| Overview |
System Settings in BrightTax is the administrative hub of the platform — accessed via the cog icon in the top-right corner of the screen. From here, administrators can manage users, configure HMRC and Companies House credentials, set up company information, manage record locks, and view licence details. This article explains what is available and where to find it.
| ⚠ Important: System Settings is only accessible to users with Administrator permissions in BrightTax. Standard users will not see the cog icon or the System Management options. If you cannot access System Settings, contact your BrightTax administrator. |
| Accessing System Settings |
- Click the cog icon in the top-right corner of BrightTax.
- System Settings opens with a left-hand navigation menu organised into four sections: Company Information, Account Information, Users, and System.
| Company Information |
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Company Details | Set your practice name, contact telephone number, and address — appears on printed reports and documents |
| Bank Details | Store your practice bank account details for pre-populating Self Assessment refund bank details |
| Licence Details | View your current licence information — active clients, users, expiry date, and return counts |
| Account Information |
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| HMRC Filing Details | Enter your agent credentials for Self Assessment and Corporation Tax submissions to HMRC |
| Companies House Details | Enter your Companies House presenter ID and authentication code for filing accounts |
| Users |
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| User List | View all users in your BrightTax organisation, their roles, and their current status |
| Create User | Add a new user to BrightTax and configure their permissions and filing access |
| Edit User | Update an existing user's permissions, filing access, or blocked status |
| System |
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Record Locks | View and remove active record locks — use this when a user cannot access a task due to a lock conflict |
| Backups | Schedule automatic backups of your organisation data or run a manual backup |
| The Difference Between BrightTax System Settings and BrightHub |
BrightTax System Settings and BrightHub serve different purposes and it is important to understand which to use for each task:
| Task | Use BrightTax System Settings | Use BrightHub |
|---|---|---|
| Set HMRC filing credentials | ✔ | ✗ |
| Set Companies House presenter details | ✔ | ✗ |
| Configure user filing permissions in BrightTax | ✔ | ✗ |
| Invite new users to the organisation | ✗ | ✔ |
| Manage subscription and licences | ✗ | ✔ |
| Set organisation-wide 2FA requirements | ✗ | ✔ |
| Update billing and payment methods | ✗ | ✔ |
| Manage BrightTax user roles and BrightTax access | ✔ (permissions) | ✔ (product access) |
| ✔ Tip: In short: BrightHub manages your organisation, subscription, and who has access to BrightTax. BrightTax System Settings manages how those users behave within BrightTax itself — what they can file, whether they are an administrator, and which clients they can see. |
| Frequently Asked Questions |
Q: I cannot see the cog icon in BrightTax — why?
A: The cog icon is only visible to users with Administrator permissions in BrightTax. If you cannot see it, your account does not have administrator access. Contact your BrightTax administrator to request the relevant permissions.
Q: Can I have multiple administrators in BrightTax?
A: Yes. Any number of users can be given administrator permissions in BrightTax. There is no limit on the number of administrators.
Q: Is System Settings the same in BrightTax and BrightAP?
A: No. BrightTax and BrightAP have separate System Settings. Changes made in BrightTax System Settings apply only to BrightTax.
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