Access Digital Tax runs a similar calculation or code as when using Access Financials and ultimately it simply reads the data of Access Financials.
There are multiple reasons for the figures to be different.
Changes have been made since the VAT data was refreshed
If changes have been made in Access Financials since the last time the VAT data was refreshed in Access Digital Tax, please try refresh within Access Digital Tax.
VAT reporting method
The VAT reporting method set in the Access Financials System Options may cause the variation. A different date or period range is being used within Access Financials to the date range sent by HMRC.
If Access Financials is set to calculate VAT by dates, please check that the dates being entered within Access Financials match those requested by HMRC. Access Digital Tax always uses the correct dates.
If Access Financials is set to calculate VAT by periods, please check that the periods in Access Financials match the setup on your HMRC VAT account and you've entered the correct period range in Access Financials.
The data is for different legal entities
The data you're viewing in Access Financials is for different legal entities, VAT Groups and Sub Ledgers, to those selected in Access Digital Tax.
ADT periods
ADT periods is a date range and picks up transactions based on invoice date which is the tax date not the period it was posted, when tax is submitted these are marked within the Access Financials database, any transactions posted after submission but within the submitted period are picked up on the next submission.
VAT return in Access Financials
The last updated VAT return in Access Financials may not mirror what was last submitted to HMRC.
Things to check in addition to the above
VAT return preview
Ensure that the VAT return preview ran in Access Financials is for the same obligation dates/periods as required in Digital Tax for submission to HMRC.
Last VAT return
In Access Financials, is the last updated VAT return showing correctly as the last submission that was sent to HMRC?
If not, please ensure the last submission to HMRC matches the Access Financials VAT return preview for that obligation. Confirming this, if required, appropriately update the VAT return in Access Financials so the last updated VAT return states the same as what had been last submitted to HMRC.
Dates and periods
If VAT is being reported by periods in Access Financials, ensure that the dates of the periods are correctly in line to reflect whole months.
Transactions are coinciding with the period
Ensure that transactions are coinciding with the appropriate period number for its date, as a transaction can be picked up on an earlier return, or picked up in a later return, depending on it's date and period posted to.
If sub-ledgers are being used in the Access Financials Database
If sub ledgers are being used, ensure that all transactions are associated with the appropriate sub-ledger. Access Financials can still see transactions without this in it's VAT return, however ADT ignores transactions that aren't associated with a sub ledger.
Ensure the connections in ADT are selected to the correct sub ledger or sub ledgers required.
Ensure with either the Financials technical team, development team, or consultancy, that the MC table is correctly setup. For this you can quote the development ticket ref: FIN-24833
You may need the assistance of the technical team, development or consultancy if you're experiencing the issue of having the function for the VAT return update being available within Financials when sub ledgers are used which shouldn't be the case if directly linking with ADT.
This is because ADT would automatically update Access Financials on submission. To turn this off as that's how it should be, please quote the development ticket ref: FIN-32742.
If you require any assistance from support then please raise a new case online and reference the title of this article.
If the VAT return has been updated in Access Financials but not Access Digital Tax
If the VAT return has been updated in Access Financials but not in Access Digital tax this can show a difference in the figures.
As the VAT return has been ran and updated in Access Financials, when going to Access Digital tax and clicking refresh data it could show different figures as Access Digital Tax is picking up that the VAT return has been completed for that period in Access Financials so it's looking at dates for the next period.
The way to submit your VAT return if this has happened is to confirm that the data in Access Financials for the VAT return is correct. If it is then use the spreadsheet template, if you don't already have this someone from Access needs to send it over to populate the figures into manually.
Once you have the template:
Save the spreadsheet and open up Access Digital Tax.
Go into the data connections then select Spreadsheet.
remove the tick for the data connection to your database.
Find and upload the spreadsheet you just updated and submit this for your VAT return.