How bridging tools make MTD IT simple for spreadsheet-based clients

Some clients love a spreadsheet. They know where everything goes, they know how to update it, and they’re not in a hurry to change the way they work. That does not mean they are outside Making Tax Digital (MTD IT), but it also doesn’t mean a firm has to force every client into a new process overnight. HMRC allows businesses to use bridging software to connect spreadsheet records to its systems, provided the software is compatible with MTD IT requirements. For firms, this is helpful because it gives spreadsheet-based clients a practical route into MTD IT without causing panic, drama, or the dreaded “new system” conversation before they’re ready.

This blog is part of our series, Making Tax Digital for Accountants: Your Complete MTD IT Compliance Guide.

Spreadsheets still have a place under MTD IT

MTD IT is about keeping digital records and submitting information to HMRC using compatible software. It doesn’t mean every client has to stop using spreadsheets on day one. That matters because many clients use spreadsheets for good reasons. They may be small, cost-conscious, nervous about change, or simply comfortable with a process that has worked for years. The key is making sure the spreadsheet is part of a compliant digital workflow. That’s where bridging tools come in.

What bridging tools actually do

A bridging tool acts as the connection between the client’s spreadsheet and HMRC. The client continues recording their figures in a familiar spreadsheet. The bridging tool then takes the relevant data and helps submit it to HMRC in the required digital format.

That simple link can save firms a lot of unnecessary disruption. Instead of rebuilding the client’s entire process straight away, the firm can focus on getting the data into the right place, in the right format, at the right time.

Familiar workflows reduce client resistance

The hardest part of MTD IT will not always be the technology. Often, it will be getting clients to change their habits. Some will adapt quickly, but others will need more time, and a few will resist all attempts.

Bridging tools give firms a middle ground. Clients can keep using a format they understand, while the firm keeps control over the submission process.

That can make MTD IT conversations easier. Rather than telling clients everything must change immediately, firms can say, “You can keep working this way, but we need to connect it properly.”

Compliance without unnecessary disruption

A good bridging process can also reduce risk because manual copying between spreadsheets, emails and HMRC services leaves room for mistakes. Figures can be missed, duplicated, changed late, or taken from the wrong version.

Bridging tools help create a more controlled process. They support the digital link between spreadsheet records and HMRC submissions, helping firms avoid messy workarounds.

Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50k are already mandated, followed by those over £30k from April 2027. This means firms will be managing a mix of clients all at different levels of readiness.

Bridging tools can therefore help keep clients moving without forcing everyone down the same path at the same pace.

For further information on Bright’s bridging tools, check out our blog on how BrightBooks can support MTD IT.

A step towards better digital habits

Bridging tools should not be seen as a dead end but as a useful step towards digitalisation.

Some clients may eventually move to fuller digital bookkeeping. Others may stay with spreadsheets for longer. Either way, the firm has a route to keep them compliant while building better habits over time.

BrightBooks includes a spreadsheet bridging tool for MTD IT quarterly updates, helping firms import spreadsheet data, review the figures and submit to HMRC. That gives accountants and bookkeepers a practical way to support spreadsheet-based clients without adding extra admin pressure.

MTD IT doesn’t have to mean tearing up every client workflow. With the right bridging tool, spreadsheets can still have a place, just with a stronger connection to the compliance process.

See how BrightBooks can help you support spreadsheet-based clients with MTD.

This content may have been developed with the assistance of AI tools. Content is reviewed by a member of the Bright team before publication. Guidance on legislation can be obtained from your industry body.