Making Tax Digital · Sole traders
Reducing client document chasing with clear requests and secure links
ONLY£15A MONTHA client is more likely to answer a precise question than a general request to “send everything”.
A client is more likely to answer a precise question than a general request to “send everything”. Secure upload links can remove friction, but the process still needs clear scope, reminders and a way to see what remains missing. Technology helps most when the request itself is well designed.
Ask for an identifiable item
Include the period, document type and reason. “Please upload the April statement for account ending 1234” is easier to act on than “accounts overdue”. Avoid placing unnecessary financial or personal details in an ordinary email.
Where a product offers passwordless access, explain how the client recognises the legitimate request and what the link permits. Do not imply every link is automatically single-use, time-limited or a substitute for full authentication unless that behaviour is documented.
Automate reminders around evidence
A reminder should stop when the correct item is received and accepted, not merely when any file is uploaded. A wrong-month statement can satisfy a crude upload counter while leaving the actual task incomplete.
If using Karbon or another practice-management system, confirm the implemented connection, permissions and status handling. An available API does not establish that an Avona integration is installed or that it updates every task automatically.
Worked example: the missing statement
The practice requests an April statement. The client uploads May. The reviewer identifies the mismatch, leaves the April task open and sends a focused follow-up through the agreed secure channel.
Once April arrives, the reviewer checks the account and dates, then closes the request. The workflow records completion of the requirement, not just receipt of a file.
Make responsibility visible at each stage
An effective practice process identifies who supplies the records, who resolves queries, who reviews the figures and who submits. Record those responsibilities in the engagement and workflow. Do not rely on the assumption that somebody else has completed the final step.
Agent authorisation is also separate from client consent to a commercial service. Use HMRC's correct MTD authorisation process and the agent's own access. A client should not hand over their Government Gateway password simply to make the process more convenient. HMRC explains how to authorise an agent.
Track each relevant business and period. A green client-level indicator can hide an outstanding property update if the sole-trade update has been completed. Store the approved figures and acknowledgement against the correct record.
For recurring work, use a short exception list rather than sending the client every transaction again. Give each question a reference, amount and clear request. Access controls and a secure reply route matter, especially where the same practice handles several family members or businesses. Good workflow design reduces repeated questions without replacing professional judgement.
Share the information needed for the task
Tax records need to be useful without containing unnecessary personal detail. Keep payment references sufficient to reconcile the accounts, and hold sensitive client notes in the appropriate restricted system. Financial software should not become a second, informal store for clinical notes or identity documents.
Use individual accounts and the access controls available for the service. Remove access when a working relationship ends. A secure product can still be misused through shared sign-ins, forwarded access links or files sent to the wrong person.
For Open Banking, distinguish account-information access from payment initiation. Read the consent screen and check the authorised provider. Account-information permission does not itself authorise moving money, but Open Banking as a whole also includes separately authorised payment services. The FCA explains these different services.
If you need an assurance about encryption, hosting, retention or security testing, ask for the current documented answer. Terms such as “bank-grade” do not tell you which controls apply to a particular service. Choose a workflow whose permissions and responsibilities you understand, and protect the email or phone account used to recover access.
A review that checks more than the total
Start with coverage: the correct person, business and period, plus all relevant accounts and cash records. Then look at completeness. A feed can be connected today while still missing an earlier week. Confirm the earliest and latest transactions against the source.
Next, inspect unusual items. Large transfers, loan receipts, refunds, net settlements and private purchases often need more context than a bank description provides. Check for duplicate imports where a statement overlaps a live feed. An automatic warning is useful evidence to investigate, not proof that the entry must be removed.
Finally, review category totals. A category unexpectedly showing zero, a large increase or a negative amount deserves an explanation. You do not have to make every annual tax adjustment at this stage, but you should understand the records behind the summary you approve.
HMRC explains what quarterly updates contain. Keep the approved version and the resulting acknowledgement together. If something later changes, correct the source record and use the software's supported update process so you can explain which figures are current.
Improve one handover at a time
Use consistent document names, visible due dates and a single owner for each request. Measure repeated queries and wrong-file uploads before claiming an efficiency gain. Clients need a clear action and confirmation that it has been completed.
Take the next step
Avona.app offers a self-service route from £15/month. Bring your records together, review the figures and choose a workflow that fits your business. For professional help, discuss the scope and total price of Avona Concierge, managed by chartered accountants, before choosing a service.