Add an existing FreeAgent account to your Practice Dashboard
This article explains how to transfer or link a client’s existing FreeAgent account to your Practice Dashboard.
If your practice is taking on a new client who has an existing FreeAgent account and the practice will be responsible for paying for their FreeAgent subscription, you’ll need to transfer their FreeAgent account to your Practice Dashboard. This includes clients who have a direct FreeAgent subscription or a subsidised FreeAgent account through NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle.
However, if your practice is taking on a new client who has an existing FreeAgent account but the client will continue to pay for their subscription, you’ll need to link their FreeAgent account to your Practice Dashboard. Linking a client’s account will restrict the range of tasks you can perform for them.
Please note:
- If your client has been using FreeAgent through another practice and wishes to transfer or link their account to your practice, they’ll need to ask their existing practice to remove their account from their Practice Dashboard first.
Once your client has received email confirmation that their account has been removed from their previous practice’s dashboard, you can transfer their account to your dashboard by following the steps below.
- If your client currently subscribes to FreeAgent through a third-party subscription provider, such as Apple, to allow the transfer, they’ll need to cancel their third-party subscription first and then contact our support team at practicesupport@freeagent.com. A member of our support team will then help switch their account to a FreeAgent subscription. (This is not required if the account is to be linked.)
Once your client has received email confirmation that their account has been switched to a FreeAgent subscription, you can transfer their account to your dashboard by following the steps below.
- Before you can begin the transfer or linking process, you’ll need to find out your client’s email address and FreeAgent subdomain. To get their subdomain, your client can follow the steps outlined inthis article.
- There are some tasks that you’ll only be able to perform in a client’s account if their account is transferred to your Practice Dashboard. Linking a client’s account will restrict the range of tasks you can perform for them.
- If your client has been added to your FreeAgent dashboard but you now need to change the status (e.g. they were transferred but now need to be linked or vice versa), you’ll need to remove their account from your dashboard and re-add the account by sending another linking or transfer request.
If your new client doesn’t have an existing FreeAgent account, find out how to set up a new client on your Practice Dashboard instead.
How to transfer an account to your Practice Dashboard
From the Clients area of your Practice Dashboard, select 'Add client' in the top-right corner and choose 'Transfer or link existing licence' from the drop-down menu.
In the Client details section, tick the checkbox to send the client an invite to 'Transfer their account'.
Next, enter your client’s email address and their FreeAgent subdomain in the fields provided, then select 'Send invite'.
An email will automatically be sent to your client informing them of the proposed transfer and asking for their confirmation to proceed. Your client will need to follow the instructions provided in the email to log in to their account and confirm the transfer.
While you’re waiting for your client to confirm, the transfer will show on the yellow banner highlighting that you're waiting for the client to be transferred.
Select ‘view, resend or cancel these invites here’ to see a list of all your pending invites. You can choose to either resend the invitation by selecting 'Resend' or cancel the transfer by selecting 'Cancel invite'.
What happens next?
After the client confirms the transfer request, you’ll receive an email confirmation. The client will now appear under the 'My clients' tab (plus the 'All clients' tab, if you’re a senior account manager) of your Practice Dashboard.
Please note that the account manager who made the transfer request in FreeAgent will automatically become the client’s account manager when the transfer is complete. If you’d like to change the client’s account manager, find out how to change an account manager.
Refund for annual subscription
Once the client has been successfully transferred to your Practice Dashboard, any remaining annual subscription that the client has paid will automatically be refunded to the client. You can view the credit note for this refund in the Billing area of your client’s account.
If your client is entitled to a subsidised NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank or Mettle FreeAgent account, but they haven't been switched to one after following all of these steps, find out how to switch them to a subsidised FreeAgent account.
How to link an existing FreeAgent account to your Practice Dashboard
From the Clients area of your Practice Dashboard, select 'Add client' in the top-right corner and choose 'Transfer or link existing licence' from the drop down menu.
In the Client details section, tick the checkbox to send the client an invite to 'Link their account'.
Next, enter your client's email address and their FreeAgent subdomain in the fields provided, then select 'Send invite'.
An email will automatically be sent to your client informing them of the proposed link and asking for their confirmation to proceed. Your client will need to follow the instructions provided in the email to log in to their account and confirm the link.
While you’re waiting for your client to confirm, the link will show on the yellow banner highlighting that you're waiting for clients to be linked.
Select ‘view, resend or cancel these invites here’ to see a list of all your pending invites. You can choose to either resend the invitation by selecting 'Resend Invite' or cancel the link by selecting 'Cancel invite’.
What happens next?
After the client confirms the link request, you’ll receive an email confirmation. The client will now appear under the 'My clients' tab (plus the 'All clients' tab, if you’re a senior account manager) of your Practice Dashboard.
Please note that the account manager who made the link request in FreeAgent will automatically become the client’s account manager when the link is complete. If you’d like to change the client’s account manager, find out how to change an account manager.
Functionality restrictions for linked clients
The table below outlines which tasks can be performed in a client account that has been transferred to your Practice Dashboard, and which tasks can be performed in an account that has been linked.
Please note that there are some tasks that you’ll only be able to perform in a client’s account if their account is transferred to your Practice Dashboard.
| Functionality | Can be performed by the account manager? | Can be performed by the client? | |||
| Transferred client | Linked client | Transferred client with full level 8 access | Transferred client with a lower level of access | Linked client | |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes, if they have level 7 access |
Yes, if they have level 7 access |
|
| Control the account owner’s level of access | Yes | No - the client will retain full level 8 access which can’t be reduced | No | No | No - the client will retain full level 8 access which can’t be reduced |
| Edit account owner’s details | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Reset account | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Delete account | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Close client’s account (mark as read-only for the practice) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Export all account data | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Use the blue ‘Help’ button | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| File Final Accounts & Corporation Tax | Yes | On behalf of directors | No | No | Yes |
| File Self Assessment | Yes, if Self Assessment is enabled for the practice | Yes | Yes, if non-MTD Self Assessment submission permissions have been granted for the client | No | Yes, if non-MTD Self Assessment submission permissions have been granted for the client |
| File VAT | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| File payroll | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Activate add-ons | Yes | No | Yes, if enabled for the client | Yes, if they're the account owner | Yes |
| Send quarterly updates for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax | Yes | Yes | Yes, if MTD for Income Tax submission permissions have been granted for the client | No | Yes, if MTD for Income Tax submission permissions have been granted for the client |
| Send end of year updates for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax | Yes | Yes | Yes, if MTD for Income Tax submission permissions have been granted for the client | No | Yes, if MTD for Income Tax submission permissions have been granted for the client |
| Send final declarations to HMRC for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax | Yes | Yes | Yes, if MTD for Income Tax submission permissions have been granted for the client | No | Yes, if MTD for Income Tax submission permissions have been granted for the client |
| View the Tax Timeline | Yes | Yes | Yes, if Tax Timeline visibility permissions have been granted for the client | Yes, if they have level 7 access and Tax Timeline visibility permissions have been granted for the client | Yes, if Tax Timeline visibility permissions have been granted for the client |