File your MTD update to HMRC from the spreadsheet you already use.
HMRC wants quarterly MTD updates. You want to keep the spreadsheet that already works. Aligned lets you upload your Excel file, review the AI mapping, and submit straight to HMRC in minutes. Your figures are encrypted and never stored by AI. Spreadsheets are explicitly supported by HMRC when used with bridging software.
Free bridging software · No credit card · Keep the spreadsheet you already use.
Found 8 potential mappings in your spreadsheet.
Who it's for.
30 clients. 30 spreadsheets. One quarterly deadline.
Read each client spreadsheet as-is, map it to HMRC fields, review the result, and file from one dashboard.
Three properties. One workbook. No accounting software.
Upload the rental spreadsheet you already use, check the mapping, and file your property update with less disruption.
Back to work after a quick spreadsheet review.
Upload your spreadsheet, confirm the mapping, submit the quarterly update, and keep reminders in one place.
Drop in your spreadsheet
Your spreadsheet. No reformatting, no templates required. Just upload it as-is. Summary totals, category breakdowns, whatever layout you use - Smart Map reads the structure and figures out what goes where.
Summary Mode
- Enter income and expense totals
- Review and submit to HMRC
Transaction Mode
- Upload CSV/Excel bank export
- Smart Map categorises transactions
Aligned maps your data
Use our ready-made template and your figures drop straight into the right HMRC fields - no mapping needed. Prefer your own spreadsheet? Smart Map scans column headers and layout patterns to map it for you automatically. Either way, you review and approve everything before anything is submitted.
Submit to HMRC
Check the numbers, hit submit. Filed directly to HMRC via their MTD API. Save the mapping for next quarter - one click to repeat. Full audit trail on every submission.
Built-in from day one
Complete audit trail
Every submission logged with timestamp, data snapshot, and HMRC confirmation.
Deadline tracking
See what's due, filed, and overdue. Never miss a quarterly deadline.
Direct HMRC connection
Filed via HMRC's official MTD API. No middlemen, no delays.
Any Excel spreadsheet
If it opens in Excel, it works with Aligned. Templates optional.
Your data, your rules
Store spreadsheets securely or delete after submission. Your choice.
Year-end submissions
Quarterly and annual, all in one place. Coming soon.
People who dreaded MTD, pleasantly surprised.
I was dreading learning Xero. In the demo, Aligned mapped my spreadsheet and showed me exactly what would go to HMRC in a few minutes. It made MTD feel manageable.
My accountant was pushing QuickBooks. I tried the demo, uploaded my Excel file, and saw my whole quarterly update mapped and ready before she'd even sent the login.
As an accountant with 40+ clients, I needed something that didn't force everyone onto the same platform. Aligned works with whatever spreadsheet my clients already use.
I was convinced I'd mess this up and get fined. Smart Map walked me through every step and let me review every mapping before anything is sent. MTD didn't feel scary.
The zero-storage policy mattered to me. I checked, and Aligned really doesn't keep your data, only the summary that would go to HMRC. That's how it should be.
Three other MTD tools wanted me to reformat my spreadsheet or pay £15/month. Aligned read my messy file as-is. For free.
Completely free. Every feature.
Aligned is free MTD bridging software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Upload your spreadsheet, map it once with Smart Map, and file directly to HMRC. The core spreadsheet-to-HMRC workflow is free, with no credit card and no time limit.
Everything. No limits. No catch.
No time limit. No card required.
Aligned's core workflow - upload a spreadsheet, map it, and file to HMRC - is free, always. We may add optional paid tiers with advanced features in future; the basic upload-and-submit plan will stay free.
Does Making Tax Digital for Income Tax even affect you?
It depends on your income, not a letter from HMRC. Answer three short questions and find out exactly when, and why, with every part traced back to GOV.UK. No sign-up.
Check in 60 secondsAlready know you are in? Get our free spreadsheet template and keep MTD-ready records from today.
Get MTD right before the deadline.
Plain-English guides, deadline trackers and a free template - so you know exactly what HMRC wants and when.
MTD Software Assessment
Bridging or full bookkeeping? Compare Aligned, Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent side by side and find the right fit for you or your clients.
Free templateLandlord Bookkeeping Template
A ready-made Excel template for tracking rental income and expenses, built to drop straight into Aligned for MTD filing.
GuideMTD ITSA Deadlines
Every quarterly update deadline and the Final Declaration, plus the April 2026, 2027 and 2028 mandation cohorts in one place.
Your tax data is locked down. Full stop.
We know tax software makes people nervous. That's why security is built in from day one: your figures encrypted with AES-256, two-factor on every account, and Smart Map reads only your column headers, never the numbers.
Common questions
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment. From April 2026, sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000 must keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC. The threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027.
No. That's the whole point. Upload whatever you've got, even if it's messy. Smart Map reads your spreadsheet and figures out what goes where. You review the mapping, make any tweaks, and submit.
Smart Map analyses the structure of your spreadsheet - column headers, layout, patterns - to match them to HMRC fields. Your figures are processed in transit, then discarded. Never stored by AI, never used for training.
We use Anthropic (Claude) and OpenAI under their zero data retention API policies. Neither provider stores, logs, or trains on any data sent through Aligned. You always review and approve every mapping before anything is submitted.
Your choice. You can store it securely on our platform for your records, or have it deleted immediately after submission. Either way, we keep only the summary data that was sent to HMRC. Nothing more.
You can also delete your entire account and all associated data at any time from your account settings. No hoops, no retention period, no need to contact support.
Year-end filing support is in active development and will be available soon. You won't need a separate platform. Quarterly and annual submissions will all be handled in Aligned.
MTD for Income Tax is a legal requirement from April 2026. You still need to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates. However, HMRC's soft landing means no penalty points for late quarterly submissions in year one (April 2026 to April 2027). It's time to get set up, not time to ignore it. Aligned's core upload-and-submit workflow is always free.
Not at all. Aligned works for anyone who needs to file under MTD ITSA: sole traders, landlords, and accountants managing clients. The multi-client dashboard is particularly useful for practices, but if you're filing for yourself it's just as simple. Our help centre has step-by-step guidance for each account type.
We may introduce optional paid tiers at a later date. Any charges will always be optional, and we'll give a minimum of 6 months' notice of what, if any, fees will apply for quarterly returns for tax year 2027-28.
Yes. In Google Sheets, go to File > Download > Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) and upload the downloaded file. The same applies to Apple Numbers (File > Export To > Excel) or LibreOffice Calc (Save As > .xlsx). Aligned needs an .xlsx file, but any spreadsheet app can export one in a few clicks.
All data is encrypted at rest and in transit. We enforce two-factor authentication on all accounts and maintain a complete audit trail. You control whether spreadsheets are stored or deleted. Data sent to AI providers for Smart Map analysis is processed in transit under zero data retention policies and never stored, logged, or used for training.
Your first quarterly update is due 7th August.
Free to use - no credit card, no setup.