Category: Software News

Suggestion of the Day: Report Management

26 Apr 18
Kim Manuel
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Suggestion from Volunteer

Would like ability to arrange Reports Categories in the order that I use them. I use “Transmissions”, then make a PDF in “Returns Transmitted”. Later I check “IRS Acknowledgements” and make a PDF copy. Scrolling through the list to get to Returns Transmitted is annoying. Putting it after IRS acknowledgements would be helpful. Or, giving us the ability to customize the list would be nice.

TaxSlayer Recommendation

Proposal:  Allow the site administrator to manage the reports that are available for use under the Reports tab and in what order they are displayed.

Tracking ID 269580

Status:  Committed

Implementation Plans

This feature will be available at the site level only.

We will be adding an option to Security Templates that allow the site administrator to enable the ability to edit the report listing.

The user that has the option enabled will be able to limit the reports that are displayed under Reports on the Welcome page.  They can also order the reports to better fit the workflow of their sites.

This is scheduled to be delivered the week of April 30th.

Suggestion Box: 1600+ Suggestions and Going Strong!

20 Apr 18
Kim Manuel
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This week we have split the responses into two spreadsheets.

  • Spreadsheet #1:  Dedicated to application and federal suggestions
  • Spreadsheet #2: Dedicated to State suggestions

An example of the status column can be found by Tracking ID 269372 (Ctrl+F allows you search in the document)

What’s Trending:

  • Allow advanced filter options
  • Display Federal AGI
  • Add the ability to sort transmission columns

We are still reading through and analyzing the suggestions.  We are also beginning to update the Status column as we commit to implement a suggestions.

Click here to view PDF

The link will launch a Brainshark video with instructions on how to view the file.

State Filing Updates

18 Apr 18
Kim Manuel
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  • CALIFORNIA – 4/18/18

We received the following message from California:

“Greetings,

The IRS has allowed an additional day to file and pay taxes following IRS system issues that surfaced early on the April 17 tax deadline.  Because California taxpayers must generally complete their federal return before their California return can be filed, FTB will follow federal announcement IR-2018-100, April 17, 2018.  Individuals and businesses with a filing or payment due date of April 17 will now have until midnight on Wednesday, April 18th.  Taxpayers do not need to do anything to receive this extra time.

California provides an automatic six-month extension to October 15th available to taxpayers who need additional time to file. Any tax due must still be paid by April 18th.”

  • IDAHO – 4/18/18

We received the following message from Idaho:

“BOISE, IDAHO — April 18, 2018 — The Idaho State Tax Commission is providing taxpayers an extra day to file and pay their 2017 income taxes. Taxpayers have until the end of Wednesday, April 18 to file and pay their income taxes without penalty. 

The IRS announced a one-day extension for filing federal returns due to problems with its e-filing system for much of the April 17 tax deadline. This also affected e-filing for Idaho returns. As a result, Idaho is following the extended federal deadline. The extended deadline applies to returns and payments filed by paper or electronically.”

  • NEBRASKA – 4/18/18

We received the following message from Nebraska:

“On Tuesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it is providing taxpayers an additional day to file and pay their federal income taxes. Income tax filers with a filing or payment due date of April 17, 2018, will now have until midnight on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, to file and pay their federal individual income taxes. The Nebraska Department of Revenue is required by law to follow the federal due dates. Therefore, the deadline for Nebraska individual income tax returns and payments has also been extended to April 18, 2018″.

  • OHIO – 4/18/18

We received the following message from Ohio:

“This email is to advise you that Ohio’s error code OHIND-046 “You are attempting to file an IT1040 return after the filing deadline, but did not indicate if you are filing federal extension form 4868.” was issued yesterday in error.  Users should not have been required to answer the question until today, the day after the filing deadline.

Impacted users should resubmit their Ohio returns and provide a yes or no answer to the question to indicate if they filed a federal extension.  A “no” (or false) answer will be accepted without penalty for returns filed today, or within the 5 day perfection period for rejected returns.  After today, a yes or no answer will still be required and accepted with standard consequences for late filing.

Ohio will be following the IRS and extending the due date to file and pay from 4/17 to 4/18.  However, even with the extended deadline, the federal extension question must be answered today.

We apologize for the inconvenience, please respond to this email with any questions.”

  • SOUTH CAROLINA – 4/18/18

We received the following message from South Carolina:

“Following system outages, the IRS is allowing taxpayers an additional day (until April 18) to file federal income tax returns. The SCDOR will also allow taxpayers this additional day to file state income tax returns. As in the past, South Carolina’s electronic filing incentive gives individuals until May 1 to file state income tax returns electronically and pay any balance due without penalty.”

  • UTAH – 4/18/18

We received the following message from Utah:

“The IRS announced a one-day extension for filing federal returns due to computer problems at the IRS. Similarly, the Utah State Tax Commission announced that it will allow an additional day for taxpayers to file and pay their 2017 state income taxes. Taxpayers will have until 11:59pm on Wednesday, April 18th, to both pay and file their state returns without penalty.”

April 17th: Congratulations and Thank you

17 Apr 18
Kim Manuel
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Congratulations...this is the day that you have worked hard to get to.

Thank you...for your volunteer service.

Thank you... for the many, dedicated and long hours you put in so you can make a difference in someone’s life.

As we go through the day, we will keep the blog and message center updated if there are any significant delays in acknowledgements.

If you are getting ready to close out your site, make sure you review the close out procedures that was communicated via your SPEC Relationship Manager and posted to the BLOG.

There are also several reports that you can utilize under Management Reports to make sure all of your returns have been electronically filed.  The Pro Web — Detailed Return report gives you the status of all returns on your system.  This allows you to make sure all of your states that were intended to be transmitted, were marked with an e-file type and transmitted.

Support will continue its tax season hours through the 22nd.

Again, Thank you for your service and for making a difference, one tax return a time.

Suggestion Box: First 850 out of 1300 plus suggestions

13 Apr 18
Kim Manuel

No Comments

The following PDF is an update on your suggestions (not all 850 have responses yet).

  • Don’t see your suggestion…don’t worry…suggestions will be added to the list as we pull them.
  • Don’t see a response next to your suggestion…we are reviewing each suggestion and will provide a response.

We tweaked the format a little to allow us to sort by Federal and State.

An example of the status column can be found by Tracking ID 269372 (Ctrl+F allows you search in the document)

What’s Trending:

  • Add a warning for returns with $0.00 AGI to let the preparer know it will get IRS rejected
  • Carryforward the Simplified General Rule Worksheet
  • Display Federal AGI
  • Show state status on the client list

 

Click here to view PDF

The link will launch a Brainshark video with instructions on how to view the file.

TaxSlayer Pro Closeout/Backup Procedures

11 Apr 18
Kim Manuel
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SPEC released the following information about Closeout/Backup Procedures;

TaxSlayer Online Closeout Procedures:

1. Do not delete or inactivate any returns if carryforward tax return data is desired for the next filing season

2. The TaxSlayer server will secure all data…..

Click here to download PDF

Product Update Alert: Wednesday, April 11th @ 5:00 am ET

10 Apr 18
Kim Manuel
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We will be putting the returns in maintenance at 5:00 am ET on Wednesday, April 11th for a series of updates.

  • 2016 – Corrected a navigational issue where clicking “Continue” from the state amended return was not redirecting users back to the main amended return menu (Issue #1910)
  • 1040NR – Fixed an issue where searching Schedule NEC in the Form Finder would show a “404 Cannot be found” error when clicking to go to the Schedule NEC (Issue #1636)
  • 1009-R/1099-MISC – Now allows a Payer entry of at least 3 characters instead of a minimum of 4 characters (Issue #1875)
  • Zip Code Updates (Issue #1877)
    • 31719 – Americus, GA
    • 33579 – Riverview, FL
  • State Returns in Internet Explorer – Corrected a display issue where “date” entry fields (part year residency dates for example) showed as “Invalid Date” instead of showing the entry format (Issue #1611)
  • PA – Fixed an issue where the PA Sch A wasn’t taking into account the adjusted basis when carrying to PA Sch A, Line 11 (Issue #1849)
  • MN – Fixed an issue where the EIN entry for Schedule KF, KS, or KPI was not staying inside the MN state program when exiting (Issue #1885)
  • OH – Added a page validation within the Subtractions from Income menu, specifically for “Unreimbursed Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums, Unsubsidized Health Care Insurance Premiums, and Excess Health Care Expenses” to require an answer to the 2nd question if the first question in that menu is answered as YES (Issue #1912)

Suggestion Box: Congratulations, you have submitted over 1,000 suggestions

06 Apr 18
Kim Manuel
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No Comments

The following PDF is an update on your suggestions (not all 1,000 are on here yet).  This document will be updated periodically with new suggestions and responses.  As we move out of tax season into planning season, it will also be updated with an indicator of the suggestions that will be able to implement for the next filing season.

We tweaked the format a little to allow us to sort by Federal and State.

An example of the status column can be found by Tracking ID 269372 (Ctrl+F allows you search in the document)

What’s Trending:

  • Less clicks to enter multiple interest and dividend items
  • Increase the size of selection boxes

Don’t see your suggestion…don’t worry…suggestions will be added to the list as we pull them.

Don’t see a response next to your suggestion…we are reviewing each suggestion and will provide a response.

Click here to view PDF

The link will launch a Brainshark video with instructions on how to view the file.