Professional services & education
MTD software for management consultants.
Protect your billable time from unbillable admin.
Strategy workshops, interim roles and client retainers can leave little room for bookkeeping. Avona helps sole-trader consultants keep professional fees and business costs organised without adopting a corporate finance system.
- Who it is for
- Management consultants working as sole traders, managing their own business records and MTD for Income Tax updates.
- Available now
- Digital records, bank feeds, statement imports, transaction categorisation and quarterly self-employment updates. Pro adds customer invoicing, VAT accounting and reporting.
- Monthly price
- From £15/month for Lite. Pro is £20/month.
- Free trial
- Full access for 7 days. No credit card required.
- Annual-return limitations
- Quarterly updates do not replace your annual tax return. HMRC lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development. Check the listing and confirm support for your income sources before relying on Avona for your annual return.
Making Tax Digital
It’s what comes in.
Before costs go out.
Premium day rates can bring gross income over an MTD threshold in relatively few assignments. Travel, insurance and workspace costs come later in the profit calculation.
Understand Making Tax Digital →When does MTD apply?
Combined qualifying self-employment and property income, before expenses:
- Over £50,000 in 2024/25
- From 6 April 2026
- Over £30,000 in 2025/26
- From 6 April 2027
- Over £20,000 in 2026/27
- From 6 April 2028
Eligibility and exemptions matter. These are income thresholds, not tax-free allowances.
Check HMRC’s eligibility guidance ↗From the work to your records
Clear records for your strategy workshop.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your strategy workshop, shared purchases and a management-advice retainer.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £1,500 for your strategy workshop £280 spent on venue hire and workshop printing | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for venue hire and workshop printing. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £1,500 as the sale and the £280 cost separately. The £1,220 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for materials for a client workshop; £20 for stationery for your household | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify materials for a client workshop separately from stationery for your household. | Only the eligible £80 business portion belongs in business costs. Exclude the £20 personal purchase, and check that importing both the bank transaction and the receipt has not counted the spending twice. |
| £300 monthly service payment An agreement covering a defined service period | Bring the bank payment into Avona and retain the agreement for a management-advice retainer. Check which month or service period the receipt covers. | Repeated descriptions can represent legitimate payments for different periods. Check the agreement before treating one as a duplicate, and keep one-off project fees or extra work separately identifiable. |
Keep supporting documents alongside your figures, review business use and apply your accounting method consistently. HMRC: keeping business records ↗
The costs behind your work
Six expenses worth
keeping records for.
Examples for management consultants. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Eligible business rail travel
Business overnight accommodation
Relevant CMI membership
Professional indemnity insurance
Business laptop costs
Co-working membership
One thing to watch
Client entertaining is not normally deductible
A meal with a prospective client may be commercially useful but still disallowed for tax. Keep it distinct from qualifying business travel or subsistence rather than categorising all dining alike.
HMRC: entertaining and subscriptions ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your strategy workshop.
Review retainers and milestone receipts, attach travel evidence and flag hospitality separately so a useful meeting does not become an incorrect expense claim.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for venue hire and workshop printing. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish materials for a client workshop from stationery for your household.
How document capture works →Reconcile your strategy workshop payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a management-advice retainer available alongside the bank entry, so fees, refunds or timing differences can be explained.
How bank review works →Review before you submit
Review Avona AI’s suggested categories, check that your strategy workshop income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a management-advice retainer ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from management consultants.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers management consultants working as sole traders. Your start date depends on combined qualifying self-employment and property income before expenses, and any exemptions. Employment and limited-company work have different reporting arrangements.
Can I claim a client dinner as marketing?
Client entertaining has different rules from advertising. Keep hospitality separately identifiable and check eligibility instead of treating every relationship-building cost as a marketing expense.
How do I record a management-advice retainer?
Example: £300 monthly service payment (an agreement covering a defined service period). Repeated descriptions can represent legitimate payments for different periods. Check the agreement before treating one as a duplicate, and keep one-off project fees or extra work separately identifiable.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Client entertaining is not normally deductible. A meal with a prospective client may be commercially useful but still disallowed for tax. Keep it distinct from qualifying business travel or subsistence rather than categorising all dining alike.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your strategy workshop income records and evidence of venue hire and workshop printing into Avona using supported spreadsheet uploads. Check dates, categories, personal spending and duplicates against the original documents before you approve the records.
Do quarterly updates complete my annual tax return?
No. You still need the annual tax return and any relevant adjustments or other income. HMRC currently lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development for Avona. Confirm support for your own income sources and circumstances before relying on Avona for the annual return.
Built for the way you earn
Keep your consultancy admin proportionate.
Choosing Avona
Your questions, answered.
Can I create customer invoices?
Yes. You can create customer invoices with Avona Pro.
What if I am VAT-registered?
Full VAT accounting is available with Avona Pro, so you can manage your VAT-registered business with Avona.
Can my accountant review my records?
Yes. You can connect your Avona account to your bookkeeper or accountant so they can review your records.
Can I use my phone on site?
Yes. Every feature has a mobile-friendly version, so you can manage your accounts from your phone while you are on the move.
Can I keep using my personal bank account?
Yes. Avona supports Open Banking connections and PDF bank statement uploads. You can clearly separate personal and business transactions to keep your business records organised.