TAX-AIDE Ordering TaxWise Software August 2015 TCS Webinar1

TAX-AIDE How to Order Software ● Software can be ordered from October through January prior to the tax season All sites do not have to be ordered at once, but Once ordered the SPEC Office cannot cancel or move the software to another site Don’t order the software until it is confirmed that the site will open August 2015 TCS Webinar2

TAX-AIDE Software Order Status ● IRS entering initial order into their system First order ships 11/23 CA2 master template will be developed by Twin Pines Senior Center site (EFIN = ) in San Mateo District  Change from ● Nationally 5000 sites. 709 sites subscribe directly to national template August 2015 TCS Webinar3

TAX-AIDE TaxWise Software Update August 2015 TCS Webinar4

TAX-AIDE Download Updates Automatically ● TaxWise typically delivers updates between 7:00AM-8:00AM, EST ● Must be logged in to TaxWise as a user that has rights to the Get Module Updates and Get Program Updates menu options ● Detailed steps on OSHC August 2015 TCS Webinar5

AARP-SMT July 15,

Timing Out while working in TWO  Same Login is used for: ‐TaxWise Online ‐Support site ‐Prior years of TaxWise Online  Prior year returns were on a different server than current year  Use different Browsers to avoid getting timed out if you open multiple windows like a prior year return and the current year return 7

Tax year 2015 TaxWise Online Template management is now supported in Chrome as well as Internet Explorer Additional Printer security role allowing further segmentation of your users Quick links added to the home page to easily access prior year tax applications Deactivate and activate users in 2 stages – Deactivate all in bulk then activate by checkmark each user 8

Tax year 2015 TaxWise Initiatives Enhanced Setup Assistant – More intuitive navigation – Refined view and management of users and group assignments – New progress indicator when carrying forward taxpayer data – A new Active/Inactive user status replaces the previous delete users button 9

Tax year 2015 TaxWise Initiatives Enhanced Return List options, filtering and sorting – One-click ascending /descending sorting on any column – Evening and cell phone number fields for display and sort – Easy reset to revert the Return List to defaults – Enhanced search options 10 Image is PROTOTYPE ONLY and should not be considered final.

Tax Year 2015 TaxWise Initiatives Important support information displayed right at the top of TaxWise – Adding APS (Alt Prep Solution) indicator to top left of TW – Adding Install drive indicator to top left of TW – Adding current version to top left of TW A quick link on the TaxWise Home Page to the remote support tool-TeamViewer Can restore deleted returns on CCH servers Special Note: IRS is one client of CCH out of 10K; Enhancements/etc. generally developed for commercial purposes 11

TAX-AIDE TWO Alternative Preparation Solution Art Rudeseal CO1 D18 TC; Member, NTC 2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas12

TAX-AIDE What is APS? ● Alternative Preparation Solution (APS) APS allows volunteers to prepare returns in the TaxWise desktop program if interactive TWO is not available. Returns started in APS can be:  Completed  Run through diagnostics  Printed  Transferred to TWO for e-filing APS is also known as “Safety Net” 2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas13

TAX-AIDE APS References TWO Home screen ● Help Center Quick Reference  Training Sessions ● TaxWise Online Introduction and Administrative Alternative Preparation Solution Video (Brainshark) Manual (.pdf) 2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas14

TAX-AIDE Potentially, When to Use APS? ● When TWO is down ● When TWO is too slow to use ● When an Internet connection to TWO is not available or is too slow to use ● When “roving” away from the main site to where the Internet is not available “One-day” or “Special event” sites Shut-ins 2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas15

TAX-AIDE Actually, When to use APS? Perhaps never. ● No national policy requires the use of APS. ● States, districts, and sites may make local policy. But, if ever, then: ● Only when a site has prepared volunteers and computers in advance to use APS if and when it may be needed. ● Too complex to set up from scratch when a site is suddenly down and volunteers and taxpayers are waiting. ● Recommend an APS dry run during training, without taxpayers SMT/TCS Training - Dallas16

Alternative Preparation Solution Your TaxWise Online registration code activates limited feature sets in TaxWise desktop for return preparation, printing and transferring to TaxWise Online Download and Install TaxWise Desktop from the support site Complete the Setup assistant – Register Software – Setup Users – Configurations Create Tax Form Defaults in TaxWise to match your Template in TWO 17

Alternative Preparation Solution Enable Auto Updates for Program and Module Updates 18

TAX-AIDE Preparing for APS 1 ● Install TaxWise desktop on all computers that will be used for APS. Configure TaxWise Users and Groups and their permissions in Security Manager Install state modules Setup Tax Form Defaults Setup Print Packets 2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas19

TAX-AIDE Preparing for APS 2 ● Network or Stand-alone installs? Either wired or secure wireless TaxWise client/server networking is permitted and does work Un-secured wireless networking is not permitted due to data security risk Stand-alone desktop is less technically challenging but operationally more complex ● Plan how you will apply TaxWise program and module updates ● Plan how you will transfer returns to TWO 2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas20

TAX-AIDE Gotchas ● E-files cannot be created in APS. They can only be created after transfer to TWO. ● Only returns marked for transfer with the current TaxWise program and module versions can be successfully transferred to TWO ● Only the Admin user in APS can transfer returns to TWO ● APS is not implemented in TWO Training. You can only test it in TWO Production SMT/TCS Training - Dallas21

TAX-AIDE Transferring to TWO ● Returns can be transferred to TWO from each laptop ● Go through the CCH APS lesson.pdf, starting with page 7 ia/IRS%20Training/Manuals/2014 AtlPrepSol.pdf ia/IRS%20Training/Manuals/2014 AtlPrepSol.pdf 2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas22

TAX-AIDE TWO Best Practices Jim Watters - NTC TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Effects on Site Operations Improvements in efficiency, even small improvements, have a positive effect and are cumulative A procedural improvement may work at one site, but not another Each of the following ideas has helped some Tax-Aide sites – consider if they may help your site: TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Users TRS/TCS Meeting July The ADMIN is the program’s ‘native’ user The ADMIN shares most of its ability with Administrator users – limit these Super Users are the ‘journeyman’ users Return Preparers are ‘restricted ability’ users

TAX-AIDE Templates Training Templates help instructors and increase the learning curve of students A TCS prepared State Template in states having an income tax is helpful to sites in preparing their local templates Opening schedules/worksheets from the ‘tree’ saves time (versus ‘linking’) TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Common Training Site The District may use one Client ID for all training, permitting use of the same training templates and easier review of trainee’s work Smaller States may want one Client ID for all training, permitting a uniform training course TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE High Contrast Display High Contrast Display makes fields and numbers easier to see Reduces mistakes by ‘older eyes’ TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Context Sensitive Help Train counselors to use Context Sensitive Help as the primary source for help when unsure how to complete a return Secondary resources for the counselor are the pdf version of the Volunteer Resource Guide (4012) and Pub 17 TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Taxpayer Diary Attached to, but not printed with return Carries forward from year to year offering background for this year’s return Excellent place for details regarding return’s preparation, processing and correction (if rejected) TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Client Letters A Client Letter is given to each taxpayer who must return specifying what’s needed A duplicate copy of the Client Letter is kept as a ‘tracking document’ to identify action needed and to record phone calls to taxpayer TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Quality Reviews Train Quality Reviewers: mistakes to look for, how mistakes occur and how to correct errors Training templates of returns with mistakes are individually reviewed, then discussed by the training class Prepared returns are placed into a queue for the Quality Review TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Submitting The Quality Reviewer reviews and discusses return with taxpayer, prints a copy for the taxpayer, and has the taxpayer sign the 8879 Before the taxpayer leaves the Quality Review, the Quality Reviewer submits the return while taxpayer watches TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Return Stages Are specifically designed for site use The stages are determined by the site, set-changed-removed by a counselor and site procedure states how and when used Very useful in handling the administrative details, e.g. ‘tracking’ the return’s progress TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE TC Reference Tool Use a list of common program problems and solutions to solve ‘glitches’ List is quicker than calling TWO Support Some states have a website for instant access to solutions e.g., e TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Security De-activate users after the season, re-activate them for training Changing users to Return Preparers does not prevent unauthorized preparation and printing of tax returns Review both TWO Reports and the “My Information” Reports; note dates prepared, printed, edited TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE New ideas Share new ideas for efficiency as they are developed Send them to One Support on the Portal and to fellow TCS’s TWO contains abilities for us to increase site efficiencies we have yet to discover TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Templates and Other Settings Bob Borchlewicz– Member NTC Sue Alza – Member NTTC TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Templates ● CCH creates a template that is sent to all TWO sites. ● NTC tailors this template with AARP specific modifications to create the NTC Master Template. The NTC master template is sent to the training site of all subscribers. To subscribe, designate a site as a subscriber of EFIN on the software order. ● To use a template that is received, a new template must be created that is based on the received template. TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE TRS/TCS Meeting July NTC Master Template State/ Sub State Templates Site Templat es TWO Templates CCH Master Template

TAX-AIDE Production Templates ● The TWO software order defines the subscriber relationship ● Final template tailoring is completed at the site level. ● Fine tune and test the template at the training site during training in Nov/Dec/early Jan. ● When training is completed “publish” the template. Copies the template from the training site to the production site. ● Recommendation: Do not use “Practice Lab” version of TWO  It lacks the look and feel of the final product TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Sending TWO Settings ● Custom Fields, Return Stages, Custom Print Sets, and Custom State Print Sets can be sent from one site to the site’s subscribers. These are the same subscribers that were established to send templates. ● No ability exists to “Publish” these settings from training to production, but these settings can be sent from a production site to the production site of subscribers. ● No ability exists to choose not to accept settings that have been sent. Any tailoring that has been performed prior to receiving the settings will be affected. ● Sending Return Stages will not delete stages that exist at receiving site. TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE Summary TRS/TCS Meeting July

TAX-AIDE The Power of Templates in Training

TAX-AIDE Training Templates ● Cannot delete or change a national template, but can create a new template based on an existing template TCS/TRS Joint Session – Dallas

TAX-AIDE Final words ● Give ReturnPreparer role in TaxWise to avoid any problem in case of production site mix-up ● Revert students to base template at the end of the day ● Inactive training users when training is completed TCS/TRS Joint Session – Dallas