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Getting started with QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus

by Intuit•7• Updated 2 weeks ago

Welcome to QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus.

QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus helps self-employed business owners and landlords manage income, expenses, and tax in one place. Built on the Intuit platform experience, it automates everyday bookkeeping tasks while helping you stay ready for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT).

Need help getting set up? A QuickBooks expert will walk you through your account and help you get MTD-ready → Book a free 1-to-1 onboarding session.

Who is Sole Trader Plus for?

QuickBooks Sole Trader Plus is designed for:

Sole traders who do not have employees.
Landlords managing rental income from properties.
Businesses not VAT registered, as this plan focuses on Income Tax rather than VAT.

Personal and business banking: For the most accurate records, it is recommended to use a dedicated business bank account. Sole Trader Plus does not automatically separate personal and business transactions.

VAT and Payroll: If your business is VAT registered or you run payroll, you may need a plan such as QuickBooks Simple Start or Essentials. You can easily upgrade to more advanced plans as your business grows.

Compare plans and see what’s right for your business on our Plans & Pricing page.

Switching from Self-Employed or Sole Trader?

If you’re switching from QuickBooks Self-Employed or Sole Trader, many of the tools you already rely on are available in Sole Trader Plus, including expense tracking, mileage tracking, and invoicing.

The new platform experience introduces additional automation and improved digital record keeping to help you stay organised and prepare for upcoming Making Tax Digital requirements.

See: Switching from QuickBooks Self-Employed or Sole Trader: Resource Hub.

Simplify your day-to-day

Starting with the right tools helps you avoid the "January tax panic". Even if you have never used accounting software before, Sole Trader Plus is designed to be intuitive and helpful:

Here’s how it helps:

AI-powered bookkeeping: The AI Accounting Agent suggests categories and matches transactions automatically, reducing the time spent on manual bookkeeping.
Stay ready for tax time: Your income, expenses, and tax estimates update throughout the year so you can understand what you may owe and avoid surprises.
Professional invoicing: Create estimates and quotes, convert them into invoices, and allow customers to pay you online.
Making Tax Digital: Digital record keeping helps prepare your business for upcoming HMRC requirements under Making Tax Digital.

Quick start checklist

Setting up a few key features early will help you get the most out of QuickBooks.

✓ Connect your bank account

Connecting your bank allows QuickBooks to automatically import transactions, reducing the need for manual data entry.

To connect your bank:

Follow this link to complete the steps in product.
Select Connect account or Link account if you are adding another bank.
Search for your bank and select it from the list.
Follow the secure prompts to sign in and authorise the connection through Open Banking.
Choose how far back you want to import transactions.

Your transactions will appear in the For review tab, where the Accounting Agent will begin suggesting categories.

For more help see: How to connect your bank account in QuickBooks

✓ Review and categorise your transactions

As transactions appear in QuickBooks, the AI-powered Accounting Agent will suggest categories based on your activity.

Reviewing these suggestions regularly helps keep your records accurate and ensures your financial reports remain reliable.

For more help see: How to review and categorise transactions in QuickBooks.

✓ Invite your accountant (optional)

If you work with an accountant or bookkeeper, you can invite them to access your books securely.

This allows them to review your records in real time, provide advice, and help prepare your final tax submissions without needing to exchange files.

For more help see: Add an accountant to QuickBooks

Tools you’ll use every day

Sole Trader Plus includes several features designed to simplify your daily business admin.

Feature	What it helps you do
AI bank feeds	Automatically imports and categorises transactions from your connected bank accounts.
Receipt capture	Photograph receipts via the mobile app; QuickBooks extracts the data and matches it to a transaction.
Mileage tracking	Automatically track business travel using your phone’s GPS.
Professional invoicing	Create estimates and quotes, convert them into invoices, and accept online payments.
Full CIS Support	Includes functionality for both contractors and sub-contractors to manage tax deductions easily.
App integrations	Connect with third-party apps to extend your business tools

Compatible with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

Using compatible software like Sole Trader Plus helps you meet HMRC requirements for digital record-keeping.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) will require many sole traders to submit quarterly updates to HMRC instead of a single annual tax return. Keeping digital records throughout the year helps you stay organised and ensures you are ready for these changes.

See official HMRC guidance on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

More help

Explore these resources to get the most out of QuickBooks:

QuickBooks Training: Access a series of short, easy-to-follow courses to learn at your own pace.
QuickBooks Community: Connect with other small business owners and experts to share advice and find answers.
Expert Support: If you need to speak to a person, find out more about how and when to contact QuickBooks Online support.
Digital Assistant: Need quick answers while you work? Chat with our Digital Assistant 24/7 by selecting Help (?) within your QuickBooks account.