How to Calculate a VAT Return

What this does

Submits your nine-box VAT return directly to HMRC via Making Tax Digital (MTD). Relentify calculates each box from your invoices, bills, and expenses for the period.

When to use it

At the end of each VAT period (usually quarterly) when HMRC shows an open obligation.

Before you start

• Your VAT number must be saved in Settings → Business Details
• You must connect Relentify to your HMRC account (one-time setup, takes about two minutes)

Step by step

Connect to HMRC (first time only)

1. Go to VAT in the top navigation
2. If not yet connected, click Connect to HMRC → and follow the HMRC authorisation flow
3. Once authorised, you are returned to the VAT page showing Connected to HMRC — VRN: GB...

Submit a VAT return

1. Go to VAT in the top navigation
2. Under Open Obligations, click the period you want to submit — Relentify calculates all nine boxes automatically from your records
3. Review each box:
   • Box 1 — VAT due on sales (output tax)
   • Box 4 — VAT reclaimed on purchases (input tax)
   • Box 5 — Net VAT to pay or reclaim
   • Boxes 6–9 show totals in whole pounds
4. When satisfied, click Submit to HMRC →
5. Confirm the warning — once submitted to HMRC this cannot be undone
6. The period moves to Submitted Returns and is marked Filed

Good to know

• Previously submitted returns appear in the Submitted Returns section
• Relentify uses HMRC fraud-prevention headers required under MTD — these are captured automatically from your browser