In message , at 12:33:06 on Sat, 28 Mar
2015, tim..... remarked:

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 11:06:29 on Sat, 28 Mar
2015, tim..... remarked:
Unfortunately I'm not yet ready to transfer my company accounts to
paperless (and I'm not sure HMRC is either, on my behalf).

Last week I received a letter from HMRC to say that they won't be
sending me what they call the 'paper pack' (for self-assessment) this
year but will instead send me an SA316 to explain how to complete a
tax return online or by post. I am encouraged to make my return online
as it is 'just as easy, which is why most people chose to do it this
way.'
When the online system started it couldn't deal with people claiming
losses, the sad situation that I happen to be in, but I don't know if
that is still the case. If I continue to submit my return by post then
I guess HMRC will save on the cost of printing the forms.
If thay are encouraging individuals to submit online then it can't be
long before they start on small companies too.

I thought they already had

I leave my accountant to file my return, but I'm sure that she told
me a few years ago that it was online only

But I bet you don't transfer your business records to her paperlessly

Um, yes I do

we communicate by email with attachments

have thrown away all the receipts

I keep those at home, um I mean, on my office premises, for the (small)
chance that anyone wants to see the originals.

This is my main point - whether those "originals" are on paper, or are
the other side of a log-in to a supplier's e-commerce system.

My "cash" business expenses represent a tiny part of my overheads so
she trusts me to report the total to her without sight of the receipts

and invoices,

these start off life as an xls file, so I just copy them to her

I create my invoices with Word, but whatever floats your boat.

or expect HMRC to be happy with a paperless audit of paperless records.

I don't think that "record keeping" for audit purposes comes under the
remit of "reporting"

I doubt that HMRC will ever expect "record keeping" to go paperless.

In that case we are in agreement.

Which means that all those suppliers who increasingly insist on
paperless records are simply externalising their costs to customers who
are forced to print the things out (and keep them) in order to satisfy
HMRC.

--
Roland Perry