# Getting Started Playbook

Step-by-step guide to filing your first Making Tax Digital VAT return with Swift VAT Pro, from sign-up to submission.

Canonical page: https://www.swiftvatpro.co.uk/playbook

Playbook

# Your guide to filing VAT with Swift VAT Pro

Swift VAT Pro is Making Tax Digital (MTD) bridging software. This playbook walks you through everything - from adding your business to submitting your VAT return - in six simple steps. No accounting jargon, no guesswork.

[Start now](https://www.swiftvatpro.co.uk/add-company.php) [Browse FAQs](https://www.swiftvatpro.co.uk/faq/)

1Add business 2Connect HMRC 3Find period 4Upload figures 5Submit 6Keep records

1

## Add your business

Tell Swift VAT Pro who is filing.

Add Company enter details Save

From the left menu choose **Add Company**. Enter your business or trading name, your **VAT registration number**, and your contact details, then save. Sole traders add their own business here in exactly the same way.

You can add as many businesses as your plan allows - perfect for accountants filing on behalf of several clients.

**Tip:** Have your 9-digit VAT registration number to hand. It must exactly match the number HMRC holds, or the connection in Step 2 will fail.

2

## Connect to HMRC

A one-time secure authorisation per business.

View Company open the business Get Access Token

Open your company’s dashboard and click **“Get Access Token”**. You’ll be taken to HMRC’s own sign-in page to authorise Swift VAT Pro using your **Government Gateway** details (HMRC’s official OAuth process).

You only need to do this **once per business**. The connection can be revoked and renewed at any time from the same dashboard.

Your sign-in happens entirely on HMRC’s website - **we never see or store your Government Gateway password.**

3

## Find your VAT period

Swift VAT Pro pulls your open periods straight from HMRC.

VAT Returns Open Submission

Go to **VAT Returns → Open Submission**. Swift VAT Pro retrieves the VAT periods (“obligations”) that HMRC is currently expecting from you. Pick the period you want to file to open its VAT 100 form.

**Tip:** If no periods appear, double-check that the VAT number is correct and that the HMRC connection in Step 2 completed successfully.

4

## Upload your figures

Type the nine boxes - or import them from a spreadsheet.

The VAT 100 form has the standard **nine boxes**. Click **Download Sample CSV**, fill in your values (or save your own CSV or Excel .xlsx file with rows labelled Box 1 to Box 9), and upload it to fill every box. For a nil return, upload a CSV with 0 in every box. You can review the figures before submitting. To change a figure, correct your file and upload it again.

The nine boxes at a glance

| Box | What it is |
| --- | --- |
| 1 | VAT due on sales and other outputs |
| 2 | VAT due on acquisitions from EC Member States |
| 3 | Total VAT due (Box 1 + Box 2) |
| 4 | VAT reclaimed on purchases and other inputs |
| 5 | Net VAT to pay HMRC or reclaim (Box 3 − Box 4) |
| 6 | Total value of sales, excluding VAT |
| 7 | Total value of purchases, excluding VAT |
| 8 | Total value of supplies of goods to EC Member States |
| 9 | Total value of acquisitions of goods from EC Member States |

Boxes 3 and 5 are usually calculated for you. Always check your figures against your bookkeeping records before moving on.

5

## Confirm & submit to HMRC

One tick, one click - and it’s filed.

VAT 100 form tick declaration Submit VAT

Tick the **declaration** to confirm your figures are correct, complete the on-screen verification, then click **Submit VAT**. Swift VAT Pro sends your return directly to HMRC and shows the **receipt** they return - including the processing date and reference.

**That’s it - your return is filed.** Once HMRC accepts it, the submission can’t be edited, so review carefully before you click Submit.

6

## Keep your records

Every filed return, saved and printable.

VAT Returns Past Submission View / Print

Go to **VAT Returns → Past Submission** to see every period you’ve filed, with its status and figures. Open **View** for the full return, or **Print Return PDF** to download a copy for your records.

HMRC requires VAT records to be kept for at least 6 years. Your submissions stay available in Swift VAT Pro so you always have a copy.

Trial & subscriptions

Free trial

The 7-day trial lets you set up your account, add companies, connect to HMRC and preview your VAT return. **Filing a return to HMRC is not included** - you need an active subscription to submit.

- 7-day free trial, no payment card needed
- Add companies and connect to HMRC
- Preview your VAT return before you subscribe

Subscribe to file

Subscribing unlocks filing to HMRC for the companies on your plan. Your renewal date is always visible under **Order History**.

[View plans & subscribe →](https://www.swiftvatpro.co.uk/customer-packages.php)

Update your payment card

Need to change the card we bill for your subscription - a new card, or one that’s about to expire? You can do it yourself in under a minute:

1. **Log in** to your account and open **Packages** from the left-hand menu.
2. On your current plan, click **“Manage billing / update card”**.
3. You’ll be taken to our secure payment provider, **Stripe**, where you can add your new card and save it.
4. That’s it - your next payment will automatically use the new card.

Your card is entered directly on Stripe’s encrypted page - Swift VAT Pro never sees or stores your full card number.

[Manage billing & card](https://www.swiftvatpro.co.uk/manage-billing.php)

## Still need a hand?

Our team is happy to help you get your first return filed.

[Email support](https://www.swiftvatpro.co.uk/mailto:info@swiftvatpro.co.uk) [Read the FAQs](https://www.swiftvatpro.co.uk/faq/)