Bank feed plus manual entries: how to avoid duplicate MTD records

By the Quidtrail team · Facts last checked 28 October 2026

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If you record an invoice manually and later import a bank transaction, check how your software connects the two. The same payment appearing in two screens does not by itself tell you whether income has been counted once or twice.

Rules checked: 28 October 2026, UK. Software behaviour varies; this is a checking method rather than instructions for a particular product.

Map the record flow

Write down where transactions originate: manual entries, invoice software, spreadsheet imports or a bank feed. Identify which system holds the records used for submissions and who maintains it.

HMRC: creating digital records explains HMRC's digital-record requirements and correction process. Use those instructions together with the provider's supported workflow, especially where more than one product is involved.

HMRC warns that a bank feed may need extra detail, such as the correct category, and that some transactions may not appear in full. The feed is a starting point for checking records, not proof that they are complete.

Reconcile the evidence

Take one real transaction and trace the invoice or receipt, payment and resulting accounting entry. Ask the provider to explain any matching or allocation feature if you cannot see how the connection works.

For example, an invoice and its matching payment may both be visible without creating two income entries. Check the accounting total and the provider's explanation before deciding that one must be deleted.

Use sample or appropriately protected data when contacting support. Do not publish private customer or bank information in an online troubleshooting discussion.

Correct the cause

If the records really contain a duplicate, follow the supported correction process in the authoritative record. Keep the underlying evidence and a clear explanation.

Do not delete an invoice solely because a bank entry looks similar. Amounts can coincide, and the accounting treatment depends on the actual transaction and method used. Ask a qualified adviser when that treatment is uncertain.

Prevent the next duplicate

Agree who imports data and how completed imports are marked. Keep a note of date ranges and check whether repeating an import creates additional entries.

Before sending an update, review unexplained differences rather than assuming the feed guarantees completeness. Automation can reduce data entry, but the records still need a process that connects source evidence, software and the totals being checked.

This is general information, not financial or tax advice. Rules change, so check GOV.UK or speak to a qualified adviser.

Sources

GOV.UK: Create digital records

Facts last checked: 18 October 2026.