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Stage 5 · Your progress

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Accountancy Practice Launch Programme · Stage 5 of 10

Stand Up Your Software Stack

Stand up the software a new practice runs on: the ledger your clients live in, the tools that run and file the work, and the security around it.

≈ 2 days hands-on · 4 steps

How long

~2–3 days

You’ll have

A core platform chosen, practice and tax software to match, and the stack secured

Steps

4 steps

Resources

2 resources

  1. 01 Step 01

    Step 01

    Choose your core cloud accounting platform

    This is the platform your clients live in and the one MTD runs through, so switching later is painful.

    Do it yourself

    • Shortlist Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and Sage against your niche: FreeAgent suits contractors and freelancers, while Xero and QuickBooks are the broad SME defaults.
    • Join the partner programme: both Xero Partner and QuickBooks Online Accountant are free, give you a free practice instance, and discount client subscriptions (QuickBooks advertises up to ~60% when the practice manages billing).
    • Complete the free certification, and note Xero asks you to certify within 30 days of joining.
    • Standardise on one primary platform to keep workflows sane, and support a second only if your niche demands it.

    Common mistake · Supporting every platform a client already uses, which dilutes your expertise and multiplies your admin.

    Time~1–2 days incl. certification CostFree to join, client subs discounted DifficultyMedium

    Resource for this step

    PDF

    Platform decision grid

    Score Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and Sage against niche fit, MTD, partner benefits and your certification status.

    Download the PDF
  2. 02 Step 02

    Step 02

    Choose your practice management software

    Deadlines, client tasks and AML records need a system, and a spreadsheet breaks the moment you pass a handful of clients.

    Do it yourself

    • Match the tooling to your scale: budget all-in-one suites like TaxCalc, Capium or Bright suit a new small firm, while Karbon and IRIS are more powerful but pricier.
    • Confirm it tracks filing deadlines and client tasks, and ideally holds your AML and onboarding records and engagement letters in one place.
    • Start lean and add modules as your client numbers grow.
    • Check it integrates with the accounting and tax software you chose.

    Common mistake · Buying a heavyweight platform on day one for three clients, or running on memory and a spreadsheet past ten clients.

    Time~1 day to choose CostBudget suites from low tens of £/mo; Karbon ~£45–£80+/user/mo (confirm current quotes) DifficultyMedium
  3. 03 Step 03

    Step 03

    Choose your tax and accounts-production software

    You need software that files SA and CT returns and produces statutory accounts, and increasingly handles MTD ITSA submissions.

    Do it yourself

    • Decide whether your practice management suite already includes tax and accounts prep, because TaxCalc, Capium, Bright and IRIS often bundle it, or whether you need a separate tool.
    • Confirm it is MTD-compatible for VAT now, and on HMRC’s MTD ITSA compatible-software list for 2026.
    • Check it covers the return types you will file: SA100, SA800 for partnerships, CT600, and iXBRL accounts.
    • Buy only the modules your first-year client mix needs.

    Common mistake · Choosing accounting software but forgetting you still need separate accounts-production and tax-filing software; the cloud ledger does not file the CT600 or the statutory accounts.

    Time~half a day CostFrom tens of £/mo, scaling with volume DifficultyMedium
  4. 04 Step 04

    Step 04

    Lock down security for the whole stack

    You hold highly sensitive financial and personal data across HMRC, banking and accounting logins, so a breach is existential and an ICO matter.

    Do it yourself

    • Put every login in a password manager, with a unique, strong password and no reuse across services.
    • Turn on multi-factor authentication everywhere, above all on your HMRC agent services account and your email.
    • Set a policy for backups and device encryption so a lost laptop is an inconvenience, not a disaster.
    • Feed this into your continuity plan (Module 2) and your privacy notice (Module 3).

    Common mistake · Reusing passwords or skipping MFA on the agent services account, which is the master key to every client’s tax record.

    Time~half a day Cost~£0–£5/mo DifficultyLow

    Resource for this step

    CHECKLIST

    Practice security checklist

    The passwords, MFA, backups and breach-response steps that protect a practice holding client financial data.

    Open the checklist

What you’ll have after this stage

  • A core cloud accounting platform chosen for your niche, with the partner programme joined
  • Practice management software sized to a new firm, tracking deadlines, tasks and AML
  • Tax and accounts-production software that files the returns your clients need
  • MTD-ready software for VAT now and Income Tax for 2026
  • Every login secured with a password manager and multi-factor authentication

Next · Stage 6 of 10

Your Brand

Keep going yourself — carry your momentum straight into the next stage.

Continue the programme

A law-firm website, wireframed

Click through the pages to see the shape a credible firm site takes — structure first, words and design later.

yourfirm.co.uk/

Grey blocks are placeholders — they show where things go, not how they look.