1. NTC - Dallas
CCH Small Firm
Services
July 23,2014

2. Overview Tax Season Statistics Solution Center
TaxWise Alternative Preparation Solution (APS)
TWO Troubleshooting Tips
Users and Defaults
Carry Forward Prior Year Data
Initiatives for Tax Year 2014
Introduction and opening remarks
November 7, USA

3. Tax Season Statistics Incidents by Customer Type Top AARP Incidents
For 2012 Tax Year the VITA program has filed over 3M returns
For million federal returns thru 7/1/2014 and 2.6 million state returns
November 7, USA

4. Who Contacts SFS: Incidents by Customer Type
We begin reviewing and breaking down the incidents by the support types identified in the ordering process in February. This helps us to start analyzing the call trends and the types of calls we are receiving.
Support type TWD TWO Total Incidents Total Calls VITA 31,842
TCE/AARP
November 7, USA

5. Top AARP Incidents for November 2013-April 2014
SOFTWARE
INCIDENT
COUNT
TaxWise Online
MISC
3,833
Federal Calculations/forms
1,798
Diagnostics/Creating e-file errors
1,706
Acknowledgements
1,591
Password
1,248
Program Errors
637
State Calculations/forms
585
TaxWise Desktop
581
Defaults/Templates
571
How Do I?
457
Discuss how most of these could have been taken care of if they had used the training- on the how do I number 11 on the list there were things as basic as Start a return there were 12 calls logged for that
3.3 million returns as of 7/1/2014
November 7, USA

6. TaxWise Solution Center - Introduction
TaxWise Solution Center Volunteer News Blogs Knowledge Library
Solution Center- self help tools
Users can access information without having to log in such as the Blogs and Knowledgebase. User must be logged in to see the Volunteer News page since this is specific to sites under the IRS Contract.
November 7, USA

7. TaxWise Solution Center- Volunteer News
New Vita News for TY2012 – Information posted that pertains only to VITA sites such as Quality Alerts and messages from IRS.
I would mention Return Query while you are here also.
I would point out the Suscribe button and show them how to sign up for updates. Tell them that they can subscribe for Update notifications also.
November 7, USA

8. TaxWise Solution Center- Blogs
Available for both TaxWise and TaxWise Online
Access from inside tax program
Post are archived by date
Searchable
Discuss Blog for both TWD and TWO
Accessible from inside the tax program. TWD has a browser tab and TWO has a toolbar button
November 7, USA

9. TaxWise Solution Center- Knowledge Library
Discuss Knowledge Library – how to search for answers.
November 7, USA

10. Software Comparison – TaxWise Online vs TaxWise
TaxWise Desktop
No installation required and no network to setup
Installation from CD and if network is required it must be setup and maintained
No need for backup or restore options because all data is stored on the CCH SFS servers
Must backup for return retention or to transfer returns between non-networked computers
Fed and state updates are automatically applied to TaxWise Online
Must apply fed and state updates manually
Returns can be prepared in desktop if the internet or the TaxWise Online site is down *Must be transferred to TaxWise Online for transmission access
Returns can be prepared but not transmitted until internet connection is restored
3 pre-set print packets, 1 custom print packet (Fed or State) Returns print to PDF
6 Fully Customizable print packets - Returns print to printer, PDF, File or PaperlessPLUS
Uses many of the same Function Keys as Desktop
Function keys available to perform actions
Carryforward is available for returns transmitted through the CCH SFS electronic filing center *Performed one return at a time upon starting a new return for previous year client
Carryforward available for any prior year returns on the system *Can be performed for all returns simultaneously
No taxpayer information is stored on the local computers
Efiling data reports are available within TWO- Explain that additional TWO reports are found on solution center
Two uses F1- help, F3 - estimate, F9 - link, identical to Desktop
TaxWise Online – Introduction to TaxWise Online
November 7, USA

11. ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION SOLUTION
November 7, USA

12. Alternative Preparation Solution - Overview
Alternative Preparation Solution (APS)
Implemented for the 2012 Tax Year
Why APS was implemented
Users need to continue servicing taxpayers in the event of an outage
Users asked for a solution that would allow them to prepare and print returns
Needed the ability to transfer returns from Desktop to Online for submission
How Does it work?
TaxWise Online registration codes activate limited feature sets in desktop for return preparation, printing and transferring to TaxWise Online
TaxWise Online converts transferred desktop returns to TaxWise Online returns for the purposes of electronic filing and return storage
Site Usability
Allows site to continue servicing taxpayer’s in the event of an outage either at the Site level or SFS
Use Desktop at special events that don’t have internet then “Transfer returns to TWO” for submission to EFC
Introduced last year to give the sites an option to continue providing services to taxpayers in the event of an internet or application outage. They can also use it at mobile sites and special events where internet is not available.
November 7, USA

13. TaxWise CD - Delivery starts late November
Who gets a CD?
All sites under the IRS Contract receive a TaxWise CD regardless of whether they use TaxWise Online or Desktop
To use the Alternative Preparation Solution
TWO users register the TaxWise Desktop program with their
TaxWise Online registration code.
The TaxWise CD includes
TaxWise Desktop Program Installation
TaxWise User Guides for both TWO and Desktop
IRS Publications-3189,4299 and 1084
Links to Third Party Programs
Discuss that every TWO users get a CD for the APS solution-
3189-Volunteer
e-file Administration Guide
4299-Privacy, Confidentiality, and the Standards of Conduct
1084-Site Coordinators Handbook
3rd Party- IE and Adobe Reader
Prior Year software available on Solution Center
November 7, USA

14. Troubleshooting Tips for TaxWise Online
Microsoft Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close- Not a TWO issue check your internet connections
When submitting an e-file you get Send Failed-Usually means you have extraneous characters in the return- find and fix, rerun Diagnostic, recreate e-file and transmit
Diagnostic Failure to Display or other display issues- Check screen resolution and zoom settings. Must be 100% only.
November 7, USA

15. Troubleshooting Tips for TaxWise Online
TWO is running very slow- first run your speed test and compare it to your normal speed to see if it is TWO or your internet bandwidth
November 7, USA

16. Users and Defaults Comparison between TWO and TWD
Introduction and opening remarks
November 7, USA

17. Users -TWO and TWD TaxWise Online TaxWise Desktop
Manage Users Button in Toolbar
Tools menu->Utilities and Setup Options->Setup-> Security Manager
Create a New User link
Groups and Users Tabs
Admin, SuperUser, Preparer, Interviewer, Template Manager, Reviewer and Efile Manager - Cannot create custom Roles
Admin, SuperUser, Preparer, InterviewUser, Return Manager and Training- Can create custom Groups
Ability to reset Admin Users password for sub-offices
Need to call TaxWise support to reset Admin Users password for sub offices
Admin user or Admin user rights(TWO) only can add Users
November 7, USA

18. Carry Forward Prior Year Data
Comparison between TWO and TWD
Introduction and opening remarks
November 7, USA

19. Carry Forward Prior Year Data
TaxWise Online
TaxWise Desktop
No steps needed in the beginning of the tax season, no installing and no installation questions
When installing the new year version you are asked if you want “Prior Year Data” loaded. If software has been loaded without Carry forward prior year data, you go to Tools, Carry Forward then prior Year Data
Start a new return, type in SSN 2 times and you get a message that there is Data to carry forward
November 7, USA

20. Initiatives for Tax Year 2014
Introduction and opening remarks
November 7, USA

21. 2014 Software Initiatives TWO
Chrome Browser Support for TWO
Ability to use this alternate Browser
New Return List enhancement
Customize which columns to see in their return list view
Sort columns ascending or descending
Drag and Drop the order of columns
Filter based on column value
Export to a .CSV file or print
TWD/TWO Gap analysis
Prioritize critical TWD features to be added to TWO
November 7, USA

22. 2014 Software Initiatives TWD
New Setup Assistant
Register the software
Setup Office information
Choose carry forward options (Tax form Defaults, Taxpayers, EIN DB, Client Letter Templates, etc.)
Create Groups, Users and Preparers
Set up printing, network and general options
Backup the configurations for use on non-networked computers or for disaster recovery
November 7, USA

23. 2014 Software Initiatives TWD
New Return List enhancement
Customize which columns to see in their return list view
Sort columns ascending or descending
Drag and Drop the order of columns
Filter based on column value
Export to a .CSV file or print
Set return stage from the Return List
November 7, USA