MULTIPLE-EFIN SETUP NTC/ NTTC - Dallas Friday, July 23th TaxWise Setup for Computers Used At More Than One Site – For Sites That Do Not Use TWO The codes shown in the following slides are real practice setup codes, used with permission from CCH Small Firm Services (the company that produces TaxWise). These codes will work to register computers but should not be used to actually transmit returns.

Computers at Multiple Sites With or without networks, some things are the same Different sites have unique SIDNs and most sites use different EFINs

SIDNs and EFINs . . . Each site where returns are prepared has a unique Site IDentification Number (SIDN) An SIDN Does Not belong to a person. A person is a custodian. Every site where e-files are prepared also uses an Electronic Filing Identification Number – an EFIN Composition of the SIDN: ##05@@@@ ## -- IRS Territory 0 -- IRS Post of Duty -- Indicates a Tax-Aide site @@@@ -- assigned by Tax-Aide

Why Multiple-EFIN Setup? May be discretionary for interoperability Computers in a district can be set up to work at many sites in the district May be mandatory for computers used at multiple sites, each with its own EFIN. TaxWise site-license rule Exceptions for “one-day” and “ad hoc” sites See TMG and Pub 3189 for details This presentation covers the mandatory case.

SIDNs and EFINs . . . There is a new Site License Exception 3 that allows an ERO to use one single EFIN for multiple sites. The ERO must transmit all of the returns with the same computer.  Sites choosing to use this exception must indicate it at the time their software order is placed. If exceptions 1 or 2 apply do not specify exception 3 as CCH charges a license fee for each exception 3 site. Separate TaxWise users will be created, each with the unique site information (SIDN, site name and address, etc), that will be used to identify returns prepared at the different sites. If TW 2009 had a Primary EFIN and an XMIT EFIN and the XMIT EFIN is to be cancelled, you should be able to carry forward for both EFINs.

If possible, Use TWO Using TaxWise Online avoids the multiple- EFIN setup challenges of TaxWise Desktop. Just log-in to the EFIN where you are working today!

If possible, Use Networks Using Private Networks (LANs) can solve many configuration issues: Allows computers to be used as workstations at different sites without actually installing TaxWise on them Server computer can also be used as a workstation at other sites Avoids multiple-EFIN setups Simplifies Printer Sharing

If possible, Use Networks Using Private Networks (LANs) can also solve many operational issues: Eliminates backup from Preparing and restore to Transmitting computer Fewer TaxWise installations to keep Up-To-Date More secure because only server computers contain Taxpayer data Networking TaxWise Procedures available on AARP ExtraNet

Your Town Senior Center Transmitting Computer Your Town Senior Center Your Town Library 9

SPECIAL SITUATIONS . . . Sometimes a computer is used at more than one site with a different EFIN for each site And sometimes a computer actually transmits e-files for more than one site with different EFINs A special kind of registration code makes this possible

THE 20-DIGIT ALPHA-NUMERIC TRANSMIT CODE . . . This code – also called an XMIT code – is not the same as the standard 20 digit alpha-numeric REG code for an EFIN XMIT codes allow returns to be created on and/or transmitted from a single computer for more than one EFIN without changing TaxWise Setup Options XMIT codes must be requested through your SPEC Office or directly from CCH This code should be requested by your SPEC when the software is ordered. However, lots of things happen between the placement of the order at the beginning of September and the start of the tax season in February. There may be a new site, or one ERO may be asked to transmit for a second site if that site’s ERO is unable to continue. You should double check with your SPEC about who should make the request for this code. The SPEC may want to request the code or have you request it directly from CCH and then given to the SPEC.

Ordering an XMIT code When an XMIT code is ordered, the order must specify the two EFINs involved and the relationship between them. The order should be worded, "a Transmit Code that allows EFIN-A to transmit for EFIN-B“ and should specify the EFINs by number. An email request to TaxWise Support may be your best way to order an XMIT code. The person to whom the TaxWise software was shipped is authorized to make the request. Use the email creation interface on the TaxWise Support web page. Specify >General Category: Account Management >Specific Issue: Adding Services

INITIAL SETUP . . . Complete the setup screens as usual Company – your Primary EFIN General – set DCN suffix (just a counter) Must be UNIQUE within an EFIN Do not change during season Printer Color – must click FINISH to save settings The DCN increments by one each time a new e-file is created. It does not increment when an e-file is “re-created,” such as when you open the return for whatever reason, re-run the diagnostics, and re-create the e-file. The EFIN from Tax Form Defaults on Form 8879 becomes associated with a return at the time a new return is started. The DCN suffix attaches when the e-file is created. The EFIN and the DCN suffix together constitute the unique numeric identification of an e-file, the DCN. Therefore, it is critical that there is never the possibility of a duplicate DCN occurring because a return with a DCN that duplicates one already transmitted will be rejected. Within an EFIN, the starting DCN suffixes on each computer should be separated by 1000 or more, depending on how many computers are being used there and the number of e-files each is predicted to generate. Care should be taken to ensure that if many returns are prepared on a particular computer, the separation is enough so that the counter on any computer doesn’t run into the next block of “starting” DCN suffixes above it that has been assigned to a different computer.

REGISTER SOFTWARE . . . The Register Software dialog box will appear, showing your Primary EFIN Put in your standard 20-digit alpha-numeric REG code for that EFIN Note that you’ll be back at the TaxWise main page. Click Tools, Utilities/Setup Options to return to the Utilities screen

REGISTER TaxWise FOR MULTIPLE LOCATIONS . . . Click Setup, Register Software Put in the secondary EFIN for which you will transmit or prepare returns Press TAB, and put in the special XMIT code for that EFIN as the Registration Code – If you try to enter a registration code instead of a XMIT code you will get an error message. Repeat as needed for additional secondary EFINs Note that you do NOT return to the Company Screen.

Create the TaxWise Users There must be a separate User created for each EFIN – Admin must set up Users to set their own defaults There may be multiple Users for an EFIN if it is used at multiple sites Set defaults for these Users Form 8879 – EFIN, SIDN, Site Address information Main Info – SIDN

TRANSMITTING COMPUTER . . . Has EFIN 281151 but will also transmit for EFIN 281152

NON-TRANSMITTING COMPUTERS . . . Transmit Codes can also be used by computers going to multiple sites with different EFINs if the computer will NOT transmit any returns. Just back-up prepared returns for each EFIN and restore them to the Transmitting Computer for that EFIN. Just because an XMIT code is ordered does not mean that it has to be installed on a transmitting computer.

NON-TRANSMITTING COMPUTERS Going to 4 sites This setup could be used on a laptop that is used at all four sites to prepare returns. If used in this way, care must be taken to prevent this computer from connecting to the TaxWise Electronic Filing Center. Use Security Manager to withhold permissions. It could also be used on a computer that actually will transmit for all of the sites; but if used this way that computer would need to be the exclusive transmitting computer for all four sites

TRANSMITTING COMPUTERS Only install an XMIT code on the Transmitting Computer that will transmit ALL returns for the EFIN using that XMIT code. Must always have the Primary EFIN on the Company Setup screen when sending returns getting acknowledgements using TaxWise e-mail When a Transmit Code for EFIN-B is installed on the Transmitting Computer for EFIN-A, the transmitting computer for EFIN-A is the only computer that can transmit for either of the EFINs. By “a Transmit Code for EFIN-B” I mean a transmit code that can be used to enable a different EFIN to transmit for EFIN-B. The Transmitting computer for EFIN-A only becomes the Transmitting Computer for EFIN-B if the “Transmit Code that allows EFIN-A to transmit for EFIN-B” is actually installed (registered) on the Transmitting Computer for EFIN-A.  Ordering any transmit code does not affect which computer is actually the Transmitting Computer for any EFIN.  Installing any transmit code onto any non-transmitting computer does not affect which computer is actually the Transmitting Computer for any EFIN.

MULTIPLE SEPARATE EFINS Multiple EFINs can also be registered separately to TaxWise one at a time using their REG codes without using XMIT codes This is a less preferable option because the Setup Options in TaxWise have to be reset when starting a session at a site with a different EFIN

MULTIPLE SEPARATE EFINS Multiple-EFIN setups without XMIT codes require that the EFIN being used be listed on the Company page of Setup Options. This can be done manually – OR TW Make Icons, part of the FL1 Clone Tools, can be used to automate this task by building a unique desktop shortcut (icon) for launching TaxWise set up for each site. A description of this tool is posted on the Technology page of the AARP Tax-Aide ExtraNet. The description of the tool on the ExtraNet Technology page is captioned “FL1 Clone Tool Introduction”

TRANSMITTING COMPUTER . . . Going to 4 sites, transmitting for 2

TRANSMITTING COMPUTER . . . Going to 4 sites, transmitting for 2 EFINs on Company Screen Use Site 1 EFIN for Both Sites 1 & 2 And each site’s respective User Use Site 3 EFIN and User 3 for Site 3 Use Site 4 EFIN and User 4 for Site 4 24

NON-TRANSMITTING COMPUTERS must reset the EFIN on the Company Screen when going from site to site The next four slides offer a different perspective on making the changes for a computer on the move. The next 4 slides illustrate these changes

REGISTER COMPUTER FOR FIRST SITE

RE-REGISTER COMPUTER FOR SITE2

RE-REGISTER COMPUTER FOR SITE3

RE-REGISTER COMPUTER FOR SITE4

MULTIPLE-EFIN SETUP SUMMARY 4 OPTIONS: Use TaxWise Online whenever possible to completely avoid this issue. Use client/server networking whenever possible to avoid complex multiple-EFIN TaxWise setups. Use XMIT codes to establish multiple-EFIN setups that do not have to be changed. Last option is to use changing multiple- EFIN setups with REG codes only - There is a tool to automate this option.

MULTIPLE-EFIN SETUP THE LAST WORD There have been proposals for and experiments with installing multiple copies of the same year of TaxWise on a single computer. This approach is NOT recommended or supported! The first full paragraph on page 40 of the 2008-2009 Technology Management Guide has been withdrawn. The fourth full paragraph on page 3 of the “Software for Tax-Aide” document, contained on the 2008 Tax-Aide Resource CD, has been withdrawn.

Multiple-EFIN Setup Questions ???