How to send us your trial balance
Quick answer
A trial balance lists every account in your books with its closing balance at your year end. Export it from your accounting software dated at your year end, and send it with your bank and loan statements at least 3 months before your CT1 deadline.
What a trial balance is
It's a list of every account in your books, such as sales, wages, the bank account and loans, with its balance at your year end. It's the starting point for your financial statements.
Getting it out of your software
- Xero: go to Reports, open Trial Balance, set the date to your year end and export it. Then invite us to your Xero file so we can review the transactions behind it.
- Other software: most packages have a trial balance report. Export it to Excel or PDF, dated at your year end.
- Spreadsheets or paper records: your bookkeeper prepares the trial balance from them. We don't do bookkeeping, so the books need to be complete first.
What to send with it
- Bank and loan statements showing the closing balances at the year end.
- Details of any equipment, vehicles or property bought or sold during the year.
- Closing stock, money owed to the company and money it owed, at the year end.
- The balance on any director's loan account.
- Payroll summaries and VAT returns for the year, if the company has them.
When to send it
At least 3 months before your CT1 deadline. For a December year end, that's by 23 June. Use the deadline checker to find your date.
Last checked 13 November 2026. This guide is general information, not advice for your company. Tax rules change, so check with us or Revenue before acting.