For sole traders
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HMRC wants quarterly updates four times a year. You want to get back to work, not learn a new system or worry you have got your tax wrong. Aligned reads the spreadsheet you already keep, maps it to HMRC's fields, and lets you review every figure before you submit.
Free bridging software · No credit card · Keep the spreadsheet you already use.
Found 8 potential mappings in your spreadsheet.
Most MTD tools want you to switch to full accounting software. Aligned reads the income and expenses workbook you already keep, maps the columns, and submits the quarterly update.
Drop in your spreadsheet - any format, any layout. Aligned reads your columns and maps them to the right HMRC fields automatically. You check the mapping, hit submit, and your quarterly update is filed. The mapping saves, so next quarter takes seconds.
Download a rigid template. Link cells with formulas. Or re-key every figure by hand into another tool. Every quarter. For every client. HMRC's digital mandate means you can't just copy and paste - so you're stuck adapting your workflow to fit someone else's software.
Your books stay in your spreadsheet. The mapping saves for next quarter. Tax admin stays out of your working day.
Your start date depends on your self-employment and property income, not a letter from HMRC. Check exactly when, and why, in under a minute. Every answer traces back to GOV.UK.
Check your start dateUpload the income and expenses spreadsheet you use day to day. No reformatting and no template to copy across. Smart Map reads it however you have laid it out.
Smart Map matches your column headers to the self-employment MTD fields and proposes the mapping. Review every figure and approve it before anything is submitted to HMRC.
Check the figures and file the quarterly self-employment update directly to HMRC via their MTD API. Save the mapping so next quarter is a one-click repeat, with a full audit trail.
A 7-minute read covering simplified expenses, key dates, and what changes about your bookkeeping under MTD.
Read the MTD guide for sole tradersYes. Aligned is built for sole traders who keep spreadsheet records and want guided MTD submission rather than a full accounting package.
Aligned is designed around the quarterly filing workflow, including clear status and deadline prompts for each update.
Aligned is almost here. Add your email for early access and we'll notify you the moment filing opens - free, no credit card.
Aligned is free for sole traders - the core upload-and-submit workflow is always free. There is no credit card to enter and no per-update fee for filing each quarter.
Aligned accepts Excel .xlsx, .xls, and .csv files. Bring whatever workbook you already use for income and expenses, and Smart Map maps the columns into the right HMRC fields.
Yes. You can keep your own books in a spreadsheet and avoid moving to a full accounting package, with Aligned reading the file you already maintain.
Qualifying income is your total gross self-employment plus gross property income, combined across all your businesses, before expenses. It is a single threshold test, and HMRC uses the figures from your most recent filed tax return before the mandate date to decide whether you are in scope.
Your first quarterly update covers 6 April to 5 July 2026 and is due by 7 August 2026. For the 2026-27 tax year, HMRC has confirmed a transitional easement so no penalty points are applied for late quarterly updates during your first 12 months in MTD.
Yes. HMRC allows you to use more than one compatible product provided they work together and collectively meet the minimum functionality. You can keep FreeAgent for invoicing and use Aligned as the bridging step from your spreadsheet to HMRC, as long as the digital link between the systems is maintained without manual re-keying.
Free to use - no credit card, no setup.