Making Tax Digital (MTD) is not new to accountancy firms. VAT has been within scope since 2022, and most practices are already well versed in digital records, compatible software and online submissions. However, with MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) coming into force from April 2026 for self-employed individuals and landlords with turnover above £50,000, the operational impact on firms is about to increase again. This change will significantly affect workload planning, system resilience and client support models.
Quarterly reporting cycles mean more frequent deadlines, more data movement and greater reliance on systems working smoothly throughout the year. January is often a natural reset point, making it a good time to step back and review whether your technology is set up to support MTD reporting for accountants without unnecessary friction.
Below are five practical tech checks we encourage accountancy practices to make as part of that reset. Each one is designed to reduce risk, improve efficiency and support compliance as MTD expands.
1. Secure and Controlled Access
As reporting becomes more frequent, more people interact with client data more often. That makes access control increasingly important, particularly for cloud accounting systems and HMRC integrations.
Ensuring that only the right people have access to financial systems, files and submissions reduces the risk of errors, delays and security incidents. This includes reviewing user permissions, enforcing strong authentication and removing access for leavers or role changes promptly. Multi-factor authentication and role-based access should now be considered baseline controls rather than optional extras.
From our experience, access issues are one of the most common causes of last-minute disruption during reporting periods. Tight, well-managed access controls protect sensitive client information and prevent avoidable bottlenecks when time is tight. They also support audit readiness and regulatory expectations.
2. Reliable Cloud Systems and Data Protection
Most accountancy firms now rely heavily on cloud software for bookkeeping, tax and document management. The question is no longer whether your systems are cloud-based, but how resilient they are under quarterly reporting pressure.
Reliable cloud platforms, combined with proper backup and recovery processes, are critical during busy reporting windows. If a system goes down or data is lost, the impact is immediate and often felt across multiple clients. This risk increases as MTD drives higher data volumes and tighter turnaround times.
A strong setup ensures that data can be recovered quickly, downtime is minimised and reporting continues even if something unexpected happens. This kind of resilience is less visible when things are running smoothly, but invaluable when they are not. For MTD-ready practices, tested backups are just as important as the accounting software itself.
3. Staff Awareness to Prevent Cyber Threats
MTD has increased the volume of digital communication between HMRC, firms and clients. Unfortunately, this has also increased the opportunity for phishing and fraud, particularly around submission deadlines. HMRC-themed phishing emails remain one of the most common attack vectors we see.
Cyber security is not just a technology issue; it is a people issue. Regular staff awareness training helps teams recognise suspicious emails, fake HMRC messages and social engineering attempts before they turn into costly incidents. This is especially important for junior staff who may handle client data daily.
Preventing a breach protects more than systems. It protects client trust, firm reputation and the time your team would otherwise spend dealing with the fallout from fraud or data loss. In an MTD environment, recovery time is rarely available.
4. Efficient Workflows and Time-Saving Tools
Quarterly reporting amplifies inefficiencies. Tasks that felt manageable on an annual cycle can become a significant burden when repeated four times a year. Manual work does not scale well under MTD.
This is where workflow automation, document management tools and system integrations make a real difference. Reducing manual data entry, streamlining approvals and automating routine processes frees up your team to focus on advisory work rather than administration. Integrated systems also reduce the risk of inconsistent or duplicated data.
Firms that invest in efficiency are better placed to absorb MTD demands without increasing pressure on staff or sacrificing service quality. This often becomes a key differentiator when recruiting and retaining talent.
5. Proactive Support and System Monitoring
When reporting deadlines are fixed, reactive IT support is a risk. Waiting for something to break before acting can lead to missed submissions, stressed teams and unhappy clients. Under MTD, even short disruptions can have a cascading effect across multiple deadlines.
Proactive monitoring and support means systems are watched continuously, issues are identified early and fixes happen before they affect your workflow. During key reporting periods, this kind of oversight can be the difference between a smooth quarter and a frantic one. It also reduces reliance on last-minute firefighting.
For many firms, having trusted IT specialists keeping an eye on critical systems provides peace of mind and allows partners and managers to focus on clients rather than technology. This becomes increasingly valuable as MTD scales across income tax.
Final Thoughts
MTD is as much an operational challenge as it is a compliance one. As quarterly reporting becomes the norm for more clients, the firms that cope best will be those with secure access, resilient systems, informed staff and efficient workflows. Technology readiness will directly influence profitability and client experience.
At Everything Tech, we work with accountancy practices of all sizes, including a top 20 UK firm, supporting them across security, cloud, automation and proactive IT support. Whether you already have an internal IT team or rely entirely on external support, we can act as a reliable extension of your practice, helping reduce risk and smooth the pressures that come with MTD. Our experience supporting MTD-ready firms gives us clear insight into what works in practice.
If you are using January as a reset point and want to sense-check whether your technology is ready for what is coming next, now is a good time to get in touch. Early preparation is far less costly than last-minute remediation.
