How to Get Started with Acxite: From Account Setup to HMRC Submission

Why We Created Acxite

Accounting firms often use separate systems to collect records, maintain accounts, make adjustments and file returns with HMRC. This creates repeated work, makes figures harder to trace and increases the risk of errors during review.

We created Acxite to connect these stages. It gives your team a clearer route from the original document to the accounting entry, the financial report, and the HMRC submission.

For spreadsheet-based clients, Acxite provides a practical bridging option that allows them to retain their existing records while your practice maintains a structured digital filing process.

Get Started with Acxite

Step 1: Create Your Account 

To get started with Acxite, you need to create your account first. You can register with your name and email address, continue with a Google or Microsoft account, or use your existing Receipt Bot credentials.

Please refer to the following article for step-by-step guidance: Sign up to Acxite.

Step 2: Add Your Business 

Every transaction, report and HMRC obligation in Acxite belongs to a business profile.

You must create a business for a limited company, sole trader, partnership, landlord, charity or another entity.

Enter the official business name and choose a recognisable, unique short name. Acxite uses the short name to create the document inbox for that business, and you cannot change it later.

You should also confirm the country, base currency, VAT status, VAT scheme and the accounting or MTD solution you want to use.

For detailed instructions, please refer to the Set Up a New Business or Practice article.

Note: The business setup requires more attention because the details you enter will shape your accounting and tax workflow.

Step 3: Choose the Workflow That Fits Your Business 

Acxite gives you two main routes.

Use Pro Accounting for a Connected Record-to-Return Process

Choose Pro Accounting to maintain transactions and supporting records within Acxite. This route suits you if you want to upload documents, create purchases and sales documents, organise transactions and prepare tax figures from the accounting records held on the platform.

Use MTD Bridging to Keep Your Existing Spreadsheet Workflow

Choose bridging if you already maintain accounting records in Excel or CSV format. You can import the required figures into Acxite, review them and submit them to HMRC against the correct obligation.

For detailed instructions on importing your figures and submitting them to HMRC, please refer to the MTD VAT or Income Tax Bridging article.

Note: Bridging provides a connection to HMRC, but it does not check the quality of your spreadsheet bookkeeping. You must still confirm that the records and figures.

Step 4: Connect Acxite to HMRC 

Before connecting to HMRC, enable two-factor authentication on your Acxite account using the two-factor authentication guide.

To submit MTD VAT or Income Tax through Acxite, you must first connect the relevant business to HMRC.

• For MTD VAT, provide your business’s VAT Registration Number and authorise Acxite to access the relevant data from your HMRC account.
• For MTD for Income Tax, provide the taxpayer’s National Insurance number and authorise Acxite to access the relevant data from your HMRC account.

After that, open the VAT or Income Tax section in Acxite, select Connect to HMRC and follow HMRC’s authorisation process.

For detailed instructions, please refer to the Connect Acxite to HMRC article.

Note: If you manage several businesses or clients, check the business name, tax identifier and Government Gateway account before you continue.

Step 5: Add, Review and Prepare Your Tax Figures 

If you use the full accounting route, add the sales invoices, purchase bills, receipts and other records for the relevant reporting period. Acxite uses approved transactions to calculate your VAT or MTD for Income Tax figures, so review each record before preparing the submission.

If you identify an error, correct the underlying transaction rather than changing the final total. Acxite will update the figures affected by that transaction and maintain a clearer audit trail.

For MTD VAT:

pen the relevant obligation in the VAT Summary. Acxite calculates the nine VAT return boxes from the approved transactions for the selected period.

HMRC receives the amounts reported in the VAT return boxes, not the VAT rates applied to individual transactions. Acxite uses the VAT rate on each transaction to determine which VAT boxes it should affect, whether the amount should be added or deducted, and whether to use the VAT, net or gross value.

Acxite provides default mappings for standard UK VAT rates. If you use custom VAT rates, review the VAT mapping and specify how each rate should affect the relevant VAT boxes.

After completing any changes, select Calculate to update the VAT Summary and confirm that the figures relate to the correct VAT period.

Note: Acxite’s current VAT workflow supports businesses that use the standard Accruals VAT scheme. Confirm that this matches your business setup before preparing the return.

Please refer to the MTD VAT Submission article for detailed instructions.

For MTD for Income Tax:

Acxite helps you prepare and submit quarterly updates rather than the final annual Income Tax return.

The quarterly update uses approved transactions from the Purchases and Sales modules. If a relevant entry appears only in the Bank Statements, Supplier Statements or Sales Ledger module, first create or convert it into a purchase or sales transaction.

Before submitting, map each income and expense category to the correct HMRC Tax Box. Then open the relevant quarterly obligation and review the figures by HMRC tax box or accounting category.

For detailed instructions, please refer to the MTD Income Tax Submission article.

Step 6: Submit Your Figures to HMRC 

Before submitting, confirm that you have selected the correct HMRC obligation and reporting period.

If you use MTD bridging, check that the imported figures agree with your underlying records. Acxite submits the values you provide, so you remain responsible for their accuracy.

Once you have completed your checks, tick the declaration and submit the VAT return or MTD for Income Tax quarterly update directly to HMRC.

After HMRC accepts the submission, retain the confirmation or receipt with your business records.