Elesar Ltd has released an update for comprehensive accounts software Prophet, bringing it up to version 4.02.
The software was originally brought out by Apricote Studios (now Accountz) in 1991, and is now being looked after by Elesar. Since the release of a 32-bit version last year, the company has steadily worked on the software – including adding support for HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) latest innovation, Making Tax Despicable Digital (MTD)1.
The new version builds on the last major release – version 4.00, which added that MTD support – and includes the following changes:
- Some templates have seen minor corrections, addressing issues when a label had the same name as a system sprite.
- Some previously confusing prompts have been clarified – so they’re now hopefully less confusing!
- Font substitution has been fixed so that font name comparisons are now case insensitive.
- Invoices can now show up to four different tax rates from any of those available in the VAT menu.
- There are error handling improvements in the autodialler.
- Reclaiming VAT (when the VAT on expenditure is higher than the VAT on income) via MTD is now fixed.
If you have version 3.93 or later of Prophet from Elesar, you can update your copy to the latest version simply by re-running the installer program. This will download the update free of charge, and bring with it a copy of the revised 263-page manual.
New copies of the software are available to buy from Elesar for £79.00 plus VAT (£94.80 inclusive), and upgrades from any earlier version 3.xx copy are priced at £58.00 plus VAT (£69.60) – and you can add the MTD capability for £45.00 plus VAT (£54.00). If you don’t want to use the online shop, orders can be placed by email. Payment is via Paypal or electronic funds transfer.
- The essence of the new Making Tax Digital scheme is that organisations whose turnover is above the VAT threshold must now submit their VAT returns electronically – their software must connect to the HMRC portal in order to submit those returns. One of the goals was to have a knock-on effect of forcing such organisations to maintain their books in suitable software – though the scope has since shrunk, and it became acceptable to keep those records in any software (even spreadsheets) and to use ‘bridging software’ to read the VAT return data from its original source, and submit that to HMRC.
Prophet can be used for this purpose, if you don’t want to switch to it for the more complete job of your accounts software of choice, and Elesar has helpfully published a leaflet explaining how (PDF).
