No Accounting for Taste ep211: MTD is finally here

No Accounting for Taste ep211: MTD is finally here

From AccountingWEB by AccountingWEBUK

April 9, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the implementation of Making Tax Digital, the impact of artificial intelligence on tax policy, and reflections on finance leaders' use of metrics.

Making Tax Digital (MTD) has finally become a reality, more than a decade after it was first announced. Richard Hattersley reflects on the journey so far, from the highs and lows to where MTD stands today, including the National Audit Office report, confidence levels, costs and how the initiative has changed. The team also argues that the real crunch point is not 6 April, but the first filing deadline on 7 August, as they discuss systems, preparedness, sign-ups and what comes next. Tom Herbert then turns to another hot topic, artificial intelligence (AI). After attending NetSuite, he shares what he saw, what was announced and the key themes that emerged. He also looks at OpenAI’s growing interest in tax policy, outlining what has been said and what it could mean for the profession. Finally, Matthew Ord reflects on the first series of Inside the Numbers, which featured conversations with FDs and CFOs about the metrics they use. The team explores finance leaders’ attitudes to technology and automation, what comes next as AI frees up more time, and why KPIs matter as early warning systems. Stay tuned for the second series of Inside the Numbers on AccountingWEB.

People in this episode

Hosts: Tom Herbert, Matthew Ord

Topics covered

  • Making Tax Digital
  • artificial intelligence
  • finance leaders
  • technology
  • automation

Keywords

  • MTD
  • National Audit Office
  • OpenAI
  • Inside the Numbers
  • KPIs

Mentioned in this episode

Products: NetSuite, OpenAI

Books & works: Inside the Numbers

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