| Overview |
When creating a Corporation Tax return in BrightTax, you must assign a CT template before you can open the return. BrightTax offers two templates — Express and Advanced. Choosing the wrong template is one of the most common causes of CT errors, so it is important to select the right one before starting.
| ⚠ Important: The CT template cannot be changed after data has been entered. If you select the wrong template and have already started work, you will need to discard and delete the task and recreate it with the correct template. |
| Template Comparison |
| Schedule / Feature | Express | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Marginal Relief | ✔ | ✔ |
| Capital Allowances | ✔ | ✔ |
| Property | ✔ | ✔ |
| Capital Gains | ✔ | ✔ |
| Research & Development | ✔ | ✔ |
| CT600A, CT600C, CT600D, CT600E, CT600J, CT600K, CT600L | ✔ | ✔ |
| Deferred Tax | ✗ | ✔ |
| Capital Allowances re: Investment Business | ✗ | ✔ |
| Capital Allowances re: Let Property | ✗ | ✔ |
| Loan Relationships | ✗ | ✔ |
| Tangible Fixed Assets | ✗ | ✔ |
| Intangible Fixed Assets | ✗ | ✔ |
| Management Expenses | ✗ | ✔ |
| Which Template Should I Use? |
| Use Express if... | Use Advanced if... |
|---|---|
| The company is a straightforward trading company | The company has deferred tax entries |
| No deferred tax, loan relationships, or intangible fixed assets | The company has loan relationship income or expenditure |
| No investment business or let property capital allowances | The company has intangible fixed assets or goodwill |
| No management expenses allocation | The company is an investment holding company with management expenses |
| Accounts are prepared on a simple basis | The company has let property with its own capital allowances pool |
| ✔ Tip: When in doubt, start with Express. The vast majority of standard trading company CT returns can be completed using the Express template. Only switch to Advanced if you encounter a schedule or field that is not available in Express. |
| Troubleshooting |
I selected Advanced and am now getting a net book value error
This error occurs when the Advanced template is used for a straightforward CT return that does not include tangible fixed assets entries required by the Advanced template. To resolve:
- Open the CT task and click the three-dot menu on the bottom toolbar.
- Select Discard.
- Go to the Task List, find the discarded task, and click the red bin icon to delete it.
- Create a new CT task for the same client and period, this time selecting the Express template.
- Re-enter the return data.
| Frequently Asked Questions |
Q: Can I switch from Express to Advanced without losing data?
A: No. The template must be set at the point of task creation and cannot be changed. You must discard, delete, and recreate the task to switch templates.
Q: Does the template choice affect what is submitted to HMRC?
A: Yes. The template determines which schedules and CT600 supplementary pages are included in the return. Choosing the wrong template may result in missing or incorrect sections in the submission.
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