| Overview |
If your clients keep their books in BrightBooks, you can import their trial balance straight into BrightTax Accounts Production and send your year-end journals back to BrightBooks. This removes manual data entry in both directions and keeps the two systems consistent.
| ✔ BrightBooks joins FreeAgent, Xero, QuickBooks and Sage as a supported bookkeeping integration in BrightTax. Like FreeAgent, it works in both directions — trial balance in, journals out. |
| What the Integration Does |
| Function | Direction | What Happens |
| Trial balance import | BrightBooks → BrightTax | The client's trial balance is pulled from BrightBooks into the Year End Accounts task |
| Journal export | BrightTax → BrightBooks | Year-end journals made in BrightTax are sent to the client's BrightBooks account |
| Before You Begin |
- You need active BrightTax and BrightBooks accounts.
- The integration uses your BrightID to connect the two products.
- The client's Year End Accounts task must already exist in BrightTax.
- The client's bookkeeping for the period should be up to date in BrightBooks before you import.
| Importing a Trial Balance from BrightBooks |
- Open the client's Year End Accounts task in BrightTax.
- Switch to Edit mode using the toggle in the bottom-left corner.
- Click Trial Balance Import in the toolbar.
- Select BrightBooks as the source.
- If prompted, sign in with your BrightID to authorise the connection.
- Select the client's BrightBooks account and the accounting period you want to import.
- Run the import. The trial balance populates the Extended Trial Balance.
- Review the imported figures against the client's BrightBooks records before continuing with the accounts.
| ✔ Tip: Always review the imported trial balance before you start making adjustments. The import brings across what is held in BrightBooks at that point — if the books change afterwards, re-run the import. |
| Exporting Journals to BrightBooks |
Once you have finished your year-end adjustments, send the journals back to BrightBooks so the client's bookkeeping matches the final accounts.
- Open the Year End Accounts task and switch to Edit mode.
- Click Journals in the toolbar.
- Select the journals you want to send.
- Choose to export them to BrightBooks.
- Log in to BrightBooks and review the journals that have arrived.
| ⚠ Important: Before re-exporting journals, check BrightBooks to make sure the originals are not already there. Exporting the same journals twice can create duplicate entries. |
| BrightBooks, MTD and BrightTax |
BrightBooks is also where your clients submit their quarterly MTD for Income Tax updates. This integration is separate from MTD. It connects BrightBooks to BrightTax Accounts Production for the trial balance and year-end journals. The final Self Assessment return is still prepared and submitted in BrightTax.
| Troubleshooting |
BrightBooks does not appear as an import source
- Check that you are in Edit mode on the Year End Accounts task.
- Confirm you have an active BrightBooks account linked to your BrightID.
The imported figures don't match BrightBooks
- Check you selected the correct client account and accounting period.
- Make sure all transactions for the period are posted in BrightBooks, then re-run the import.
Exported journals are not showing in BrightBooks
- Allow a few minutes, then refresh BrightBooks.
- If they still don't appear, check the connection is still authorised and try the export again — after first confirming the journals aren't already there.
| Frequently Asked Questions |
Q: Is there an extra charge for the BrightBooks integration?
A: No. The integration is included in your BrightTax subscription. You need an active BrightBooks account for the client.
Q: Do I need a separate login to connect BrightBooks?
A: The integration uses your BrightID. If you are prompted to sign in, use your BrightID details.
Q: Does this send my client's MTD quarterly data into their tax return?
A: No. This integration covers the trial balance import into Accounts Production and the journal export back to BrightBooks. MTD quarterly updates are submitted from BrightBooks.
Q: My client doesn't have BrightBooks — how do I find out more?
A: Contact the Bright sales team at brighttaxsales@brightsg.com.
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