| Overview |
BTCSoftware allows you to customise the cover letters that accompany tax returns and year-end accounts. Customisations can be applied globally (for all users in your firm) or personally (for your own use only). Cover letters can include your firm's branding, dynamic client data tags, and custom text.
| How to Customise a Cover Letter |
- Go to Administration > Report and Template Design > Tax Return Cover Letters.
- Select either:
- Global Template — changes apply to all BTCSoftware users in your firm.
- Personal Template — changes apply only to your own user account.
- Select the cover letter you wish to modify from the dropdown list:
- Individual tax return covering letter
- Partnership tax return covering letter
- Trust tax return covering letter
- Corporation tax return covering letter
- Claim for repayment of tax covering letter
- Sole trader year end accounts covering letter
- Organisation year end accounts covering letter
- Select the section of the letter you want to change, then click Edit.
- Modify the selected section using the on-screen tools and text box.
- Save your changes.
| Using Database Tags |
BTCSoftware cover letters support dynamic data tags — placeholders that are automatically replaced with client or software data when the letter is printed. These appear as <tags> in the template:
- Use the Choose Database Tag dropdown to browse available tags.
- Use the Tag Type dropdown to filter by category.
- Insert tags into your letter text where you want the dynamic data to appear — for example, the client's name, address, or tax year.
| ✔ Tip: Tags are the most powerful feature of the letter editor. A well-tagged letter template can produce a personalised client letter with no manual editing at the point of print. |
| Adding Your Firm's Logo and Branding |
To display your firm's logo, letterhead, and footer on printed letters:
- In the PDF Background Template section, click Browse.
- Select a PDF file to use as your letter background — this is typically a branded PDF exported from your Word letterhead template.
- Once selected, all letters printed using this template will use your branded PDF as the background.
| ✔ Tip: To create your PDF background template, open your firm's branded Word letterhead, go to File > Print, select a PDF printer (such as Bullzip or Microsoft Print to PDF), and save it as a PDF. This PDF can then be uploaded as the background template in BTCSoftware. |
| Frequently Asked Questions |
Q: What is the difference between a Global and Personal template?
A: A Global template change applies to all users in your firm. A Personal template only applies when you are the logged-in user printing the letter.
Q: I have made changes to a cover letter but they are not appearing when I print — what should I check?
A: Confirm you saved the changes after editing. Also check whether you edited the Global or Personal template — if you edited Personal but are testing with another user, the changes will not appear.