Importing from Trial Balance

Import your trial balance from Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent and more. Skip manual entry by uploading CSV, Excel, or pasting data directly.

If you use accounting software, you can import your trial balance directly into TinyTax instead of entering figures manually. This guide explains how to export from your software and import into TinyTax.

Select your company type to customise this guide:

Trading Company

Property Company

Supported Accounting Software

TinyTax supports imports from:

Popular UK Software:

Clear Books
FreeAgent
QuickBooks
Sage
Xero

Other Software:

FreshBooks
KashFlow
Pandle
QuickFile
SimpleTax
TaxFiler
Wave
Zoho Books

You can also import from CSV files, Excel spreadsheets, or paste data directly.

How to Import

Step 1: Open the Import Modal

On the submission form, click the Import button in either the P&L or Balance Sheet section:

This opens the import modal.

Step 2: Select Your Software

Choose your accounting software from the dropdown:

Accounting Software

The instructions will update based on your selection, showing you exactly how to export from that software.

Step 3: Export from Your Software

Follow the on-screen instructions to export your trial balance. Each software has its own process:

Xero:

Go to Reports > Trial Balance
Set the date to your period end
Export as Excel or CSV

QuickBooks:

Go to Reports > Accountant Reports
Select Trial Balance
Set the date range
Export to Excel

Sage:

Go to Reporting
Run Trial Balance report
Export as CSV

ℹ Make sure you export the trial balance for the correct period - matching your CT600 filing dates.

Step 4: Upload Your File

Drag and drop your exported file into the upload area, or click to browse:

Supported formats: CSV, XLS, XLSX
Maximum size: 100KB (trial balances are typically small files)

Step 5: Review the Mapping

TinyTax automatically maps your accounts to the correct CT600 fields:

Your Account	Maps To
Sales	Turnover (Box 145)
Cost of Goods Sold	Cost of raw materials
Wages & Salaries	Staff costs
Bank Interest Received	Interest income (Box 170)
Fixed Assets	Balance Sheet - Fixed Assets

Your Account	Maps To
Rental Income	Property rental income (Box 145)
Property Repairs	Property expenses
Management Fees	Other charges
Bank Interest Received	Interest income (Box 170)
Fixed Assets	Balance Sheet - Fixed Assets

Review the mappings to ensure they're correct. You can adjust any that don't look right.

Step 6: Confirm the Mapping

Click Use this mapping to populate your P&L and Balance Sheet with the imported values:

What Gets Imported?

The trial balance import populates:

Profit & Loss:

Turnover (Box 145)
Cost of raw materials and consumables
Staff costs
Depreciation
Other charges
Interest income (Box 170)

Profit & Loss:

Property rental income (Box 145)
Property expenses
Other charges
Interest income (Box 170)

Balance Sheet:

Fixed assets
Current assets
Creditors (within 1 year)
Creditors (after 1 year)
Share capital
Retained earnings

ℹ Corporation tax payable is calculated automatically by TinyTax based on your profit - you don't import this.

Import Troubleshooting

"My file won't upload"

Check that:

File is CSV, XLS, or XLSX format
File size is under 100KB
File isn't password protected or corrupted

Try exporting a fresh copy from your accounting software.

"The mappings look wrong"

TinyTax uses intelligent mapping based on account names and codes. If a mapping is incorrect:

Drag the incorrectly mapped account
Drop it into the correct category (e.g., from "Staff costs" to "Other charges")
The form will update with your corrected mappings

"Some accounts aren't mapped"

Not all accounts in your trial balance need mapping. Common unmapped items:

Control accounts (VAT, PAYE) - handled separately
Suspense accounts - should be cleared before year-end
Directors' accounts - may map to creditors or debtors

Review unmapped accounts to ensure nothing important is missed.

"Numbers don't match my accounts"

Check that:

You exported the trial balance (not P&L or Balance Sheet reports)
The date matches your period end
All adjusting entries are included in your accounting software

"Prior year figures are missing"

The trial balance import only brings in current year figures. Prior year values are:

Fetched from Companies House (if available)
Entered manually if not available

Paste Import Option

If you can't export a file, you can copy and paste data directly:

Select Copy & Paste from the software dropdown
Copy your trial balance from your software or spreadsheet
Paste into the text area
TinyTax parses the data automatically

ℹ Paste works best with tab-separated data (copied from Excel) or comma-separated values.

Manual Entry vs Import

Method	Best For
Import	Regular use of accounting software, multiple accounts
Manual	Simple businesses, few transactions

ℹ You can always edit imported values manually if needed. The import is a starting point, not a final answer.

Re-importing

If you need to re-import (e.g., after correcting entries in your accounting software):

Click Import again
Click New Import in the modal header
Upload your updated file
Confirm to overwrite existing values

⚠ Re-importing will replace any manual adjustments you've made. Export after finalising your accounts.

Software-Specific Tips

Xero

Use the Trial Balance report, not the Balance Sheet or P&L
Include all dates in the period
Check "Show zero balances" if accounts are missing

QuickBooks

Use the "Accountant Reports" section for trial balance
Make sure all entries are posted
Include memo columns if you need account descriptions

Sage

Export the Nominal Ledger Trial Balance
Select the correct financial year
Include all nominal codes

FreeAgent

Navigate to Accounting > Transactions > Trial Balance
Set the period end date
Export to CSV

Still Having Issues?

If you're having trouble with the import:

Our team can help troubleshoot specific software exports and mapping issues.

Last updated: December 2025

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