Will the tax preparer get notified if a client uploads a document to the customer portal?

No, but if you have sent the link , the site can establish procedures to determine which returns are still in progress. The preparer can check for uploaded documents via the tools drop down menu from the client list. The sites can also use return tags to track this information.

Does the taxpayer need any special signing software to create a signature in the customer portal?

No.  The taxpayer creates a signature by signing with their mouse.  They can also sign with a stylus or their finger for touch screen enabled devices

What happens if the taxpayer initiates a chat message and the preparer is not logged into TaxSlayer Pro Online?

When the preparer logs in to TaxSlayer Pro Online, they will see the chat notification that they have an unread chat message.

What are the file size limitations?

5 meg maximum per file with a total limitation of 25 meg per return

Sometimes taxpayers take photos of their documents, but the file size is very large. They may not know how to reduce the file size. Do you anticipate this will be a problem with client portal size limits per taxpayer?

This has not been an issue on the Pro side of the house where they  have been using this feature for several years

Is video allowed in the chat feature or in the customer portal to check ID?

No, however a best practice is to have them take a photo with their ID and upload it to the customer portal

Will training be available for us to train our volunteers?

Yes.  we will be creating a mini guide and a training video that is specific to how to use the customer portal.  Craig will also be covering this during his enhancement webinars that are scheduled to be conducted in December.

What sites have access to the Customer Portal?

All sites that have a license to use TaxSlayer Pro Online will have the ability to use the Customer portal feature.

Will there be any requirements to delete the uploaded documents?

No.  TaxSlayer will automatically delete uploaded documents in November of each year.

Can the taxpayer access their customer portal and upload documents via their phone?

Yes, if their phone has the capability.

Will the customer portal be available in the Practice Lab?

No

When will volunteers have access to the Customer Portal feature?

Volunteers will have access to the Customer Portal when the “Start New Return” feature is turned on in January 2022.

Q:  What happens if the preparer is in a return and a chat comes in?

A:  When the preparer closes the return, they will see the chat notification that they have an unread message

Q:  If the return is open, can I open the taxpayer’s document from another computer?

A:  Yes.  The uploaded documents can be opened via Tools>>Scanned Documents from the client list on a totally separate computer/device.

Q:  Do I have to have dual monitors to utilize the feature?

A:  No, The uploaded documents can be opened via Tools>>Scanned Documents from the client list on a totally separate computer/device.

Q:  Is the client portal available in Spanish

A:  No, but we will log an enhancement request to allow the taxpayer to switch to Spanish for a future year (not this year)

A:  If the preparer changes the return to Spanish and then sends the tax document to the customer portal, the return will display the forms that we translate to Spanish

For consistency purposes, Craig and I have conformed and will use the proper feature name:  Customer Portal

This is how it is referenced in the application and it will avoid confusion in the future.

The score is:  Proper Name = 1   Kim and Craig = 0

The security templates assigned by TaxSlayer will have the customer portal options enabled.  If you are a site that creates custom security templates and want to enable the Customer Portal feature, you will need to enable the following options:

• Customer Portal
• Scanned Documents

The following is optional

• Delete scanned documents

Which assigned security templates will have customer portal enabled?

• ADMINISTRATOR (TS)
• SUPERUSER
• PREPARER CURRENT YEA
• PREPARER ALL YEARS
• INTERVIEWER
• REVIEWER

What if I do not want a user to have the ability to use the customer portal feature?

You will need to create custom security templates that do not include the security templates that enable customer portal and assign it to the appropriate users.

The taxpayer that has an established client portal will be able to upload the following types of files (max of 5 meg per file) and a total of 25 meg of uploads.

• pdf
• png
• jpg
• tif
• doc
• docx
• xls
• xlsx

This allows the taxpayer to snap a photo of any necessary documents from their phone, login to their secured account and upload the document.  The goal is to make it easy for the taxpayer to provide documents needed for the volunteer to create a quality tax return.

Customer Portal is a new to VITA/TCE feature that will be available for all Pro Online sites beginning with TaxSlayer 2021.  This is a feature that has been available to our commercial customers for several years.  You will hear and see it interchangeably with the terminology of “client portal”.

The purpose of the feature is to allow the tax preparer to initiate the ability for the taxpayer to create a secured customer portal to facilitate the secure sharing of documents between the taxpayer and the preparer.  Below are some high level items that can be accomplished with the use of the client portal:

• The taxpayer can upload electronic documents for the preparer to view and use during return preparation or quality review
• The preparer can make a copy of the tax return available via the client portal for the taxpayer to view to facilitate the quality review process
• The taxpayer/spouse has the ability to sign the appropriate tax forms and consents
• Taxpayer will have the ability to check the status (accepted/rejected) of the federal return without having to communicate with the VITA/TCE site
• The tax preparer has the ability to make a copy of the signed tax return available via the client portal for the taxpayer to generate a PDF and with save or print their own copies
• Facilitates a communication channel for communications between the taxpayer and tax preparer via chat within the client portal

We will be providing more information throughout the summer on this exciting new feature.  It gives the sites more tools and resources to compliment their existing virtual processes and can be used as a tool to prevent the taxpayer from having to make multiple trips to the site.

Will training be available?

Yes.  We are in the process of creating a mini guide and a training video.  This feature will also be part of the Enhancement Webinar.

When will this feature become available?

The feature will be available when we turn on “Start New Return” in January 2022.

Will this feature be available in the Practice Lab?

No.

We are super excited to announce that all TaxSlayer Pro Online sites will have access to the Scanned Document feature. Access will be controlled at the site level with the use of Security Templates. By default, the security templates assigned by TaxSlayer will have access to Scanned Documents.

• Sites must have the ability to scan documents to PDF
• Sites must have the ability to securely store the document until they upload it to the tax return
• PDF files will be automatically deleted in November of each tax year (not every 14 days)

Are there any file size limitations?

Yes, each individual file cannot exceed 5 meg and total file size per tax return is 25 meg

Does the preparer have the ability to delete the documents associated with the return?

Yes, this is based on the security template assigned to the user