Sage and CT600 Filing
Sage is one of the UK's most widely used accounting platforms. Whether you use Sage 50 or Sage Business Cloud, this guide shows how to get your figures ready for CT600 filing.
Sage Products Overview
Sage offers several products for small businesses:
| Product | Best For | CT600 Filing |
|---|---|---|
| Sage 50 | Established businesses | Export TB, file separately |
| Sage Business Cloud | Cloud users | Export TB, file separately |
| Sage Accounting | Simpler needs | Export TB, file separately |
Exporting from Sage 50
Trial Balance Export
- Open Sage 50
- Go to Reports > Financials
- Select Trial Balance
- Set the period end date
- Click Export > To File
- Save as CSV or Excel
Detailed Profit and Loss
For additional detail:
- Navigate to Reports > Profit and Loss
- Set your full accounting period
- Export for reference alongside your trial balance
Exporting from Sage Business Cloud
Trial Balance
- Log into Sage Business Cloud
- Click Reports in the menu
- Select Trial Balance
- Choose your accounting period end date
- Click Export and save as CSV
Other Useful Reports
- Profit and Loss: Income and expense summary
- Balance Sheet: Assets and liabilities
- Aged Debtors/Creditors: Outstanding balances
Year-End Preparation in Sage
Before exporting your trial balance:
Complete Reconciliations
- Bank accounts matched to statements
- Supplier and customer balances verified
- VAT returns filed and reconciled
Post Adjustments
- Depreciation journals
- Prepayments and accruals
- Stock adjustments
- Bad debt provisions
Review Nominal Codes
Ensure accounts are categorised correctly:
- Sales codes in revenue section
- Expenses in appropriate categories
- Fixed assets recorded properly
Importing to TinyTax
With your Sage export ready:
- Start your CT600 in TinyTax
- Click Import Trial Balance
- Select Sage as your accounting software
- Upload your exported file
- Review the account mappings
- Confirm and proceed to tax calculation
Sage Nominal Code Mapping
| Sage Code Range | Category | CT600 Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| 4000-4999 | Sales | Box 145 Turnover |
| 5000-5999 | Purchases | Cost of sales |
| 6000-6999 | Direct expenses | Cost of sales |
| 7000-7999 | Overheads | Deductible expenses |
| 0010-0059 | Fixed assets | Capital allowances |
| 1100-1199 | Debtors | Balance sheet |
| 2100-2199 | Creditors | Balance sheet |
Common Issues and Solutions
Nominal Code Mismatches
If TinyTax doesn't recognise a code:
- Check if it's a custom code you created
- Manually assign it to the correct category
- Update Sage's default code if appropriate
Depreciation Treatment
Sage calculates accounting depreciation, but:
- This is added back for tax purposes
- Capital allowances replace it
- TinyTax handles this automatically
Multi-Currency Accounts
If you have foreign currency transactions:
- Ensure balances are converted to GBP
- Exchange gains/losses are taxable/deductible
- Check Sage's revaluation is complete
Sage 50 vs TinyTax
Some users wonder about Sage's tax products:
| Feature | Sage 50 | TinyTax |
|---|---|---|
| Day-to-day bookkeeping | ✓ | ✗ |
| CT600 filing to HMRC | ✗ | ✓ |
| iXBRL accounts | ✗ | ✓ |
| Companies House filing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Capital allowances calculation | Limited | Full |
Workflow Summary
- Throughout the year - Maintain Sage records
- Year end - Complete adjustments and reconciliations
- Export - Generate trial balance from Sage
- Import - Upload to TinyTax
- Review - Check mappings and add tax adjustments
- File - Submit CT600 to HMRC and accounts to Companies House
Filing Deadlines Reminder
| Deadline | Time After Period End |
|---|---|
| Companies House accounts | 9 months |
| CT600 to HMRC | 12 months |
| Corporation tax payment | 9 months + 1 day |
Key Takeaways
- Export trial balance from Sage Reports menu
- Sage doesn't file CT600 directly - use TinyTax
- Complete year-end adjustments before exporting
- TinyTax maps standard Sage nominal codes automatically
- Depreciation is replaced by capital allowances for tax