Accountants and bookkeepers
How to use your Practice Dashboard, add and manage clients, run payroll and more.
Self Assessment essentials
CIS for contractors
- CIS for contractors in FreeAgent
- Contractor monthly return (CIS300) in FreeAgent
- View and send a payment and deduction statement
- Set up an email template for CIS payment and deduction statements
- Deal with CIS bills that are outstanding when you start using FreeAgent
- CIS for contractors in partnership accounts
MTD for Income Tax essentials
- Frequently asked questions about MTD for Income Tax in FreeAgent
- First year of MTD for Income Tax submissions
- Prepare for MTD for Income Tax in FreeAgent
- How to use FreeAgent for MTD for Income Tax if you’re a sole trader with multiple businesses or rental income
- Supported reporting for MTD for Income Tax
- MTD for Income Tax adjustments and allowances
Accounting essentials
Banking essentials
Setting up your FreeAgent account
Essentials
Using price list items
Managing a property
Essentials
- How FreeAgent supports RTI
- What’s the difference between RTI, FPS and EPS payroll submissions?
- How Income Tax and National Insurance for employees are calculated in FreeAgent
- Record payroll by creating journal entries
- View payslips in FreeAgent
- Edit payslips
Adding files
Essentials
Essentials
- An introduction to the Tax Timeline on mobile
- Manage your business on the go using the FreeAgent mobile app
- Provide FreeAgent’s support team access to your account on mobile
- An introduction to the FreeAgent mobile app's functionality
- What do I need in order to use the FreeAgent mobile app?
- Download the FreeAgent mobile app
Essentials
- Practice security centre
- Log in to your Practice Dashboard on a new device when a new login check is enabled
- Help for accountant and bookkeeper partners
- Practice billing
- Demo accounts
- Become an accredited FreeAgent Partner
Essentials
Essentials
- Which bank feeds does FreeAgent support?
- Enable an Open Banking bank feed
- How Open Banking bank feeds work
- Update your Open Banking bank feed connection
- Disable a bank feed
- Disconnect a bank feed
VAT essentials
Essentials
Creating estimates
Managing estimates
Track your work
Creating dividends
Essentials
Creating an invoice
Essentials
- An introduction to expenses and mileage
- What's the difference between an expense, a bill and a bank transaction?
- Edit an out-of-pocket expense or mileage claim
- Delete an out-of-pocket expense or mileage claim
- Move a balance between out-of pocket expenses and the capital account
- Move a balance between out-of pocket expenses and a director’s loan account
Essentials
Essentials
- Add a new bill
- Add line items to a bill
- Edit a bill
- Edit or delete line items on a bill
- Edit a re-billed bill
- Remove a Payit payment reference from a bill
Setting up MTD for VAT
Sign-in and security
Self Assessment for sole traders
- Self Assessment for sole traders
- The Employment page of the Self Assessment tax return for sole traders
- The short version of the Self-employment page for sole traders
- The long version of the Self-employment page for sole traders
- How FreeAgent apportions income and expenses for sole traders under Self Assessment
CIS for subcontractors
Setting up MTD for Income Tax
Logging in to the mobile app
- Log in to the FreeAgent mobile app with your FreeAgent login details
- Log in to the FreeAgent mobile app on an iOS device using Touch ID or Face ID
- Log in to the FreeAgent mobile app on an Android device using fingerprint or face recognition
- Log in to the FreeAgent mobile app via your bank account
- Switch between FreeAgent accounts in the FreeAgent mobile app
Managing contacts
Managing projects
Stock essentials
Recording expenses
Paying bills
Recording income and costs for a property
- Import and reconcile a rental statement
- Record rental income for a property
- Record costs for a property
- Record residential finance costs for landlords
- Allocate property fees or charges deducted to rental income
- Explain a rental income refund
Finance and insurance
Managing files
- Attach image files to a bank transaction
- Attach an image file to a bill
- Convert a Smart Capture file into a bill
- Convert a Smart Capture file into an out-of-pocket expense
- Attach an image file to an out-of-pocket expense
- Edit a file
Your FreeAgent data
Managing specific bank feeds
- Bank feed error message: consent was rejected
- Migrate your Santander bank feed
- Migrate your Lloyds Banking Group credit card bank feed
- Enable a Mettle bank feed
- Enable a Wise bank feed
- Update a Mettle bank feed
Onboarding clients
- Import a client's invoices
- Add an existing FreeAgent account to your Practice Dashboard
- Add a new client to your Practice Dashboard
- Add a new landlord client and add a property to their account
- Set up a new client with a Mettle account
- Import a client’s opening balances
Setting up payroll
Bill your time
Managing dividends
Editing an invoice
Account setup for existing businesses
FreeAgent bank accounts
Accounting categories
- Add a new accounting category
- View or edit an accounting category
- Delete an accounting category
- Export a chart of accounts
- View the tax reporting type of an accounting category
- Tax and accounting effects of accounting categories for sole traders, partnerships and LLPs
MTD for Income Tax on mobile
Account security
Self Assessment for limited company directors
- Self Assessment for limited company directors
- How FreeAgent populates the Self Assessment tax return for limited company directors
- The Employment page of the Self Assessment tax return for limited company directors
- The short version of the Self-employment page for limited company directors
- The long version of the Self-employment page for limited company directors
Domestic VAT reverse charge
Editing MTD for Income Tax settings
Payment options
Amazon
- Manually enter Amazon sales data into FreeAgent
- Set up an Amazon integration
- An introduction to using Amazon with FreeAgent
- How the Amazon integration works
- Transition from manually entering your Amazon data to automatically importing it
- How Amazon’s Standard Base Reserve Policy affects your transaction data in FreeAgent
Explaining rental deposits
Creating and editing payroll profiles
- Create a payroll profile
- How FreeAgent’s automatic pension contribution calculation works
- Which National Insurance contribution basis to select for a limited company director
- Enable student loan deductions in FreeAgent's payroll
- What’s the difference between net pay and relief at source pension contributions?
- Edit a payroll profile
First steps for new users
- Get started with FreeAgent
- Fast-track guide for sole traders for filing Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax quarterly updates
- Fast-track guide for landlords for filing Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax quarterly updates
- Get help with using FreeAgent
- Temporary limitations on new FreeAgent accounts
- The FreeAgent start date for new businesses
Your subscription
Third-party bank feed integrations
Managing clients
- Access or view a client’s account
- Edit a client’s details
- Change the status of a client’s account
- Update clients’ bank feeds in bulk
- Invite missing clients to your Practice Dashboard
- Create and manage bank rules for clients
Recording mileage
Registering & de-registering your business for VAT
- What to do while waiting for your VAT registration number to be issued
- Update your details when you receive your VAT registration number
- Claim VAT back on purchases made before you were VAT-registered
- Update your VAT settings when you de-register your business for VAT
- Create the journal entries required after you de-register your business for VAT
- Update your VAT registration settings when you re-register your business for VAT
Buying and selling stock
Invoicing
Importing and exporting contacts
Credit notes
Uploading bank transactions
Journal entries
High level reports
MTD for Income Tax pages
- Complete the Annual summary page for MTD for Income Tax
- Complete the Employment page for MTD for Income Tax
- Enter Individual information for MTD for Income Tax
- Enter pension income for MTD for Income Tax
- Enter capital gains for MTD for Income Tax
- Enter adjustments and allowances for MTD for Income Tax
Self Assessment for landlords
- Self Assessment for unincorporated landlords
- The Employment page of the Self Assessment tax return for unincorporated landlords
- The short version of the Self-employment page for unincorporated landlords
- The long version of the Self-employment page for unincorporated landlords
- The UK property page for unincorporated landlords
- How FreeAgent apportions income and expenses for landlords under Self Assessment
Account managers and groups
- Delete an account manager
- Account manager roles
- Add a new account manager
- Edit an account manager
- Assign clients to an account manager
- Create an account manager and client group
Opening balances
- An introduction to opening balances
- Enter opening balances for limited companies and LLPs
- Enter opening balances for sole traders, partnerships and unincorporated landlords when using accruals basis accounting
- Enter opening balances for sole traders, partnerships and unincorporated landlords when using cash basis accounting
- Import opening balances
- Edit opening balances
Bank feeds, connections and approved applications
Contacts
Working with your accountant
- Use FreeAgent with your accountant
- Transfer your FreeAgent account to your accountant’s Practice Dashboard
- Transfer your FreeAgent account from one accountant's Practice Dashboard to another
- Remove your FreeAgent account from your accountant’s Practice Dashboard
- Add your accountant as a user to your FreeAgent account
Explaining bank transactions
- Explain a bank transaction
- Explain multiple bank transactions in bulk
- Choose the appropriate type and category when explaining a bank transaction
- Explain money received into your bank account
- Explain money paid out of your bank account
- Categorise a business cost
Running payroll
- Prepare and run payroll
- Start a new payroll tax year
- Make corrections to payroll filed to HMRC
- File missing payroll submissions after the end of a tax year
- Edit or delete payroll that has been marked as filed
- Make a payroll correction for a previous tax year
Foreign currency
Editing VAT return figures
Styling your invoices
VAT
Breakdown reports
Prepayments and accruals
Editing VAT return settings
MTD for Income Tax losses
- Manage loss claims for MTD for Income Tax for the 2025/26 tax year if you’re a sole trader
- Manage loss claims for MTD for Income Tax for the 2025/26 tax year if you’re a landlord
- Manage loss claims for MTD for Income Tax for the 2026/27 tax year if you’re a sole trader
- Manage loss claims for MTD for Income Tax for the 2026/27 tax year if you’re a landlord
Completing your Self Assessment return
- Complete your Self Assessment tax return
- The Main Return page of the Self Assessment tax return
- The UK property page for sole traders and limited company directors
- The Tax Adjustments page of the Self Assessment tax return
- File a Self Assessment tax return
- Correct a locked Self Assessment tax return in FreeAgent
Splitting bank transactions
Accessing your FreeAgent account
Removing clients
Error messages when filing payroll
Bank feeds
CoPilot
Final Accounts and Corporation Tax
- The Final Accounts report for micro-entities
- How FreeAgent handles Corporation Tax
- Adjust your Corporation Tax liability figures
- Complete the Corporation Tax supplementary page (CT600A) in FreeAgent
- Enter brought forward figures in FreeAgent
- How Corporation Tax is calculated for an accounting period longer than 12 months
Managing your invoices
Projects
Detailed reports
E-commerce
MTD for Income Tax submissions
- Send a quarterly update for MTD for Income Tax
- Automate quarterly MTD for Income Tax submissions
- Send an end-of-year update for MTD for Income Tax
- Send a final declaration for MTD for Income Tax
- Approve and sign MTD for Income Tax submissions
- MTD for Income Tax error messages
Explaining income
Managing users
Adding and removing employees from payroll
Sending invoices and email templates
- Send an invoice to a contact
- Automatic emails for new invoices
- Automatic reminder emails before an invoice is due
- Quick Send invoice reminder email for an overdue invoice
- Automatic thank you emails for paid invoices
- Style your invoice and estimate emails
Final Accounts and Corporation Tax filing
- Approve and sign end-of-year accounts
- What can you file using FreeAgent?
- Prepare for filing end-of-year Final Accounts and Corporation Tax returns
- Apply for a Companies House presenter account
- File end-of-year Final Accounts and Corporation Tax returns
- Make corrections after filing end-of-year Final Accounts and Corporation Tax returns
Banking
MTD for VAT submissions
Capital asset essentials
Payroll
Payments
Error messages when filing Self Assessment
GoCardless
Explaining payments to and from FreeAgent users
- Explain personal payments paid into a business by a sole trader, partner or landlord
- Explain personal payments paid out of the business by a sole trader, partner or landlord
- Explain the purchase of shares by a director
- Explain transactions using the director’s loan account
- Explain a salary payment to an employee
- Explain pension payments
Capital asset purchases
- Record the purchase of a capital asset when using accruals basis accounting
- Record the purchase of a capital asset when using cash basis accounting
- Record the purchase of a capital asset using multiple transactions
- Record the purchase of multiple capital assets with one bank transaction if you’re on the VAT Flat Rate Scheme
- Record the purchase of a capital asset for business and personal use
- Recording the purchase of a property by your business
Recurring invoices
Final Accounts and Corporation Tax error messages
Essentials
Sales and purchases outside the UK
- Record the sale of goods to businesses based outside the UK
- Record the sale of services to businesses based outside the UK
- Record the purchase of goods from businesses based outside the UK
- Record the purchase of services from businesses based outside the UK
- VAT MOSS and VAT OSS in FreeAgent
- Create an EC Sales List
Estimates and invoicing
- Create a pro-forma invoice on mobile
- Mark an invoice as paid on mobile
- Add a payment link to your invoices on mobile
- Create an estimate on mobile
- Create an invoice on mobile
- Edit an invoice on mobile
Statutory pay and deductions
- Record redundancy pay in FreeAgent
- Record the Cycle to Work Scheme in FreeAgent
- How FreeAgent handles statutory pay
- Process statutory pay received in advance
- Pay and deductions
- Show deductions under salary sacrifice
Account locking
Managing your business settings
- Manage communication preferences
- Add and edit your business's details
- Add, change or delete your business's logo
- Accounting dates in FreeAgent
- Verify a sender email address
- Authorise FreeAgent to send emails from your business address
Dashboard and client reports
- Prepare Management Reports for clients
- Create alert rules
- Export an alert rule notification report
- Export an account transactions report
- Export an account totals report
- Export an Income Tax Filed report
PayPal
Expenses and mileage claims
End-of-year accounts
Year end process
Dealing with bank loans
Capital assets bought on hire purchase
- Record an asset bought on hire purchase when using accruals basis accounting
- Record an asset bought on hire purchase when using cash basis accounting
- Record an asset bought on hire purchase using part exchange (old asset included in capital asset register)
- Record an asset bought on hire purchase using part exchange (old asset not included in capital asset register)
IR35
Credit notes
HMRC payroll forms
Essentials
Setting up your practice and clients for MTD for Income Tax
Explaining payments to HMRC
HMRC payroll notices
Radar
Disposing of a capital asset
Foreign invoices
Bills
- Add a bill on mobile
- Add line items to a bill on mobile
- Record an asset bought on hire purchase on mobile
- Edit a bill on mobile
- Pay a bill using Payit™ on mobile
- Schedule a bill payment using Payit™ on mobile
Payment solutions
Managing clients' MTD for Income Tax submissions
Growing your business with FreeAgent
Stripe
Explaining refunds from HMRC
Files and attachments
- Attach an image file to a bank transaction on mobile
- Attach an image file to a bill on mobile
- Convert a Smart Capture file into a bill on mobile
- Capture a receipt using Smart Capture on mobile
- Convert a Smart Capture file into an out-of-pocket expense on mobile
- Edit a file on mobile
Advanced invoicing
- Migrate your custom CSS theme
- Creating staged invoices
- Self-billing invoices
- Adding interest or a late payment fee to an unpaid invoice
- Create a VAT only invoice
- Create a custom invoice theme using CSS
Dealing with rent deposits
Payment solutions
- Connect to Stripe on mobile
- Take invoice payments with Stripe on mobile
- Set up Tap to Pay on mobile
- Take an in-person payment using Tap to Pay
- Take instant bank payments using GoCardless on mobile
- Set up a GoCardless Direct Debit mandate on mobile
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT
Project management and calendar feeds
Tax submission and access settings
- Manage your practice’s default tax submission and access settings
- Manage your practice’s default End of Year settings for clients
- Manage your practice’s default Income Tax settings for clients
- Manage your practice’s default VAT settings for clients
- Manage your practice’s default CIS settings for clients
- Manage your practice’s default Tax Timeline settings for clients
Dealing with underpayments and overpayments
Creating projects
- An introduction to projects on mobile
- Create a project on mobile
- Create a project task on mobile
- Create an estimate as part of a project on mobile
- Create an invoice as part of a project on mobile
- Create an expense as part of a project on mobile
Client approvals
Managing projects
Dealing with e-commerce transactions
CoPilot
Your FreeAgent account
Editing bank transactions
Add-ons
- Set up a GoCardless Direct Debit mandate for your practice
- Manage your practice’s connections
- An introduction to add-ons for accountants
- Managing your practice’s default add-on subscription settings
- Managing a client’s add-on subscription settings
- Activating Smart Capture Unlimited for a client
FreeAgent for Landlords
- Add a property on mobile
- Edit a property on mobile
- Delete a property on mobile
- Record rental income for a property on mobile
- Record a rental income refund on mobile
- Record costs for a property on mobile
Bank reconciliation
Self Assessment and IR35
Guess
Dashboard settings
- Enable and use two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Practice Dashboard
- Enable a new login check for your Practice Dashboard
- Update your login or recovery email address for your Practice Dashboard
- View and manage known devices on your Practice Dashboard
- View and manage active sessions on your Practice Dashboard
- Practice Dashboard login attempts
Foreign and multi-currency
- How FreeAgent handles bank transactions in foreign currencies
- Explain a foreign currency invoice bank transaction from a bank feed or statement upload
- Create a manual bank transaction for a foreign currency invoice
- Explain funds transferred to or from a foreign currency bank account
- Record cryptocurrency transactions
- Migrate to a foreign currency bank account in FreeAgent