Cloud accounting that works as hard as you do — and harder
Spending Sunday evenings on a spreadsheet that nobody else can see, that breaks when you add a row, and that bears no resemblance to your bank balance is not accounting — it is archaeology. Hulljady Chartered Accountants migrates, configures, and manages cloud accounting for UK businesses that are ready to leave the spreadsheet behind and actually understand their finances in real time.
WHAT WE DO
Cloud accounting services for UK businesses
From first-time setup to complex multi-entity migrations, Hulljady provides a complete cloud accounting service — implementation, training, and ongoing support — on all major platforms.
Platform Selection & Scoping
Not every cloud platform suits every business. Before recommending Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, or FreeAgent, we assess your transaction volume, industry, team size, integration requirements, and reporting needs — and give you an honest recommendation based on what will work best for you, not what pays us the most.
New Setup & Configuration
Full setup of your chosen platform from scratch — chart of accounts structured around your business, opening balances entered, bank feeds connected, VAT scheme configured, invoice templates designed, and user access set up for your team. Done properly from day one so you never need to unpick a poor setup later.
Migration from Existing Software
Moving from desktop software, spreadsheets, or another cloud platform to a new system — with full historical data migration where required, parallel running during the transition period, and reconciliation to ensure the opening position in the new system matches exactly.
Bank Feed & Integration Setup
Connection of all bank accounts, credit cards, payment platforms — Stripe, PayPal, Square — and third-party tools including receipt capture apps, payroll software, e-commerce platforms, and CRM systems. A properly integrated system eliminates manual data entry almost entirely.
MTD for VAT & Income Tax Setup
Full Making Tax Digital compliance setup — digital record-keeping configured, MTD VAT submissions activated, and — for sole traders and landlords approaching the April 2026 MTD for Income Tax threshold — MTD ITSA preparation built into the platform from the outset.
Staff Training & Ongoing Support
Structured training for you and your team on how to use the platform day-to-day — raising invoices, processing expenses, reconciling transactions, and running reports. Followed by ongoing support as questions arise and the business evolves.
KEY FIGURES
MTD TIMELINE & KEY THRESHOLDS
Making Tax Digital is not a distant possibility — it is already here for VAT and is expanding to income tax on a confirmed timetable. Getting onto a compliant cloud platform now puts you ahead of every deadline rather than scrambling to meet them.
April 2019 — MTD for VAT (turnover above £85,000) VAT-registered businesses above the then-threshold have been required to keep digital records and file via MTD-compatible software since April 2019. Already in force for the vast majority of VAT-registered businesses.
April 2022 — MTD for VAT (all VAT-registered businesses) Extended to all VAT-registered businesses regardless of turnover — including those voluntarily registered below the current £90,000 threshold. Every VAT-registered business in the UK must now use MTD-compatible software.
April 2026 — MTD for Income Tax (turnover above £50,000) Sole traders and landlords with combined gross income above £50,000 must keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC under MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment. This is a significant change from the current annual Self Assessment system.
April 2027 — MTD for Income Tax (turnover above £30,000) The MTD ITSA threshold drops to £30,000 — bringing a large additional cohort of sole traders and landlords into the regime. Preparation now means a smooth transition rather than a last-minute scramble.
Note: MTD for Income Tax requires quarterly submissions to HMRC — not just annual ones. For sole traders and landlords currently used to filing one Self Assessment return per year, this represents a fundamental change in how they interact with HMRC. A properly configured cloud accounting platform makes this straightforward. Without one, it will be extremely difficult to comply.
HOW WE WORK
Cloud accounting packages built around your business
Our cloud accounting service is available as a standalone implementation and training engagement, or as part of a broader accountancy package where we manage your platform and use it to produce your ongoing accounts and tax returns. Either way, you get a properly configured system and a team that knows how to use it.
Starter — First-Time Cloud Users
Platform recommendation, new setup and configuration, bank feed connection, VAT setup, and a half-day training session for you and up to two team members. Ideal for businesses moving to cloud accounting for the first time from spreadsheets or desktop software.
Migration — Moving Between Platforms
Full migration from your existing system to a new cloud platform — including data migration, opening balance reconciliation, parallel running support, and training on the new system. Recommended where your current platform is no longer fit for purpose or where your accountant requires a change of software.
MTD Ready — Compliance Focus
Specifically designed for sole traders and landlords preparing for MTD for Income Tax from April 2026 — digital record-keeping setup, quarterly update workflow configured, and training on how the new submission process works in practice.
Advanced — Full Integration
Complete cloud accounting setup including platform configuration, bank feeds, third-party integrations — payroll, receipt capture, e-commerce, payment processing — and a full-day training programme for your team. Designed for businesses with multiple revenue streams, significant transaction volumes, or complex reporting requirements.
Ongoing Support & Managed Service
For businesses that want their cloud platform actively managed month-to-month — transaction processing, bank reconciliation, VAT return preparation, and management accounts produced from the live data. The most complete service, where Hulljady effectively acts as your finance department.
Anual Platform Review
An annual health check of your existing cloud accounting setup — reviewing your chart of accounts, bank feed reliability, integration performance, user access, and reporting output — with a written report of findings and recommendations. Useful for businesses that set up their platform some time ago and want to ensure it is still working as efficiently as it should.
WHY HULLJADY
Cloud accounting expertise backed by chartered accountancy
There is no shortage of bookkeepers and technicians who can set up a Xero account. What is far rarer is a team that combines genuine cloud accounting expertise with the chartered accountancy knowledge to configure the platform in a way that produces reliable management accounts, clean VAT returns, and accurate year-end accounts without additional correction work.
At Hulljady, your cloud accounting setup is designed by the same team that will use it to prepare your accounts and tax returns. We configure it the way we need it to be — which also happens to be the way that gives you the most useful financial information. There is no gap between what the bookkeeper sets up and what the accountant needs.
- Certified on Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and FreeAgent — genuine platform expertise
- Configuration designed around your accountancy and tax requirements from day one
- MTD compliance built in as standard — no retrofitting required
- Integration with payroll, receipt capture, and other business tools
- Staff training included — your team actually knows how to use what we build
- Ongoing support available — we do not disappear after implementation
COMMON QUESTIONS
Fee Protection— frequently asked questions
Which cloud accounting platform is right for my business?
The honest answer is that it depends on your business. Xero is widely regarded as the most user-friendly and has the strongest ecosystem of third-party integrations — making it a strong default choice for most small to medium businesses. QuickBooks Online has advantages for product-based businesses, those needing job costing, and businesses with US connections. Sage Business Cloud suits businesses already embedded in the Sage ecosystem or those needing more advanced stock management. FreeAgent is particularly well-suited to freelancers, contractors, and very small businesses. Hulljady assesses your specific requirements before making a recommendation — we are not tied to any single platform.
How disruptive is migrating to a new cloud accounting platform?
With proper planning and management, significantly less disruptive than most businesses fear. The key is a structured migration process — agreeing a clear cut-over date, migrating historical data where needed, reconciling opening balances carefully, and running the old and new systems in parallel for a short period to confirm everything matches. Hulljady manages this process in full, and most clients report that the transition was smoother than they expected. The disruption of a well-managed migration is always less than the ongoing cost of running an inadequate system.
Do I need cloud accounting software if my turnover is below the MTD threshold?
Not yet — but sooner than you might think. MTD for Income Tax extends to sole traders and landlords with turnover above £30,000 from April 2027, and the threshold is expected to fall further in subsequent years. Beyond the regulatory requirement, the business benefits of real-time financial visibility, automated bank reconciliation, and seamless collaboration with your accountant are available regardless of turnover. Most businesses that make the switch wonder why they waited. Hulljady recommends cloud accounting to all trading businesses as a matter of course.
Can I access my accounts on my phone?
Yes — all major cloud accounting platforms have fully functional mobile apps that allow you to raise invoices, photograph and submit expenses, check your cash position, and approve payments from your phone. This is one of the most immediately appreciated benefits for business owners who spend time away from their desk. The same live data is accessible on any device — desktop, tablet, or phone — logged into the same account.
What happens to my data if I stop using the cloud platform?
All major cloud platforms allow you to export your data in standard formats — CSV, PDF, and in some cases accounting-specific export files — at any time. Your data is not held hostage. That said, the practical reality is that migrating away from a well-configured cloud platform is rarely something businesses want to do — the question usually arises when businesses are considering switching between platforms rather than abandoning cloud accounting altogether. Hulljady manages platform transitions where required and ensures data continuity throughout.
My current accountant uses a different platform to the one I prefer — what should I do?
This is more common than you might think. Most cloud platforms allow accountant access to be granted or revoked without disrupting the underlying data — so switching accountants does not necessarily mean switching platforms. If you are joining Hulljady from another accountant, we will review your existing platform setup, make any necessary adjustments to the configuration, and work with whatever system you are on wherever possible. Where a platform change is genuinely in your interest, we will manage the migration. The starting point is always what works best for your business — not what is easiest for us.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Your business deserves better than a spreadsheet from 2019.
Book a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our chartered accountants. We will review your current accounting setup, recommend the right platform for your business, and show you exactly what properly configured cloud accounting looks like in practice.