GovWire

Academies accounts return for trusts using automation

The academies accounts return (AR) 2023 to 2024 is now available for trusts to complete their return. The deadline forARsubmission is 28 January 2025.

Trusts are able to view their previous years return by accessing the 2023 to 2024 form by viewing Download previous return on the right-hand menu of the index page and clicking on the File format option drop-down box.

Trusts using automation are also able to download their draft financial statements.

AR and financial statements login

Introduction to the chart of accounts

The academies chart of accounts (CoA) is the Department for Educations (DfE) standard for financial data that underpins the academies AR and budget forecast return (BFR).

Introduction to automation

Using the academies CoA, DfE has developed automation technology to help reduce the burden of submitting your financial information. This technology enables you to electronically submit your trial balance data directly from your financial management software (FMS) to DfE, where it will then be used to pre-populate a large percentage of your AR, draft financial statements and BFR.

If you are thinking about upgrading your financial management system so you can use automation, you should review the information on Choosing a trusts financial management system.

Introduction to draft trust financial statements

Trusts that send automated data to populate the AR can also use this data to produce an auto-populated draft trust financial statement. The template is also available to view on this page and can be used for manual population.

For more information, see the Quick automation guide and section 6 of the Detailed user guide for automating the academies AR and draft financial statements.

Webinars, workshops and Q&A sessions:

We are now hosting our webinars and dial-in sessions on Eventbrite. You can view the sessions currently planned and book your space at DfE academies chart of accounts and automation.

Examples of sessions we run include:

• introduction to the academies CoA and automation
• dial-in sessions throughout the year
• academies CoA mapping workshops
• automation-focused webinars while the AR form is live
• technical academies CoA updates during the summer
• webinars tailored to auditors
• FMS comparison matrix teach-ins

You can view the?DfE?power hour session on academies CoA that we delivered in September 2023 if you wish to find out more about the academies CoA and automation without waiting to attend a webinar. This information is still relevant.

You can also view the Academies CoA technical updates video, which details the 2024 to 2025 updates and actions for trusts.

On this page

This page includes the following attachments:

• a quick guide to automation
• a guide for academy trusts about adopting the academies CoA, which includes a summary of updates since the previous version
• 2 academies CoA spreadsheets for financial years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025; you should refer to the information worksheet to find out more about the structure of the CoA
• a spreadsheet providing guidance for each income and expenditure account code within the academies CoA
• 2 user guides for automating the academies AR: one quick guide and one detailed guide
• the draft trust financial statements template

Further enquiries

Academies CoA enquiries

If you have further questions about the CoA, you should contact us using the customer help portal. You should put Academies chart of accounts at the top of your enquiry.

Automation enquiries

If you have further questions about automation, you should contact us using the online customer help portal. You should put Automation/API at the top of your enquiry.

FMS provider enquiries

If you have further questions about FMS provider enquiries, you should contact us using our Zendesk helpdesk.