Ella Pretorius ACMA CGMA

It’s a real privilege to have Lydia Hall from Sage joining the panel at the Gilchrist & Co Consulting Launch Event, bringing with her a highly relevant blend of technical expertise, industry insight, and practical experience in helping accountancy practices evolve. Lydia is a Practice Success Manager at Sage, based in Belfast, where she works closely with firms across Northern Ireland to help them adapt, modernise, and ultimately perform at a higher level. Her work focuses on enabling practices to work smarter rather than harder, bridging the gap between compliance, technology, and real-world operational change. With a strong grounding in accounting and business communications holding a Diploma in Accounting from the Ulster University and a BSc (Hons) from Liverpool John Moores University, Lydia combines technical understanding with clear, effective communication. This allows her to translate complex technological solutions into practical, usable strategies for firms of all sizes. Her career journey includes valuable experience as a Tax Advisor at EY and earlier roles within practice, giving her a well-rounded perspective on the challenges faced by modern accountancy firms. Today, she works at the forefront of innovation, supporting the adoption of tools such as AI-driven solutions, automation platforms, and integrated advisory technologies that are reshaping the profession. Lydia is particularly passionate about helping firms embrace the future whether that’s through leveraging platforms like Sage, integrating tools such as AutoEntry and Futrli, or simply helping leadership teams think differently about how they deliver value to clients. Importantly, Lydia has also played a key role in securing Sage as the official sponsor of the Gilchrist & Co Consulting Launch Event. This support not only reflects her commitment to the local business and accountancy community, but also adds significant credibility and strength to the event itself. As a panelist, Lydia will bring a forward-looking, commercially grounded perspective on how technology, advisory services, and evolving client expectations are shaping the future of accountancy. Her insights will be particularly valuable for firms looking to remain competitive, relevant, and growth-focused in an increasingly digital landscape. Her combination of expertise, energy, and commitment to helping others succeed makes her an outstanding addition to the panel and a key contributor to what promises to be a highly impactful event. For more details see the Event Page Link: https://lnkd.in/euhtaWHz

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💡 MTD for Income Tax is Coming — Are Your Clients and Your Practice Ready? 💡 As accountants, you know that Making Tax Digital for Income Tax  isn’t just a change for your clients — it’s a shift in how you deliver your services. With the first wave landing in April 2026 for self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000, now is the time to get ahead. At Sage, we’re working closely with practices to help simplify this transition — for both you and your clients. 🔧 Key steps for accountants to stay ahead: ✔ Review your client base to identify those who’ll be affected first ✔ Get familiar with Sage’s MTD Income Tax-compliant solutions ✔ Start migrating clients to digital record-keeping where needed ✔ Educate your team on the upcoming requirements ✔ Communicate with clients early to avoid last-minute pressure Sage tools are designed to help practices manage MTD Income Tax requirements efficiently — reducing admin, minimising errors, and giving you and your clients greater visibility. The sooner you prepare, the smoother the transition will be. 💬 If you’d like to chat about how Sage can support your practice with MTD for Income Tax, feel free to connect — let’s make this change an opportunity, not a challenge. #MakingTaxDigital #MTD #MTDforITSA #Sage #Accountants #TaxTechnology #PracticeReady #DigitalTax #IncomeTax #SelfEmployed #Landlords #HMRC

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We’re here to cut through any confusion around Making Tax Digital: what the thresholds are, when the rules apply, and how they affect you. If MTD still feels complicated, we have a number of resources available to help, including our MTD Roadmap. This free, downloadable resource outlines key dates and everything you need to know about Making Tax Digital, before and beyond April 2026. Download here: https://lnkd.in/es4tbMZe #MakingTaxDigital #MTDRoadmap #TaxAdvice #Affinia #MTD #DigitalTax #TaxTips #TaxUpdates

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✨ Exciting Announcement ✨ I’m proud to share that myself, Michele Yianni-Attard, and Sian Murphy of Savvy Skills Training Hub are now Accredited Partners with the Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers (IAB) 🎉 Through this partnership, we will be delivering internationally recognised qualifications from Level 1 to Level 4, supporting the next generation of bookkeepers and finance professionals to build strong, credible careers. We will also be guiding and supporting bookkeepers through their AML qualifications (Level 1–8), ensuring they meet the highest standards of compliance and professionalism in today’s evolving financial landscape. The IAB is an Ofqual-recognised awarding body, committed to quality, integrity, and supporting its members — even giving them a voice at AGM level. This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking organisation we are proud to align with. ⚖️ In a time where regulatory standards matter more than ever, choosing the right qualification body is critical. 🎥 I’ll be sharing videos — watch this space. If you’re ready to elevate your skills, your compliance, and your future… we’re here to support you. IAB #IAB #FinanceProfessionals #AMLCompliance #WomenInBusiness Accounting FutureInsight ProfessionalDevelopment Leadership Entrepreneurship

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Have you been putting off those conversations with clients about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT)? You're not alone — but now is the time to act! Xero has released a brilliant set of **MTD Resources** designed to help bookkeepers like YOU get ahead of the curve. Whether you're just starting to introduce the idea to your sole trader clients or you're deep into planning, these tools will make the process smoother and more manageable. The resources include guides, checklists and templates to help you: - Communicate the changes clearly to clients - Understand your responsibilities - Prepare for the April 2026 deadline - And most importantly, feel CONFIDENT about what’s coming We know that MTD for IT can feel overwhelming, but with the right support, it doesn’t have to be. These resources are a MUST-HAVE for every forward-thinking bookkeeper. Want to get your hands on them? We've gathered everything you need in one place so you can start preparing today. Visit: https://lnkd.in/eNzFUyKZ Let’s get MTD-ready together! 💼 #MTDforIT

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Ever messed up a bunch of transactions on Xero?! Well we've got a trade secret and its my favourite feature in Xero 🤫 if you've ever coded a batch of transactions to the wrong category, applied the wrong VAT rate, or selected the wrong contact, don’t worry because Xero’s Find & Recode feature is here to save the day. As Xero advisors, we have access to this powerful tool that lets us search for and recode transactions in bulk. Whether it's fixing account codes, VAT treatments, or assigning the right customer or supplier, this feature helps clean up records in minutes, not hours. 💡 Bonus for Tracking Categories: If you're using tracking categories (or planning to start), Find & Recode also lets you go back and apply tracking to past transactions, improving your reporting and comparability over time. ⚠️ A Word of Caution: Recoding is permanent and cannot be undone, but you can recode your transactions again. To protect your historical data, make sure accounting periods are locked down if you don’t want older transactions touched. If you'd like some help with your Xero and want a Xero Geek's help, get in touch 👇

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One of the shortcuts I like in Xero is being able to copy a previous transaction. The screenshot is of how you copy an invoice to a new invoice by clicking on the three dots. But you can also copy a previous journal which saves a bit of effort and thought when posting a new journal. Or copy a spend or receive money transaction in the bank which saves needing to fill in the contact and coding etc. There's a line somewhere between lazy and efficient and I think this falls on the efficient side of that line.

I’ve got the cheat code… And im sharing it with you for free… (I wonder how many people have absolutely NO idea what any of this means 🤣🤣) It still amazes me that there is so much discourse amongst accountants about what ‘advisory’ really is I found myself mulling this over the weekend (because I’m THAT cool) and I think it pretty much comes down to this COMPLIANCE - does what it says on the tin, it keeps you compliant And at risk of creating further discourse, I think you can make a valid argument that it provides limited value Not in the sense that it isn’t important and essential and required - but you can be a 4 year qualified accountant and a 30 year qualified accountant and provide similar value in compliance work It requires skill and training and knowledge, but it is largely historical and I would say, a box ticking exercise ADVISORY - is where we start looking at how we USE our compliance data to INFORM our future If we are always looking at how we did yesterday, we are never truly planning for tomorrow This is how businesses get caught out by pricing traps, variance issues, scope creep, economic uncertainty, changes in regulation It becomes an exercise of ‘we did’ rather than ‘we will’ This is where the 30 year accountant will have the edge, as they can leverage experience, leadership, people skills, economic knowledge, networking relationships to take yesterdays data and turn it into a better tomorrow We can very easily look back and compare 5 years accounts and recognise trends and patterns But if we don’t do a similar look forward - that data is only doing what it is meant to do KEEP YOU COMPLIANT Nobody wakes up one morning and goes “I have paid my mortgage for 7 years, I will just keep doing that and my house will get bigger” You plan, you research, you budget, you change So that when you need and/or want to, you’re in a position to take things to another level So there’s the cheat code Stop looking in the rear view mirror at where you’ve been Start looking forward and thinking about where you want to be Use it wisely - do it right, maybe you’ll get an infinite money glitch or something 😜 #failtoplanplantofail

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The latest UK Budget was announced yesterday, and for those of us in the accounting profession, it marks another period where we’ll be supporting clients as they navigate these upcoming changes. Looking at the changes overall, this Budget reinforces just how essential proactive financial planning for companies’ can be, particularly around cash flow, forecasting, and long-term strategy. Here are a few key points that stood out for our clients: • National Minimum Wage increases: – 21+ increasing from £12.21 to £12.71 • State Pension changes: – Rising by 4.8% from April 2026 – Those still working whilst receiving their pension may see higher income tax • Tax thresholds: – Personal allowances frozen until 2030/31 (standard code remains 1257L) • Salary sacrifice pensions: – Contributions over £2,000 will attract National Insurance from April 2029 • Income tax increase for property sales and dividends: – A 2% increase on income from property, savings, and dividends. Could this impact landlords and the rent they charge? There’s a lot for individuals and businesses to take in, and the impact will vary depending on their own circumstances. Over the upcoming weeks, we’ll be reviewing the details with clients to make sure they understand any areas that affect them and how we can plan to support them. 

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MTD ITSA: Xero pricing update 🧮 With the MTD Income Tax regime coming into force, more and more individuals each year will fall within the thresholds of needing to report their self assessment taxes quarterly rather than annually. This will mean that many small business owners and landlords will need to adopt an MTD compliant software to allow them to complete the filings. With this in mind, Xero have recently launched a new subscription tier called "Simple" - a discounted package aimed at sole traders and landlords to allow them to comply with the new regime. The price for this package is £7 per month, and is fully MTD compliant "out of the box". If you require support in taking your first steps into cloud accounting (for MTD reasons or otherwise!), our team at Henderson Loggie would be happy to assist.

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There’s loads of buzz around our app for schools, but some of you may be wondering… what does XfE actually do? 🤝 Xero Integration - our tightly knitted integration with Xero transfers data between both systems seamlessly. 📊 Budget holder reporting - these permissions driven dashboards allow staff to quickly view the financial positions of their departments (and no one else's!) using data from Xero. 📨 DfE Integration - for schools to submit their #AnnualAccountsReturn digitally. We had the second most submissions of any school finance software last year! 💸 VAT126 reporting - allowing schools to produce their VAT claims in just a few clicks. 🏦 Budgeting App Integrations - used to upload actuals to your budgeting system, to make your forecasting decisions that much easier. Think of it as a toolkit for the education sector to supercharge Xero's already huge list of benefits. And it works! Here’s another fantastic review from Victoria Academies Trust on the #XeroAppStore who use XfE alongside ApprovalMax and Xero - thank you for the kind feedback Joe! #XfE #SchoolFinance #Xero

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SAVING TIME WITH SIMPLICITY In my first 3 months at XfE, I’ve seen just how much of a difference we’re making for schools by helping them move to Xero. By replacing manual processes with a simple, cloud-based system, schools are: 👀 Gaining clearer visibility over their budgets ⏱️ Spending less time on day-to-day bookkeeping 🤯 Reducing the stress around reporting and compliance What’s also stood out is how easily Xero integrates with other tools like budgeting, purchasing, reporting apps and even our own in house app so everything works together seamlessly. It’s been great to see schools save time and refocus their energy where it really counts. #XFE #Xero #SchoolFinance #Education #EfficiencyInSchools #AppIntegration

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If you are putting off preparing your 2025 personal tax return or providing your accountant with the information that they require to complete your personal tax return here is some good news. Things are about to get a whole lot easier. Depending on your gross income levels you could soon to be required to keep digital records and submit quarterly returns of your income and expenses to HMRC. This applies to sole traders and property landlords. This might sound daunting at first but Xero simple could make it, ….. Simple! Your accounting information can now be kept updated in real time. With features like bank feeds, integration with HMRC systems and invoicing there couldn’t be a better time to consider how you are going to comply with the new legislation. With the implementation of Making tax digital for income tax getting closer each week here is an ideal solution that could make this much less daunting. If you want to discuss tax what this means for you please get in touch. Consilium Chartered Accountants #cloudaccounting #xero #mtd

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Is payroll holding your firm back? Many UK accounting firms are finding payroll increasingly difficult to manage due to staff shortages, compliance pressure, and frequent provider errors. When payroll becomes time-consuming, it can take focus away from growing your practice and serving clients. Join us for a live webinar designed specifically for UK accounting firms to understand when outsourcing payroll makes sense and how it can improve efficiency, compliance, and profitability. Hear directly from Mark Telford, Founder of Telfords Accountants, who will share how outsourcing payroll for over 8 years helped his firm reduce stress, improve accuracy, and support business growth. Alongside him, Punit Jain, Co-founder & Director of Corient Business Solutions, will share insights from helping 200+ UK accounting practices build successful outsourcing partnerships. What you’ll learn: ✔ When outsourcing payroll makes sense ✔ How to transition payroll clients smoothly ✔ How outsourcing improves accuracy and compliance ✔ How firms increase profitability through outsourcing 📅 25 March 2026 ⏰ 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM (UK Time – GMT) 📍 For UK Accounting Firms If payroll is slowing your firm down, this session is for you. Register now to secure your place. #PayrollOutsourcing #UKAccountants #AccountingFirms #PracticeGrowth #PayrollCompliance #CorientBusinessSolutions

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Ever wondered how to add a fixed asset into Xero WITHOUT relying on automation? You're not alone — and in 2025, with so many businesses tightening up their processes, understanding how to manually manage fixed assets is a skill that can really set you apart as a bookkeeper. Whether you're working with a client who’s just bought a new van, or helping a small business owner track their office equipment, knowing how to manually add a fixed asset into the Fixed Asset Register in Xero is a MUST. It’s not just about entering numbers — it’s about understanding the asset’s useful life, choosing the right depreciation method, and making sure it’s all reflected correctly in the reports. This is especially important when: - The asset wasn’t purchased through Xero - You’re catching up on historical data - Or the client prefers manual control over automation If you're still building confidence with Xero, this is a great area to focus on. It shows attention to detail and gives you a better grasp of how assets impact the balance sheet over time. We’ve just covered this step-by-step in our latest YouTube video — perfect if you want to follow along and practise as you go. #BookkeepingConfidence

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Xero Simple is here for UK small businesses! Our new plan is designed to support small businesses, sole traders and landlords in complying with MTD for IT. The name says it all - Xero Simple is designed to simplify MTD for IT compliance, offering everything you need to send quarterly updates, keep digital records, and submit returns annually. Get a head start on building good habits and confidently prepare for the upcoming changes. Find out more about Xero Simple and our free resources to help you get ready in our blog: https://lnkd.in/est8cRai

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Already using tools like Dext and Xero? That’s a great start but most people miss out on one of the biggest time-savers: rules. When you set up rules properly, your software automatically recognises regular transactions and knows exactly where to put them. Think: • Accountancy fees → accountancy with 20% VAT • McDonald’s on your debit card → straight to subsistence Less manual entry, fewer mistakes, and much more time saved. It’s one of those little tweaks that makes a huge difference in day-to-day bookkeeping. Do you use rules in your software or are you still posting everything by hand? 🫣

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