings use each company’s authentication code.
How do I move a client across?
Add the company, enter the balances from its last accounts as a journal, and import its bank statements as CSV, Excel or OFX files. We’ll help with your first client’s import.
How much does it cost a practice?
Nothing to get started, including filing, and you don’t need a card. If we ever introduce paid plans, we’ll tell you at least 30 days before anything changes.
Can I see across all my clients’ deadlines?
Not yet. Deadlines and what’s due are shown for each client on its own dashboard, not across all clients at once.
More on what you can file
Try it with one client.
Add a client company and prepare this year’s accounts and Corporation Tax return from its books.
No card required. Need a hand? Email us.