How to use the Ftax CT600
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Submitting an Ftax CT600 Company Tax Return - Step by Step Instructions
This guide covers how to complete the Ftax CT600 company tax return, generate any necessary attachments and make a test submission before finally submitting the form to HMRC.
The guide is broken down into the following steps:
- Complete the Ftax CT600 tax return
- Generate the iXBRL computations file
- Generate the iXBRL accounts file
- Attach the iXBRL files to the CT600 form
- Make a test submission to HMRC (if desired)
- Generate a paper or PDF copy (if desired)
- Submit the Ftax CT600 online to HMRC
1. Complete the Ftax CT600 tax return
First prepare the company accounts. If your accounts are straightforward, you may wish to take advantage of the iXBRL templates which are part of the CT600 form. The Ftax Cashbook nay be used to total incomes and expenses. Alternatively, you may wish to prepare the accounts using spreadsheets or another software package.
Begin completing the Ftax CT600 by entering your details on the front page. When you have completed your details on the front page, go to 'Company Tax Return' at the top of the navigation bar to the left of the form, highlighted yellow in the image below:
The Company Tax Return front page is where you should complete your company information, including company name, registration number, tax reference and type of company. It looks like this:
HMRC guidance on this any many other aspects of the form can be found by clicking the 'Notes CT600' button at the top of the page. This will take you to the HMRC website where you can download a PDF of HMRC's Company Tax Return Guide.
Having completed the company information section, go to the 'Profits Worksheet'. This can again be accessed using the navigation bar to the left of the form, as shown below:
Click the red 'Worksheet' button at the top right of the 'Income' section and complete the Profits Worksheet:
When complete, click the 'Back to Return' button at the top of the worksheet to return to the form:
You should now complete any other sections which are relevant from the list in the navigation panel to the left of the form. Please note that additional sections are available by clicking the 'Supplementary Sections' tab in the left-hand navigation pane:
When you have completed all necessary sections, go back to the bottom of the Profits Worksheet and click 'Calculate Tax'. If applicable, you should also go to the 'Capital Allowances' section, click on the button for the relevant worksheet and provide the necessary information.
Finally, go to the 'Declaration' section which can again be accessed by the left-hand navigation pane. Ensure that your name and status are included:
2. Generate the iXBRL Computations file
To do this, click the 'iXBRL' button at the bottom left of the opening page of the form and select 'iXBRL computations', as highlighted below:
Say 'Yes' to the popups and an email will be sent confirming that you have generated the file. A download button on the success screen will allow you to download the form and save it in a known location:
3. Generate the iXBRL Accounts file
The current Version of the Ftax CT600 form includes an accounts section, accessed via the bookmark on the left. Either 'Micro-Entity Accounts or Small Company Accounts may be selected and completed:
After completion, return to the opening page of the form. Click the iXBRL button, select 'iXBRL accounts', and click 'Yes' on the warning popup. Once again, an email will be sent confirming that you have generated the file, and a download button of the success screen will allow you to download the form and save it in a known location.
4. Attach the iXBRL files to the CT600 form
Go to the 'Attachments' page (highlighted below) via the bookmarks on the left. Click the 'Attach iXBRL Accounts' buttons and select the iXBRL accounts file from its known location. Repeat with the iXBRL Computations file by clicking the red 'Attach iXBRL Computations' button and again selecting the correct file from its known location. If iXBRL files are not attached, then reasons must be selected from the dropdown lists.
Please note: iXBRL files must be handled carefully as they are easily corrupted, and must be generated by either Ftax or other software that complies with the HMRC iXBRL requirement, for example VT software. You can view iXBRL files on your computer but you must not save or amend them. Saving iXBRL files will cause corruption, and result in this error message when you submit the form to HMRC:
If when you view an iXBRL file it, you decide that changes are necessary, you must go back to the form, make the changes in the form and generate a new iXBRL file to replace the old one.
5. Make a test submission to HMRC (if desired)
Before you submit the form, you may wish to make a test submission to HMRC. You can do this to check that there are no problems with the form data, as any errors will generate an error message. To make a test submission, go to the front page, click on the red ball with the white ? inside and tick 'test submssion to HMRC on'. This toggles between 'test' and 'live' submission. The screen below shows that test mode is engaged as there is a red box at the bottom right of the page.
When you have corrected any errors and submitted in test mode again, a success receipt for the test submission will be generated, as shown below:
Please note that this is a success receipt for the test submission only. When you are ready to submit in live, you should go back to the front page of the form, click 'Test submission to HMRC - Off' and make your submission to the live HMRC site. You will then receive a success receipt for a live submission.
6. Generate a paper or PDF copy (if desired)
If a paper or PDF copy is required, the Ftax CT600 allows them to be easily generated. Go to the main page, click the PDF copy button and choose the relevant section on the cascading menus. As with the iXBRL Computations and Accounts files, an email will be sent confirming that you have generated the file and a download button on the success screen will allow you to download the form and save it in a known location. The PDF copy button is located at the bottom of the front page of the form, as highlighted below:
7. Submit the Ftax CT600 online to HMRC
Click the red 'Submit' button on the front page and then click 'I agree', 'Submit now', and 'yes' to the popups which then appear. An on screen receipt, followed by two emails should confirm the outcome.
Finally, you will need to submit the iXBRL accounts file to Companies House. Please note that this must be done manually via their website.
