COVID-19 is likely to further spur the global trend towards tax digitalisation. David Lyford-Smith from ICAEW’s Tech Faculty considers changes that will help automate processes to make them more efficient and points to ongoing challenges, such as digital exclusion. The coronavirus pandemic has placed a massive challenge in the path of tax authorities globally. They have had to continue with business as usual during the crisis while managing additional work and support schemes within short timescales, explains David Lyford-Smith, a technical manager with ICAEW’s Tech Faculty. In some instances, the pandemic has led to process adjustments and deadline extensions. For example, in March 2020, HMRC in the UK allowed businesses participating in Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT more time to implement digital links in their recordkeeping.