HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
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Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#2“Of course, we wouldn't be writing about this if there weren't a snag.”
That’s a shame.
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#3> automatically update
never! ever! no mention of whether the old version still works
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#4> automatically update never! ever! no mention of whether the old version still works
You have to update, though not automatically.
New versions are required to handle changes to the PAYE tax rules, which have changed every few months recently. There was a change announced this month which takes effect next month.
If you don't use the updated version, you'll calculate and pay the wrong monthly tax to yourself and your employees.
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#5> automatically update never! ever! no mention of whether the old version still works
You have to update, though not automatically. New versions are required to handle changes to the PAYE tax rules, which have changed every few months recently. There was a change announced this month which takes effect next month. If you don't use the updated version, you'll calculate and pay the wrong monthly tax to yourself and your employees.
Which is a stupid design of software...
In 2024, tax software ought not to have the tax rules hardcoded, but instead ask the tax authority for a fresh set of rules at startup every time, and alert the user if the rules database ever gets more than 30 days out of date.
Nearly every government makes tax rule changes every year - it just isn't reasonable to hardcode them and require the user buy/install new software every year.
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#6> automatically update never! ever! no mention of whether the old version still works
You have to update, though not automatically. New versions are required to handle changes to the PAYE tax rules, which have changed every few months recently. There was a change announced this month which takes effect next month. If you don't use the updated version, you'll calculate and pay the wrong monthly tax to yourself and your employees.
I'm really surprised the software isn't simply a fully online webapp...
This is designed for small employers - they want something easy like a website, not specialist software they need to install with a database that must be backed up manually.
For those businesses with extreme corner cases ("we don't have internet", "we only pay employees on the full moon", etc), let them continue to use the old paper forms.
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#7This is from the same government that requires companies submit tax information via a special spreadsheet which has 7 boxes for the 7 numbers they need... But rather than make a webform with 7 textboxes, they make a private JSON API which only approved software vendors have access to, and you then need to use a third party to send your spreadsheet via the private API that only the third party is approved to access...
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-fill-in-and-submit-your-v...
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#8I wish they'd open source tools like this. I wonder what would happen if some kind soul found the bug and squashed it? It's an elf x64 executable. At the very least it has all sorts of references to "TclInvokeObjectCommand" and the like in its symbol table...
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#9This is from the same government that requires companies submit tax information via a special spreadsheet which has 7 boxes for the 7 numbers they need... But rather than make a webform with 7 textboxes, they make a private JSON API which only approved software vendors have access to, and you then need to use a third party to send your spreadsheet via the private API that only the third party is approved to access...…
And this is still miles better than everything else out there. In Spain this is hopeless to do yourself, you _must_ have an accountant on retainer for even the simplest of stuff.
Re: HMRC offers a Linux version of Basic PAYE Tools, but it recently stopped working
#10This is from the same government that requires companies submit tax information via a special spreadsheet which has 7 boxes for the 7 numbers they need... But rather than make a webform with 7 textboxes, they make a private JSON API which only approved software vendors have access to, and you then need to use a third party to send your spreadsheet via the private API that only the third party is approved to access...…
Looks like open source clients are available:
https://github.com/cybermaggedon/gnucash-uk-vat
At least, in principle - no idea how well they work.