| Overview |
Once you have created and opened an Individual Tax Return (ITR) in BrightTax, this article explains how to navigate its structure — the tabs, the left-hand menu, the supplementary pages, and the bottom toolbar.
| The Four Tabs |
| Tab | What It Contains |
|---|---|
| Summary | Client and address details, supplementary page selection, and task action buttons |
| SA100 | The core tax return: Income (TR3), Tax Reliefs (TR4), Student Loan/Child Benefit/Marriage Allowance (TR5), and Finishing Your Tax Return (TR6 & TR7) |
| SA110 | The tax calculation summary showing the computed liability, payments on account, and balancing payment |
| Submission History | A full log of all submissions made for this return, including dates, reference numbers, and statuses |
| The Summary Tab — Supplementary Pages |
The Summary tab is the starting point for building the return. Under What Makes Up the Tax Return: Supplementary Pages in the left-hand menu, you will see all available schedules.
- Click on What Makes Up the Tax Return: Supplementary Pages from the left-hand menu.
- Tick the checkbox next to each schedule you need to include in the return.
- Click the + symbol next to a schedule name to open it.
- Switch to Edit mode using the bottom-left toggle, then enter the required data.
- Click Save before navigating to the next schedule.
| ✔ Tip: Some schedules — such as Self-Employment — allow multiple instances. This is useful where a client has more than one self-employment source. Click Create to add each additional instance. |
| Left-Hand Menu |
The left-hand menu changes depending on which tab you are on. From the Summary tab, it shows supplementary page options and task details. From the SA100 tab, it shows the individual SA100 sections. Use the menu to jump directly to any part of the return without scrolling.
| Bottom Toolbar |
The bottom toolbar is available throughout the ITR and contains the key action buttons:
| Button | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Check and Calculate | Validates the return and calculates the tax liability. Run this before printing or submitting. |
| Produces a PDF of the tax return or SA302 tax calculation. | |
| Send for Approval | Sends the return to the client for review before submission. |
| Submit to HMRC | Submits the completed return directly to HMRC. |
| Three-dot menu (⋯) | Contains additional options including Discard and Submit Amended. |
| ⚠ Important: Always run Check and Calculate before submitting. This catches validation errors and ensures the tax liability is correctly computed before the return reaches HMRC. |
| Edit Mode vs Read-Only Mode |
The ITR opens in read-only mode every time you access it. Use the toggle in the bottom-left corner to switch between Read Only and Edit mode. You must be in Edit mode to enter or change any data. Grey fields are always read-only — they are calculated by BrightTax and cannot be edited directly.
No-entry cursor on supplementary pages — If your cursor shows a no-entry sign when hovering over supplementary pages, the pages have not yet been added to the return. Go to Summary > What Makes Up the Tax Return: Supplementary Pages, tick the schedule you need, then click the + symbol to open it.
| Frequently Asked Questions |
Q: How do I add a supplementary schedule that is not showing in the list?
A: All available schedules are listed under What Makes Up the Tax Return: Supplementary Pages. If a schedule is not visible, it may not be supported for the selected tax year. Contact support if you believe a required schedule is missing.
Q: Can I print just one schedule rather than the whole return?
A: Use the Print option on the bottom toolbar and select the specific section or schedule you want to print from the print options.
Q: How do I see what has been submitted for this return previously?
A: Go to the Submission History tab at the top of the return. All previous submissions are listed here with dates and reference numbers.
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