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Elaine R


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Remote Working
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Hi,

Does anyone work remotely with clients who need VAT returns doing?

I work remotely with a couple of clients, 1 which has VAT returns but they are local enough that I collect paperwork every month from them.

I understand that paperwork can be posted but would have to be recorded delivery as I have had stuff go missing on one occasion so am not keen on using regular postal methods.

Are clients going to keep wanting to pay for postage?

Elaine



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E Roscoe
Leger


Master Book-keeper

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I have 3 clients who post to me and they pay the postage, and obviously I pay the return postage on stuff sent back. 

Yep, I would strongly suggest recorded delivery, but at the end of the day, if the client doesn't use it and it goes missing, then that is their responsibility, not yours.



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John 

 

 

 Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
Cheshire


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Hi Elaine
I have a few who do this as well. One indeed who sends their stuff in the post with just my first name and no house number and quite often by the time it gets here the envelope is half open as too much paperwork is stuffed inside. Fortunately my postman is fab so Ive not had a problem so far. BUT - I do keep advising about what would happen if it goes wrong. They can of course get the receipt for the postage and include that in the next batch of paperwork - all goes to reducing their tax bills and Im sure cheaper than petrol for delivery so most wouldnt mind.

I had one client who just scanned me everything - got a bit annoying to get a million and one small receipts by email but finally persuaded him postage was cheaper than his time stood at the scanner. Or that he could use something like Receipt Bank - although I hate it so dont push it.

One - I meet half way between us at a Tesco cafe once a quarter to collect the items - good chance for a catch up on house the business is doing/raise any queries face to face too.

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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Haymac


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Hi Elaine,

I agree with John, if they do not use recorded delivery then it is their responsibility and as Joanne has pointed out to her clients, the cost of postage goes to reducing their tax bill (something that always goes down well).

I would say 3/4s of my clients post their paperwork to me, only one of which via recorded delivery. Over the years I have not had any problems with missing paperwork and they are happy enough to post to me, never once complained with the cost. Although I am toying with the idea of licenced Royal Mail with two of my clients who have a number of shops and I rely on their Managers to forward on a regular basis !!!

Julie



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Julie Johnson

Domino VAT Accounting Ltd
StuartAnder


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Have you tried Google drive? I now use it to share and send documents to my clients..

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FoxAccountancyServices


Expert

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I have loads of remote clients. They either upload a scan of each invoice to Dropbox, which I then post into Sage and rename the file to whatever reference number is used, or they send me documents in the post, which I organise and send back after the year end accounts are finalised.

Doing the Dropbox route, its hard if you only have one screen! I have 3! One for Sage, One for Dropbox (preview mode in windows explorer) and one for the bank statement to be open on.

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Cheshire


Master Book-keeper

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Hi Michelle
Do you use the sage ref for the files? Ive struggled with this in the past as I only had one PC screen, now up to two but need to source a bigger desk to fit three good sized screens on. Thinking of having one made!

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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
FoxAccountancyServices


Expert

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Once the loft office is complete, I am gong to have a desk built that span the back wall.. should have plenty of room then!!

When post a PI into Sage, I give it reference number, and thats what I add in to the filename. I put it at the beginning, so they appear in order.

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Leger


Master Book-keeper

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Cheshire wrote:

Hi Michelle
Do you use the sage ref for the files? Ive struggled with this in the past as I only had one PC screen, now up to two but need to source a bigger desk to fit three good sized screens on. Thinking of having one made!

 How about something like this Joanne?  http://www.ergotron.com/Portals/0/Feature/homepage_slideshow/images/10.jpg

or be really greedy and have this https://goo.gl/eeghxM    biggrin

Both links are safe



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John 

 

 

 Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
Cheshire


Master Book-keeper

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Posts: 8646
Date:
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FoxAccountancyServices wrote:

Once the loft office is complete, I am gong to have a desk built that span the back wall.. should have plenty of room then!!

When post a PI into Sage, I give it reference number, and thats what I add in to the filename. I put it at the beginning, so they appear in order.

 I thought I had missed a new sage trick! disbelief



__________________

 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Cheshire


Master Book-keeper

Status: Offline
Posts: 8646
Date:
Permalink Closed

Leger wrote:
Cheshire wrote:

Hi Michelle
Do you use the sage ref for the files? Ive struggled with this in the past as I only had one PC screen, now up to two but need to source a bigger desk to fit three good sized screens on. Thinking of having one made!

 How about something like this Joanne?  http://www.ergotron.com/Portals/0/Feature/homepage_slideshow/images/10.jpg

or be really greedy and have this https://goo.gl/eeghxM    biggrin

Both links are safe

 Lol.  Just enough screens on the second one but still not enough desk space! smile



__________________

 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
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