Quick Answer
MTD doesn't change how your invoices look — but it changes how the income behind them is recorded. Every sale must be recorded digitally with the date, amount, and category in MTD-compatible software. Good invoicing software creates these digital records automatically every time you send an invoice.
What MTD Means for Invoicing
Making Tax Digital requires sole traders and landlords to keep digital records of all business transactions. For most self-employed people, invoices are the primary record of income.
Under MTD, you can't rely on paper records, notebooks, or memory to track what you've invoiced. Each transaction must be recorded in software that can produce the data needed for quarterly reporting.
What Information Must Be Recorded Digitally
For every invoice you issue, HMRC requires the following to be stored digitally:
The invoice date or the date income was received
The total invoice amount (net and gross if VAT-registered)
What type of income it is (e.g., sales, professional services, rental income)
Who the invoice was issued to
VAT rate, VAT amount, and VAT registration number
Digital Record-Keeping Requirements
HMRC's digital record-keeping rules go beyond just invoices. Here's what "digital" means in practice:
✅ Acceptable
- • Accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent)
- • Invoicing software that records transactions
- • Spreadsheets with bridging software for HMRC submission
- • Combination of software connected by digital links
❌ Not Acceptable
- • Paper ledgers or notebooks
- • Standalone spreadsheets without bridging software
- • Recording income from memory at year end
- • Keeping only PDF copies of invoices
What Are Digital Links?
If you use more than one piece of software (e.g., invoicing software plus accounting software), data must flow between them digitally. This means:
- Exporting data as a CSV or via an API — acceptable
- Copy and paste between applications — acceptable (HMRC has confirmed this counts as a digital link)
- Manually re-typing figures from one system to another — not acceptable
How Invoicing Software Helps with MTD
While invoicing software alone may not fulfil all MTD requirements (you also need a way to submit to HMRC), it plays a vital role:
Automatic Digital Records
Every invoice you create becomes a digital record with the correct date, amount, client details, and line items — exactly what HMRC requires.
Consistent Categorisation
Software helps you categorise income consistently, making it easier to complete quarterly updates accurately.
Export-Ready Data
Invoice data can be exported to your MTD-compatible accounting software, maintaining the digital link HMRC requires.
Audit Trail
A complete history of every invoice — created, sent, paid, or outstanding — gives you a clear audit trail if HMRC has questions.
How Experi Helps You Stay MTD-Ready
Experi creates comprehensive digital records every time you send an invoice:
- Every invoice is stored digitally with date, amount, client, line items, and payment status
- Invoice history is always accessible — search, filter, and export your income records at any time
- Payment tracking shows which invoices are paid and which are outstanding, giving you an accurate income picture
- CSV and PDF exports let you move invoice data into your accounting or MTD bridging software
- Professional formatting ensures your invoices include all the details your accountant and HMRC expect
Digital Invoicing for the MTD Era
Experi gives you professional digital invoices with built-in record-keeping. Every invoice you send creates the digital records MTD demands — no extra admin required.
Start Free — No Credit Card RequiredFrequently Asked Questions
Do my invoices need to change for MTD?
Your invoices themselves don't need to look different, but the records behind them must be digital. Every invoice you issue must be recorded in MTD-compatible software with the correct date, amount, client details, and income category.
What information must I record digitally for each invoice?
For each invoice, you must digitally record: the date of the transaction, the amount, the category of income (e.g., sales, services), the client or customer name, and any VAT charged if you are VAT-registered.
Can I still use PDF invoices under MTD?
Yes. MTD doesn't change the format of invoices you send to clients. You can still send PDF invoices. The requirement is that your record of income (including invoice details) is kept digitally in compatible software.
Does invoicing software count as MTD software?
Invoicing software helps you create digital records of income, which is one part of MTD compliance. However, to submit quarterly updates to HMRC, you also need MTD-compatible accounting or bridging software. Invoicing software feeds into your accounting records but typically doesn't submit to HMRC directly.