Release Notes

3.3.8.0 (03/06/2024)

• Implemented changes so Easy MTD VAT continues to operate under Windows 7 and Windows 8 following the abandonment of certain security ciphers by HMRC. Users running Easy MTD VAT under Windows 10 and Windows 11 were unaffected but it is advised to update to this version anyway.

3.3.7.0 (20/03/2024)

• Updated fraud headers to better comply with HMRC requirements.

3.3.6.0 (13/09/2023)

• Fixed an issue that prevented submission receipts and fraud header reports from being written to the Fly Software system for users running Easy MTD VAT on Windows 7 and Windows 8. This issue recently became apparent due to changes made by HMRC to security protocols.

3.3.5.0 (16/06/2023)

• Fixed an issue where the background of a VAT return would be missing when printed on certain printers and when using the Adobe PDF printer.

3.3.4.0 (04/05/2023)

• The account email and the quantity of submission tokens are now displayed in the status bar. A refresh button has also been added so the latest account email and submission token quantity can be shown.
• Added text to the Submission Token Unavailable window to indicate that incorrect account credentials could be the cause of this. Also added an Account button to the window that opens the Account window.
• Added support for VAT figures held in text (txt) files.
• Fixed an issue that caused Windows to crash/blue screen if the Adobe PDF print driver was used to create a PDF of a fulfilled obligation and associated submission receipt. Despite the crash/blue screen being eliminated, the PDF created by Adobe PDF does not contain a background. It is therefore recommended that the Microsoft Print to PDF driver is used to create a PDF instead.
• Fixed an issue that (when the account password was incorrect) would cause the Incorrect Password window to open before the main interface was opened following launch. The Incorrect Password window is now opened after the main interface is opened.

3.3.2.0 (20/12/2022)

• If the box 5 figure is negative in a spreadsheet or CSV file, it is changed to a positive in Easy MTD VAT so it conforms with HMRC requirements. The box 5 box becomes orange to indicate this has occurred.
• Removed the Making Tax Digital for VAT window that appears after launch, and the Sign Up for MTD for VAT option on the Help menu because both are no longer relevant because sign up is no longer necessary.
• Updated the installer to indicate the purpose of Easy MTD VAT.
• Updated the EULA in the installer to indicate that data is collected and transmitted to HMRC and Fly Software, and where further information about that data can be found.

3.3.1.0 (25/11/2022)

• Fixed an issue that caused the Code box and Paste button in the Grant Authority to Easy MTD VAT window, to be partially or fully hidden when a certain scale was specified for the Windows display.
• The Submit VAT Return and View VAT Return windows are now scaled to fit within the display area. Prior to this, the buttons at the bottom of the windows would fall outside of the display area when a low Windows screen resolution and/or high scaling was used.
• To indicate that account details are correct, an "Account Applied" window now appears when a valid email and password are specified in the Account window.
• The Submit button in the Declaration window is now disabled until the "agreed" checkbox is ticked. This replaces the window that used to appear notifying the user that the "agreed" checkbox needed to be ticked.
• Increased the size of the Easy MTD VAT logo so when the Windows display is scaled the quality of the image is maintained.

3.2.7.0 (10/09/2022)

• Fixed an issue that caused a "date to invalid" error and prevented the grant authority process from completing. The problem was only evident for users who had their Windows time zone set higher than UTC+01:00 (e.g. British Summer Time) or UTC+00:00 (e.g. Greenwich Mean Time), sometimes causing the Windows system date to be one day ahead than what was expected by HMRC.

3.2.6.0 (08/08/2022)

• Fixed an issue that caused a "date to invalid" error and prevented payments and liabilities being shown when Easy MTD VAT retrieved VAT data from HMRC. The problem was only evident for users who had their Windows time zone set higher than UTC+01:00 (e.g. British Summer Time) or UTC+00:00 (e.g. Greenwich Mean Time), sometimes causing the Windows system date to be one day ahead than what was expected by HMRC.
• Fixed an issue that caused a "tax period not ended" error when the Submit button was clicked in the Open Obligations panel. The problem was only evident for users who had their Windows time zone set lower than UTC+01:00 (e.g. British Summer Time) or UTC+00:00 (e.g. Greenwich Mean Time), sometimes causing the Windows system date to be one day behind than what was expected by HMRC.
• Fixed an issue that caused an "invalid date" error for certain users when the Windows display scaling was changed while Easy MTD VAT was running.
• Fixed an issue that prevented Easy MTD VAT from being run if the data folder no longer existed. When this occurs, the default, C:\ProgramData\Easy MTD VAT folder is now used.
• Added "Leave the Sheet Name and Cell settings blank to apply zero to box 2, 8 and 9, and calculate box 3 and 5" message to the Submit VAT Return window.

3.2.5.0 (11/07/2022)

• The Locked Data window is no longer shown and Easy MTD VAT can continue to be used for users who caused the lock (i.e. the Lock.dat file no longer needs to be deleted for these users).
• Only one instance of Easy MTD VAT can now be run on an individual computer.
• Fixed an issue where an extra blank column was shown in the Open Obligations, Fulfilled Obligations, Payments and Liabilities panels when certain screen resolutions were used.
• Fixed an issue that caused the Open Obligations, Fulfilled Obligations and Payments panels to be hidden for certain users.

3.2.4.0 (17/06/2022)

• Changed the sort order of the open obligations, fulfilled obligations, payments and liabilities from newest first (top) to oldest first (top).
• The Submit button is disabled if the period end date of an open obligation has not yet expired.
• The VAT data for the selected business is automatically shown when Easy MTD VAT is launched.
• Changed a number of tooltips so the information they display is more informative.

3.2.3.0 (23/05/2022)

• Box figures in an Excel (xlsx, xls, xlsm) or comma separated values (csv) file are now imported in a United Kingdom format (e.g. 150,000.00) instead of the number format that Windows is configured for. Prior to this, box figures would be deemed unacceptable (shown in red) and users would need to change their Windows regional settings to United Kingdom.
• When printing the VAT return and submission receipt from the View VAT Return window, the output is displayed in a more appealing way.
• An error window is immediately shown when the process of granting authority fails.
• A user friendly error window is now displayed when authority is required for the selected business. This replaces a 403 error window that did not offer a solution as to how to resolve the problem (e.g. grant authority).
• Added a "Reclaim" or "Pay" label to the right of the box 5 description in the Submit VAT Return window, View VAT Return window and within the data copied, emailed and printed from the View VAT Return window. This indicates whether the box 5 value will be reclaimed from HMRC or paid to HMRC.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused a LiabilitiesDataSet error window to appear after clicking the Get button.
• Fixed an issue that prevented box figures in an Excel Macro-Enabled spreadsheet (xlsm) from being imported.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused Not a Valid Date error window to appear and certain areas of the interface to be displayed in black if the Windows date format used a separator other than a forward slash (/) (e.g. 01-02-2022 or 01.02.2022).

3.2.1.0 (05/04/2022)

• A complete rewrite of the software to improve functionality.
• The term "business" is now used instead of "client" throughout the interface.
• Added a Lookup button to check the VAT registration number specified in the Add Business window and Modify Business window. If a valid VAT registration number is specified, the name and address of the associated business is displayed.
• Displays a Proof of Check Reference in the Add Business and Modify Business windows when a VAT registration number is successfully looked up and the business is assigned to an agent.
• Added a Manage Agents window that enables agents to be added, modified and deleted.
• When granting authority for a business, the default browser is opened where HMRC pages required for granting authority are displayed. At the end of the process a unique code is shown that is copied then pasted into the Grant Authority window in Easy MTD VAT to finalise authority. Use of the default browser has been introduced to prevent occasional authorisation failures due to the use of the browser window previously integrated into Easy MTD VAT.
• Removed the Period From and Period To dates from the main interface and replaced them with a single Year To date.
• Added a Reset button to the main interface so the Year To date can be reset to the default current date.
• Changed the Submit VAT Return window so it is simpler and quicker to select necessary box figures from an Excel or CSV file. A seperate Spreadsheet Settings window is no longer required and sheet names where VAT figures are stored are selected from a list box instead of being typed.
• Added messages to the Submit VAT return window to describe why a box figure has a warning or an error.
• Added a Nil VAT Return checkbox to the Submit VAT return window, to enable a nil VAT return to be submitted without needing to select a figures file.
• More box figures are now rounded if they have the incorrect number of decimal places, or assumed to be zero or calculated if they are missing from the Excel or CSV file.
• A CSV file containing box figures that appear on the same line or their own line can now be used.
• Added a Report button to many error windows so the error can be reported to Fly Software for easier and faster resolution.
• The data files (Clients.dat and Agents.dat) are now locked when being used by an instance of Easy MTD VAT. This is to prevent other instances using them concurrently.
• Added a Settings menu to the main interface. Here certain options that previously appeared on the Help menu can be found along with a Manage Agents option.
• Added more options to the Help menu that provide access to helpful HMRC and Easy MTD VAT web pages.

2.0.1.0 (11/12/2021)

• Updated the security headers to comply with HMRC MTD for VAT system changes.
• Changed the way a connection is made to the HMRC server and Easy MTD VAT server to make the process more reliable.
• Fixed an issue where two clients would be added when no other clients existed.
• When Easy MTD VAT is launched the Period From and Period To dates are set to their default values - the From date is 12 months in the past and the To date is the current date.
• Added the client VAT number to the data that is stored in the Easy MTD VAT system following submission of a VAT return.
• A Connection Error window is now displayed if Easy MTD VAT is unable to connect to the Easy MTD VAT server when it is launched. If necessary, proxy settings can be specified or Easy MTD VAT exited.

1.9.2.0 (04/08/2021)

• Submission receipts for submitted VAT returns are saved locally in the Client.dat file as well as the user's Easy MTD VAT account.
• To make submitting a VAT return more intuitive, certain buttons on the Submit VAT Return window were replaced with a Settings button and an Import button.

1.9.1.0 (11/06/2021)

• Implemented the latest HMRC security headers.
• Changed the text for box 2, box 8 and box 9 in the Submit VAT Return window and View VAT Return window so they reflect changes made due to leaving the EU.
• Made the text in certain error, warning and information windows more user friendly and understandable.

1.9.0.0 (24/05/2021)

• Implemented new HMRC security headers.
• No longer tries to automatically retrieve VAT data from HMRC after launch.
• Made the text in many error, warning and information windows more user friendly and understandable.
• Added a Notification window that appears at launch if there is a notification available. This replaces the window that appears when there is scheduled downtime or issue with the HMRC system.
• Added a Critical Update window that appears at launch if there is a critical update available.
• Fixed an issue that caused a "User email not found" error appearing when an email address with uppercase letters is specified in the Account Login window.

1.8.2.2 (22/06/2020)

• Changes made to conform with the HMRC Making Tax Digital for VAT system.

1.8.2.1 (24/02/2020)

• Changes made to conform with the HMRC Making Tax Digital for VAT system.

1.8.1.1 (04/02/2020)

• Added an option to specify the data folder where client (Clients.dat) and agent (Agents.dat) data files are located. By default these files are located in C:\ProgramData\Easy MTD VAT\ but they can now be located in any folder including a shared network folder.
  Click the Help menu followed by the Data Folder option to open the Data window where the data folder can be specified.
  Specifying a new folder will automatically create new Clients.dat and (if applicable) Agents.dat files if they do not already exist and populate them with the client and agent data currently held in the Easy MTD VAT interface. If Clients.dat and Agents.dat files already exist in the new folder then the data currently held in the Easy MTD VAT interface will be merged with the data already in the files.
• The Account Login window is now opened when the OK button is clicked in the window that appears if the account email or password is incorrect (prior to submitting a VAT return to HMRC).
• Fixed an issue where the name of the client remained in the Client list box immediately after the client was deleted.

1.7.1.2 (17/09/2019)

• Added a warning window that appears when Easy MTD VAT is launched to notify users about scheduled downtime of the HMRC Making Tax Digital for VAT system. The window only appears if the current date is within the downtime period. Details and the period shown in the window reflect what is sent by HMRC to MTD for VAT software developers.

1.7.1.1 (11/09/2019)

• Now uses the TLS v1.2 protocol to connect to the HMRC and Easy MTD VAT servers. This was updated as a result of a HMRC stipulation on 11/09/2019.

1.6.2.1 (10/09/2019)

• To enable HMRC to grant authority to Easy MTD VAT and for Easy MTD VAT to retrieve VAT data and submit VAT returns when the computer it is installed on is connected to a proxy, a Proxy Settings window has been added. Here proxy settings such as server and port can be specified. The window is accessed by clicking the Proxy Settings option on the Help menu.
• Changed the Account option on the Help menu to Account Login.
• Stopped the Forgotten Password link text in the Account Login window from enlarging when it is hovered over.
• Removed "Period From [date] To [date]" from the interface and replaced it with "Show HMRC VAT Data From [date] To [date]". This is to stop users confusing the dates with the period from and to dates of a VAT return, when in actuality the dates are provided to determine what open obligations, fulfilled obligations, payments and liabilities are shown in the interface.
• Tooltip changes.

1.5.1.1 (31/08/2019)

• Fixed an issue where only a forward slash (/) date separator was accepted for the From and To dates.
• Fixed an issue where only dates in the format dd/mm/yyyy were accepted for the From and To dates.

1.4.1.6 (21/08/2019)

• Changed the text in the Authorisation Error message box that can appear when you click the Get button. The text now explains why you could be seeing the error and how to recitify it, and provides buttons for granting authority to Easy MTD VAT and signing up to Making Tax Digital for VAT on the HMRC website.

1.4.1.5 (02/08/2019)

• Fixed an issue where certain Easy MTD VAT windows (such as the Submit VAT return window where imported VAT figures appear) ended up behind the main Easy MTD VAT interface.

1.4.1.4 (31/07/2019)

• Changed the way box 6, 7, 8 and 9 are imported from an Excel spreadsheet or CSV file. Now, instead of being rejected, if box 6, 7, 8 or 9 are not whole numbers (0 decimal places) they are rounded down to a whole number (i.e. the pence is removed) when imported into Easy MTD VAT. For example, if box 6 was 6788.66 it would be changed to 6788 when imported. To indicate a value has been changed to a whole number by Easy MTD VAT, it appears in orange in the Submit Spreadsheet window.
  NOTE: It is a stipulation of HMRC that boxes 6, 7, 8 and 9 must be whole numbers.

1.4.1.2 (08/07/2019)

• Added Not Used checkboxes to the Spreadsheet Settings window for boxes 2, 8 and 9. This is for Excel spreadsheets that do not have associated cells defined due to EU figures not being applicable. If a checkbox is selected (ticked) then 0 is used for the associated box.
• Added Calculate checkboxes to the Spreadsheet Settings window for boxes 3 and 5. This is for Excel spreadsheets that do not have associated cells defined. If a checkbox is selected (ticked) then the value of the associated box is calculated as per HMRC rules.
• Changed the description of certain error messages and tooltips in the Spreadsheet Settings window so they are more intuitive.
• Changed the default cell values in the Spreadsheet Settings window to A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9.
• After OK is clicked in the Spreadsheet Settings window, the spreadsheet values are automatically imported into the Submit VAT Return window if the Figures File is specified and valid.
• When box 2, 8 and 9 have the Not Used setting enabled, the 0 value in the Submit VAT Return window appears in orange to indicate it has not been imported from the spreadsheet.
• When box 3 and 5 have the Calculate setting enabled, the value in the Submit VAT Return window appears in orange to indicate it has been calculated and has not been imported from the spreadsheet.
• Added a warning message to the Submission window if box 2, 3, 5, 8 and/or 9 values have been determined by Easy MTD VAT (i.e. associated Not Used and Calculate settings are enabled).
• Changed the term Worksheet to Sheet throughout the Easy MTD VAT interface and documentation so it is consistent with the terminology used in Excel.
• Changed certain error messages returned by HMRC so they are less technical and more comprehensible.
• Added a Yes and No button to the warning window that appears after clicking the Get button when authority has not been granted to Easy MTD VAT. Before only an OK button was presented and the Authority window was always opened after it was clicked. The warning window also no longer appears following launch if authority is not already granted.

1.2.1.2 (12/06/2019)

• Simplified the error message that appears if the Period To date is in the future.
• Changed the way VAT figures are imported from an Excel spreadsheet in order to avoid errors caused by rounding.

1.2.1.1 (06/06/2019)

• Changed the way the final part of authentication is handled. This is to avoid users with certain Windows setups being presented with a "This page can't be displayed" error and authentication of Easy MTD VAT failing.

1.1.1.12 (03/06/2019)

• Changed the way Easy MTD VAT imports VAT figures from an Excel spreadsheet. Previously it imported the raw value contained in each cell. Now it imports the displayed value contained in each cell. For example, an Excel cell may contain a raw value of 23449.1245 but a displayed value of 23449.12 (i.e. the cell format is set to a Number and 2 decimal places). The 23449.12 value is now imported and not the 23449.1245 value.

1.1.1.11 (22/05/2019)

• Changed the appearance of the Submit VAT Return window, View VAT Return window and the Spreadsheet Settings window.
• Changed the "Submission Receipts" label in the View VAT Return window to "Submission Receipt".

1.1.1.10 (20/05/2019)

• Changed the way VAT return submission receipt data is stored. Previously, submission receipt data was stored by default in C:\ProgramData\Easy MTD VAT\Clients.dat. This meant if you viewed a fulfilled obligation using Easy MTD VAT on a different PC/laptop to where the VAT return was submitted, or the Clients.dat file was deleted since submission, the data would be unavailable. Submission receipt data is now stored in the remote Fly Software database and assigned to the Fly Software account associated with the Easy MTD VAT installation. This means submission receipt data for VAT returns submitted by Easy MTD VAT can be viewed on any Easy MTD VAT installation that uses the same Fly Software account.
  If you have used an earlier release of Easy MTD VAT to submit a VAT return, you can get the associated submission receipt data added to your Fly Software account by adding Client.dat to a zip then emailing it and your account email to info@easymtdvat.com.
• Added the VAT return box numbers to the Submit VAT Return window, Spreadsheet Settings window and View VAT Return window.
• Restricted the number of characters that can be specified for the Client Reference (50), Agent Reference (50) and Additional Information (100).
• Increased the default height of the Easy MTD VAT window so more rows of data can be seen.

1.1.1.9 (17/05/2019)

• Fixed an issue where the VAT figure import was not dealing with calculated Excel cells.

1.1.1.8 (15/05/2019)

• A window now appears when Easy MTD VAT is launched to remind users that they or their client(s) must be signed up for Making Tax Digital for VAT. This was added to avoid users thinking Easy MTD VAT was at fault when they were unable to submit VAT returns or view VAT obligations, liabilities and payments, when in fact the real cause was because they had not signed up for Making Tax Digital for VAT.

1.1.1.7 (09/05/2019)

• The last client selected prior to exiting Easy MTD VAT is remembered and selected the next time Easy MTD VAT is launched. VAT obligations, liabilities and payments are also automatically displayed for the previously specified Period From and Period To dates.
• Added Print, Email and Copy buttons to the View VAT Return window so the content of the window can be printed, emailed and copied to the Windows clipboard.

1.1.1.6 (30/04/2019)

• Code signed the setup and runtime executables so you can be sure the code has not been tampered with and is officially created and supplied by Fly Software.

1.1.1.5 (24/04/2019)

• Changed where the user is directed to when agreeing to update.

1.1.1.4 (10/04/2019)

Released