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UoE case study

University of Edinburgh
automates VAT

Future-proof compliance and 
swift MTD implementation.

Company size

Company size

10,000+ employees

Location

Location

Edinburgh, UK

Industry

Industry

Higher education

Use cases

Use cases with ARKK

MTD compliance, VAT automation


Challenge

The University of Edinburgh relied on outdated, manual tax processes that slowed reporting, increased errors, and made compliance more difficult. The lack of automation also meant missing out on tax relief opportunities and struggling to prepare for evolving HMRC mandates.


Solution

ARKK’s automation platform replaced inefficient legacy systems with a streamlined, digital-first VAT process. The University gained greater accuracy, efficiency, and the ability to future-proof against new tax regulations.


Outcome

With ARKK, the University transformed its VAT process, significantly reducing filing time and improving compliance readiness for future HMRC mandates.

100%

compliance with MTD and future-ready for HMRC mandates

70%

faster VAT filing, reduced from 2 weeks to 3 days


Details

A complex tax landscape requiring modernisation

As one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world, the University of Edinburgh faced challenges with outdated, Excel-heavy tax processes. Manual reconciliations, fragmented data, and inefficient reporting slowed operations, increased compliance risks, and led to missed tax relief opportunities.

The University’s Head of Tax, Alastair McClelland, recognised that an in-house solution would be resource-intensive to develop and maintain, with no guarantee of long-term compliance. Instead, he sought a future-ready automation platform to streamline VAT processes and prepare for future HMRC initiatives such as Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Corporation Tax.

“Because of their size, ARKK were able to be a bit more nimble than other potential suppliers we spoke to. They seemed to be prepared to be more flexible with how we worked and how we were set up.”
– Alastair McClelland, Head of Tax, University of Edinburgh

Filing time reduced from 2 weeks to 3 days

With ARKK’s automation platform, the University reduced its end-to-end VAT filing time from two weeks to just three days. This significant efficiency boost was achieved through a seamless transition to digital record-keeping, ensuring compliance with modern tax requirements.

“The ARKK Automation Platform was flexible enough to adapt to our diverse processes.”
– Magda Sidwa-Ciesnikowska, Tax Compliance Officer, University of Edinburgh

Greater accuracy and efficiency

Beyond saving time, ARKK’s platform improved the accuracy of VAT treatment for goods and services, reducing uncertainty in tax reporting. Automating complex tax tasks freed up staff to focus on high-value activities such as forecasting, training, and identifying future tax relief opportunities.

Future-ready tax compliance

By moving away from outdated manual processes, the University is now equipped to meet evolving HMRC mandates with confidence. ARKK’s automation platform provides a scalable solution, ensuring compliance while enabling the tax team to respond proactively to new regulatory changes.


Get in touch

Let’s get a date in the diary to talk about freshening up your tax and compliance reporting.