Match the problem to the fix
| What happens | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| An error message beginning "ASM" | Cells copied and pasted into the schedule, or a file not saved as .ods | ASM errors |
| Any other system error | Blank spaces typed before or after donor details | Blank spaces |
| The schedule will not attach to the claim | The worksheet tab has been renamed | Worksheet name |
| Problems uploading or reading the file | Saved as .xlsx or .csv, the file ending changed by hand, or a template converted between Excel and LibreOffice | Which template and format |
| Some donations are missing from the claim | More than 1,000 lines on one schedule | The 1,000 line limit |
| Rows rejected over dates | Dates not in DD/MM/YY, dates stored as text, or dates in the future | Dates |
| Rows rejected over addresses | Postcodes without a space or in lower case, or overseas donors not marked with X | Postcodes |
| Rows rejected over names | Titles over 4 characters or with full stops, hyphens in surnames | Titles and names |
| Aggregated or sponsored lines rejected | Donations over £20 aggregated, a line of £1,000 or more, or a line marked both aggregated and sponsored | Aggregated and sponsored |
Checklist before you upload
- You hold a valid Gift Aid declaration for every donation on the schedule.
- You used HMRC's template for your software, without converting it.
- The tab at the bottom still reads R68GAD_V1_00_0_EN.
- The file ends in .ods and was saved with Save as.
- There are 1,000 lines or fewer, with no blank rows between them.
- Dates are DD/MM/YY and none is in the future.
- Amounts have no £ sign and show two decimal places.
- Postcodes are in capitals with a space, or X for donors abroad.
- No cell starts or ends with a space, and empty cells are truly empty.
- Box 1 holds the earliest donation date.
The free checker runs these checks on your export and explains each problem it finds.
Sources: HMRC schedule spreadsheet guidance, "Error messages", "Saving and submitting" and "Limit per spreadsheet", and the instructions in HMRC's template.
This page is general guidance based on HMRC's published schedule spreadsheet guidance and template, checked on 20 October 2026. It is not tax advice, and HMRC's own pages take priority if they change. Donor Schedule is not affiliated with HMRC.
Let the free checker find these for you
Load your donation export and see every row HMRC is likely to reject, with the reason and the fix. Nothing is uploaded, and you don't need an account.