The purpose of this webpage is to address the questions that we receive most often. Please review the list of questions and answers provided below and if your question is not addressed click here to send an email to our technical support team. You can also call our customer service line at (770) 406 - 8326. If our lines are busy you will be prompted to leave a message. One of our trained specialists will return your call. The information available here is organized by category. Select the category most appropriate to your question where you can view the questions and answers listed.

 

Help Categories

Before I Buy
Website / Purchasing
Installation
Import / Convert & Export
Data Storage and Back-up
Forms and Transmittals
Printing
Electronic Filing
Helpful Links

 

Before I Buy

What forms are included in EASITax?
How can I get other forms in EASITax?
How can I try the software first?
What does EASITax require to work on my computer?
You say you print plain paper, will I need to buy anything else?
I want to E File, what do I buy?
When I buy EASITax, can I download it immediately or does it come in the mail?
Can you explain the different types of software you have on your site?
I used the software last year, but my computer crashed and I have a new one, can I still buy the upgrade?

HELP CATEGORIES

EASITax Forms

EASITax currently includes W2, W3 Transmittal, 1099 MISC, 1099 DIV, 1099 INT, 1099 R, and 1096 Transmittal. We also offer 1099 S, 1099 C, and 1098 forms available for add on to EASITax for only $49.95 each. Finally, we also have the forms required for electronic file generation available in our EASITax E-File add on.

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Process to Add Forms

EASITax was built using a forms design system named PaperWorks which is available from EASI. Customers who are interested in adding forms to EASITax not currently available can contact us via email with the name of the form they would like to have added or with any requests for licenses for PaperWorks so they can automate their own forms.

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The SSA (Social Security Administration) allows all of the W2 and W3 forms to be printed on plain paper. They do require that the forms be perforated and that the employee be provided instructions. You can purchase either plain paper or pre-printed forms for W2 and W3 on our site, click here. If you are going to use pre-printed forms, you must use the laser approved forms. EASITax goes through a yearly approval process to qualify in printing plain paper and pre-printed forms for the SSA.

The IRS has more stringent requirements. The only form that you can print on plain paper is Copy B. With that, they require copy B to be printed on special plain paper that is perforated with instructions printed on the form. Copy A and the 1096 Transmittals have to be printed on special pre-printed forms with red magnetic ink. This is due to the machines they use to read the data on the forms optically. The other copies are required to be printed on pre-printed forms. You can purchase all the forms that you need on our site, click here for 1099 MISC.

 

New Users - You can purchase the EASITax New User Bundle, click here.

Upgrade from last year - You can purchase the EASITax Upgrade Bundle, click here.

Already have EASITax - You only need to purchase EASI EFile, click here.

Note: It is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure that they meet the requirements for electronic filing and have already applied for the necessary required PIN and Control Codes. For more information on what you are required to do for electronic filing, please visit the IRS website.

 

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Download or CD Rom

 

When you purchase EASITax and the payment is processed, you will be redirected to a page allowing you to download the software you purchased. Additionally, you will be sent an email containing your password for registering your software. If you prefer to receive it in the mail on CD, you can purchase a CD from us on the software page. If you choose that option, a CD-Rom will arrive in the mail and you can then load the software and use the password that was emailed to you when you purchased. Further, you can download the software before you purchase to test it and see how it works. When you purchase, all you need to do is enter the password in your existing downloaded copy. Another download is not required.

 

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Explaining the Software Options

 

EASITax works hard to provide valuable options to customers that can be as broad or narrow in scope as the user may require. Please see the chart below for an explanation of the different types and combinations of software available.

Software	Description	Graphic
EASITax 2008	This is the product that you would purchase if you want to be able to enter or import data and print forms for distributing to the IRS/SSA and receipients/employees.
EASITax Upgrade	This is the product that you would purchase if you had EASITax 2007 and want to upgrade for 2008. If you did not upgrade in 2007 and have a 2006 version, you will need to purchase a new user license.
EASITax CD-Rom	The CD-Rom offers you the entire EASITax program library on one CD-Rom. This is a great option for back-up. Just purchasing the software on CD will not provide you with the passwords required to register the software.
EASITax E File	You would purchase this in addition to either EASITax 2008 or EASITax Upgrade if you also wanted to electronically file your returns with the IRS.
EASITax New User Bundle	This is a package offering of EASITax 2008 & EASITax E File. Buying them at the same time in a bundle provides a $10.00 discount off the combined price.
EASITax Upgrade Bundle	This is a package offering of EASITax Upgrade & EASITax E File. Buying them at the same time in a bundle provides a $10.00 discount off the combined price.
EASITax Data Entry	This software is for users that want to have multiple people able to enter, import, or edit data but only require 1 printing license. The purchase price is lower; however, without purchasing at least one full use version of the software it will not prove very useful.
EASI 1098	This is an add on to the EASITax 2008 or EASITax Upgrade software and will not work when EASITax is not already installed. This automated the 1098 form for users who also required filing their 1098 forms.
EASI 1099 S	This is an add on to the EASITax 2008 or EASITax Upgrade software and will not work when EASITax is not already installed. This automated the 1099 S form for users who also required filing their 1099 S forms.
EASI 1099 C	This is an add on to the EASITax 2008 or EASITax Upgrade software and will not work when EASITax is not already installed. This automated the 1099 C form for users who also required filing their 1099 C forms.

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Can I still Upgrade If....

 

 

Website Help / Purchasing Questions

 

Let's use the following example to see how to add all the products. I need to buy 1 copy of EASITax 2008, 100 1099 MISC Copy A, and 25 1096 Transmittal forms. Here is what I would do.

1. Add your first item to your shopping cart.

2. Now select 'Return to shop'. Add another product by changing the quantity from zero and pressing the 'order' button.

1. Install EASITax to your computer allowing it to install to the default location.
2. Locate your previous year data file and move it to the following location on your computer: C:\Program Files\EASITax\Solutions\EASITax2008\Forms
3. Open EASITax (If you have received your password to unlock this years version you can enter it then or select Use Trial).
4. You will be prompted that previous year data has been found.

Import Field	Character Length
Recipient Name	40
Recipient ID	9
Recipient Name 2	40
Recipient Address	40
Recipient City	40
Recipient State	2
Recipient Zip Code	2
Payer Name	40
Payer ID	9 (aka TIN, EIN)
Payer Address	40
Payer Address 2	Does not convert
Payer City	40
Payer State	2
Payer Zipcode	9
Payer Phone	15

 

W2 Forms

Once your import file contains all of your data, you can locate these data fields and modify your data manually prior to import. Should you choose not to do this, EASI eFile will modify the data through truncation logic to reduce the number of characters to fit the IRS specifications. This is accomplished through modifications to fields like RecipientAddress where Street becomes st and Boulevard becomes blvd. Any place that EASI eFile can not truncate the characters based upon this type of logic, a straight truncation is performed and the number of characters over the required count is simply removed from the back.

2008 Storage Information

Your 2008 data file is located in C:\Program Files\EASITax\Solutions\EASITax2008\Forms directory. Within that folder there is a file called EASITax2008.mdb. (NOTE: You may not see the .mdb at the end of the file name depending on how you have chosen to configure your MS Windows settings, if that is the case you are wanting to focus on EASITax2008, not EASITax2008Schema).

This is the file that you will need to move, back-up, etc. This access file is where all of the data you have imported, converted, or entered is currently stored. Make sure that this file is kept safe and is not deleted, manipulated, or detroyed in anyway. (NOTE: Opening this file and making changes in MS Access is done at your own risk).

2008 Storage Information

Your 2008 data file is located in C:\Program Files\EASITax\Solutions\EASITax2008\Forms directory. Within that folder there is a file called EASITax2008.mdb. (NOTE: You may not see the .mdb at the end of the file name depending on how you have chosen to configure your MS Windows settings, if that is the case you are wanting to focus on EASITax2008, not EASITax2008Schema).

This is the file that you will need to move, back-up, etc. This access file is where all of the data you have imported, converted, or entered is currently stored. Make sure that this file is kept safe and is not deleted, manipulated, or detroyed in anyway. (NOTE: Opening this file and making changes in MS Access is done at your own risk).

2005 or earlier Storage Information

Your 2005 and earlier files are stored in C:\Program Files\EASITax\Forms directory. Within that folder there is a file called EASITax2005.mdb, EASITax2004.mdb, etc. (NOTE: You may not see the .mdb at the end of the file name depending on how you have chosen to configure your MS Windows settings, if that is the case you want to focus on EASITax2005, not EASITax2005Schema).

This is the file that you will need to move, back-up, etc. This access file is where all of the data you have imported, converted, or entered is currently stored. Make sure that this file is kept safe and is not deleted, manipulated, or damaged in anyway. (NOTE: Opening this file and making changes in MS Access is done at your own risk).

Back-up your Data:

Backing up your data is an important part of the tax preparation process. The IRS has record retention rules as does your company. When you back-up your data (the frequency should be determined by yourself or your corporate policy) make sure that you don't move the file, but rather make a copy of the file. There are some software tools that will do this for you automatically and you may want to check with your IT department to see if they have any back-up software tools. If your IT department allows it, there are several great tools available on the shareware network that will automatically sync files and folders together whether it is to keep each the same or just back-up one to the other. Outside of the automatic back-ups that can be set, you can simply click once on the file name to highlight it, CTRL+C (or use file, copy) and then go to the other file location and CTRL+V (or use file, paste) to make a copy. If you are backing up to CD or floppy, just file your computer's prompts when attempting to record the file onto disk.

Changing Computers:

If you are going to be changing computers, for whatever reason, the process is a little different. Before you delete files from your old machine, make sure that you make a copy of EASITax2008.mdb (if it is for tax year 2008).

1. On your new machine, the first thing you need to do is install EASITax2008 and allow it to be installed to the default location.
2. Once the installation is complete, locate your C:\Program Files\EASITax\Solutions\EASITax2008\Forms directory and copy in your saved EASITax2008.mdb file.
3. Open EASITax2008 from your Start\Programs option.
4. Enter your password.
5. EASITax will prompt that previous year data has been found and ask if you want to convert it.
6. Answer 'YES'.

Complete! You have successfully saved your data from your old computer, installed EASITax on your new computer, moved your data over to the new machine, and converted it into the new version of EASITax on your new computer!!!

Upgrading Operating Systems:

If you are upgrading your operating system, backing up your critical data is very important. EASITax, because of IRS record retention rules, contains just such data. Follow these instructions and you can ensure you EASITax data stays intact.

1. Open the following folder C:\Program Files\EASITax\Forms and select any file that says EASITax200X.mdb (NOTE: You may not see the .mdb file extension, it depends on how your MS Windows settings have been configured. If that is the case, select any file that says EASITax200X (where 'X' represents the last digit of the year for the version of the software you had purchased) and not EASITax200XSchema). These are the files that you will want to make sure you back up.
2. Once you have completed your upgrade, make sure that your system is stable and then reinstall your version of the software. For EASITax2008, click here.
3. When your installation is complete, you can move all of your files back to the C:\Program Files\EASITax\Forms directory. The exception is if EASITax2008.mdb was one of the files that you moved. If EASITax2008.mdb is one of your backed up files, move that file to C:\Program Files\EASITax\Solutions\EASITax2008\Forms directory.

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1. Open C:\Program Files\EASITax\Solutions\EASITax2008\Forms directory.
2. Locate the EASITax2008.mdb file (NOTE: you may not see the .mdb file extension name depending on how your machine has been configured, should that be the case look for the EASITax2008 file, not EASITax2008Schema).
3. Make a copy of this file click on it once to highlight it and either press CTRL+C or select the Edit/Copy command.
4. Locate the space on your Network Drive where you want to back-up the data and either CTL+V or select the Edit/Paste command to place the copy in your shared drive.

You may also want to check with your IT department for any software they have that provides automatic back-up capabilities. If allowed by your IT department you can also check the shareware sites on the internet for software you can try before you buy and some free versions that will perform this function for you automatically. What you must remember is that backing up your data is the only available option for a single use license of EASITax. You can also contact us for more information about the Networking license options available with EASITax.

 

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What does EASITax do to secure my data?

 

EASITax is just as concerned about the safety and security of your data as you are. EASITax data is stored in the most secure location on your machine, your program files. This location is not shared, unless the user takes specific action to make it so, and as such the data is not accessible over wireless networks. In addition, the data you enter/import into EASITax is located in a single file which is easily back-up. Finally, we offer you a virus, adware, trojan free software. Just see these awards/certifications below:

VIRUS CHECKS

While, computer security and data security is the individual user/company responsibility, we at EASITax will continue to care about your data and maintaining it securely on your machine.

 

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How do I delete all of the records in EASITax?

 

Select the Advanced option from the Tools menu and then select the Delete All Records From this Form option.

 

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Multiple Employers and establishing profiles

EASITax handles unlimited payers/employers and unlimited recipients/employees. There are no profiles to establish in the system, you simply enter payer information and save your first form, then each time you click 'NEW' you will see the previous payer/employer data remain. When you are ready to enter a new payer/empoyer set of records, simply type over the existing information and after saving the first form each time 'NEW' is pushed the newest employer information will pre-populate. EASITax was built to have some sense about how it interprets your movements within the software. This was done to alleviate the need to enter yet more information into the program. Why build countless files in a profile section just to be able to enter more countless files for your records? The EASI way to do data entry is to do less.

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My converted data doesn't show up.

Sometimes when you convert data the program does not show the data until the database is refreshed. If this happens to you, it is very EASI to correct the problem.

1. First, make sure that when you converted your data you were given a confirmation of conversion by EASITax. It would have looked something like:

2. Simply exit the program and then open it again. When you do this, your converted data will show up.

That is it! Now when you open the EASITax program, select the form type you imported your data to (using the open command option) and your data should be available for view. If you accidentally imported your data in addition to converting it, click here to go to the instructions for deleting all records and starting your program from scratch. You can also contact us via email to ask any questions or get further direction.

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Excluding records instead of deleting them

There are times when you convert data that certain recipients/employees from your previous year will not require you to produce forms this year. We have customers who have requested a method whereby they don't have to delete said individuals from the database. In an effort to solve that problem, we have developed the instructions below as a work around to removing employees/recipients from the database.

1. Convert your data as normal.
2. When you open the program use the open command to go to the form that includes the data you wish to exclude (NOTE: Sometimes you may be required to close the program and restart it before your converted data is viewable).
3. Using the Spreadsheet view locate the record(s) in question and one at a time open them into the data entry view by double clicking on the records in spreadsheet view.
4. At either the begining or end of the Payer/Employer name add the word EXCLUDE and save\overwrite existing file. (NOTE: You must change the payer/employer name to avoid getting an incorrect count of forms on your transmittal).

It is literally that EASI. You will maintain the record in the database and a simple modification to remove EXCLUDE from the payer/employer name will add it back to your active records for that payer/employer for the next year.

HELP CATEGORIES

All About Forms

What Forms do I need if...?
Do I have to print the W2 Copy A on the red magnetic ink forms?
Why can't I print all of my forms on plain paper?
What are the blank forms used for?
What forms do I need to print if I plan on efiling with EASITax?
When I order forms how long does it take for them to be shipped?
How do I know if I need to print state forms?
If I order a quantity of 50, is that 50 forms or 50 sheets?
Why should I buy forms when I could use the IRS free ones?

HELP CATEGORIES

Which Forms do I need if...?

The kind of forms, the different types within each form, and which ones you may be required to have can all be very confusing. Below you will find a chart outlining the different types by general description and within each type what each copy is for and who should receive them. The IRS is the only true source of tax advice and we are not licensed tax experts, any information we provide is strictly our opinion.

Click on the link cooresponding to the Form you wish to review

W2 / W3
1099 MISC / 1096
1099 INT / 1096
1099 DIV / 1096
1099 R / 1096

W2/W3

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1099 MISC / 1096

Caution: According to the instructions for 1099 MISC available on the IRS Website, "Because paper forms are scanned during processing, you cannot file with the IRS Forms 1096, 1098, 1099, or 5498 that you print from the IRS website." Further, in the General Instructions publication for 1099, failure to provide recipients their copies on time and complete can result in fines up to $50.00 per form.

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1099 INT / 1096

Caution: According to the instructions for 1099 MISC available on the IRS Website, "Because paper forms are scanned during processing, you cannot file with the IRS Forms 1096, 1098, 1099, or 5498 that you print from the IRS website." Further, in the General Instructions publication for 1099, failure to provide recipients their copies on time and complete can result in fines up to $50.00 per form.

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1099 DIV / 1096

Caution: According to the instructions for 1099 MISC available on the IRS Website, "Because paper forms are scanned during processing, you cannot file with the IRS Forms 1096, 1098, 1099, or 5498 that you print from the IRS website." Further, in the General Instructions publication for 1099, failure to provide recipients their copies on time and complete can result in fines up to $50.00 per form.

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1099 R / 1096

Caution: According to the instructions for 1099 MISC available on the IRS Website, "Because paper forms are scanned during processing, you cannot file with the IRS Forms 1096, 1098, 1099, or 5498 that you print from the IRS website." Further, in the General Instructions publication for 1099, failure to provide recipients their copies on time and complete can result in fines up to $50.00 per form.

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Do I have to print the W2 Copy A on the Red Magnetic Ink Form?

IRS Publication 1141 outlines the General Rules and Specifications for Substitute Forms W-2 and W-3, and is available from the IRS Website. Essentially this document outlines the approval requirements a plain paper substitute must adhere to before they can be approved as plain paper printers of all W2 forms. EASITax submits to this approval process each year and has successfully achieved SSA approval for plain paper printing. The SSA has provided EASITax with a Vendor code signifying such, which appears on your form when you print it out identifying EASITax as the program you used to print your forms. Our vendor code is 1105. It is critical that you validate any software you use as being an SSA approved vendor for substitute form printing to ensure you avoid unnecessary penalties from the IRS/SSA.

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Why can't I print all of my forms on plain paper?

EASITax is certainly capable of printing all of the forms you require on plain paper; however, we are in compliance with all of the IRS and SSA requirements for plain paper and pre-printed forms. IRS Publication 1141 and 1167 outline the requirements for substitute forms that can be used for the SSA and IRS respectively. Essentially, you can print all W2 and W3 forms on plain paper. You are not allowed to do that with the IRS. Copy B may be printed on plain paper with perforations and instructions, which essentially results in the need to have special plain paper. Please see our 1099 MISC forms, 1099 DIV forms, 1099 INT forms, or 1099 R forms website pages for ordering information for those particular form types. For other forms we sell, check out our site and view the different forms and pre-printed laser business checks we offer for sale on our site.

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What are the blank forms used for?

Blank forms are used for printing the plain paper forms in the EASITax software. For W2 / W3 this is all forms. You can select the copies one at a time, doing this is important to ensure that EASITax knows what information needs to be printed based upon the copy that has been selected and what has been programmed for printing based on the SSA specifications. EASI has been approved for plain paper printing by the IRS and our vendor number prints on your forms and we can also provide that vendor number to you upon request.

For the 1099 forms, the IRS has different requirements. The IRS has made specific provisions outlining how and in what format 1099 Copy B forms may be printed on plain paper. Unfortunately, no other copies are allowed to be printed on plain paper at this time. Copy B is required to be printed on paper with instructions for the recipients. In addition, the IRS states in publication 1179 that "Perforations are required between forms on all copies except Copy A to make seperating the forms easier" (Publication 1179, Section 4.4.3). This blank form is available on our website and can be purchased from the appropriate form type (for example: if you are preparing 1099 MISC forms then you would select the 1099 MISC menu option on the left hand side menu and scroll down the page until you locate the Blank Forms for 1099 MISC).

As with all things, the IRS website is the ultimate source of information and any details from EASI are simply our interpretations of the information we have read on the IRS website.

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What forms do I need to print if I plan on electronically filing with EASITax?

If you are planning on eFiling with EASI eFile for EASITax then you only need to print the recipient forms. You DO NOT need to print any Copy A forms or transmittals. The IRS and SSA do not want to receive both paper and electronic files. It is the preparers responsibility to make sure they have filed for electronic filing, obtained persmission to electronically file from the IRS / SSA, and have all the appropriate Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN), Name Control Codes, and all other appropriate information. Those planning on submitting an electronic file MUST file form 4419 and when they are approved for electronic filing, a transmitter control code will be delivered.

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How long, after I order, until I get my forms?

For general purposes you can refer to this chart to provide an estimate from the time you complete your order on the website until the time your order is collected by UPS. The time from UPS collect until your package is onsite depends on what type of delivery was paid for and any possible holiday or weekend delay.

If your order is complete before 2pm Eastern Time then the warehouse will get your order to UPS the same day. Our last pick-up is at the end of the business day. This enables us to process as many orders as possible in the same business day. If your order is not complete before 2pm then UPS will pick it up from the warehouse the next business day. Any day that UPS does not work or does not do pick-ups, we can not ship. Below is a list of the types of shipping we offer through UPS (keep in mind that we ship from Wisconsin).

NOTE: This information was obtained from the UPS Website and is subject to change without being updated here. For the best and most timely information regarding UPS Shipping guarantees, please refer to the UPS Website by clicking on the link above.

Example: Using the information above, if you were to place an order on December 18, 2008 @ 5pm Eastern Time, the following would be a description of what you could expect.

• Order placed December 18, 2008 @ 5:05 pm ET for 100 1099 MISC Copy A Forms to be shipped UPS Ground.
• Order delivered to warehouse immediately upon payment confirmation (this is done electronically)
• Order packed by Warehouse December 19, 2008
• Order picked up by UPS December 19, 2008 (the order was received after 2pm ET the following day so packing and pick-up will occur on December 19, 2008)
• Order delivered to recipient between as early as December 20th and as late as December 27th (this was determined based upon the 1 - 5 business days)
  • UPS Does not consider Saturday or Sunday to be a business day
  • UPS Does not consider Holidays (December 25th) to be a business day
  • Counting from the day it is placed in the hands of UPS

  Date	UPS Day Count
  December 19th	Pick-up Package
  December 20th	Day 1
  December 21st	Day 2
  December 22nd	Day 3
  December 23rd	Saturday
  December 24th	Sunday
  December 25th	Holiday
  December 26th	Day 4
  December 27th	Day 5

Below is a graphic from the UPS Website showing approximately how many days it would take to deliver from our warehouse zip code to different geographic areas in the United States using UPS Ground.
NOTE: This information was obtained from the UPS Website at 11:30AM Eastern Time, December 3rd, 2008.

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How can I confirm if I need to print state forms?

Ultimately, check with the IRS or your state, city, or local tax offices. There are links on the IRS Website for each state and can be found by clicking here. The ultimate source of whether or not you need to file a state, city, or local information return lies within those tax agencies.

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If I order 50, is that forms or sheets?

The website is based upon forms (i.e. number of employees/recipients). So, for example, if you are ordering 1099 MISC Copy A forms on our website these come 2 forms to a sheet. If you order a quantity of 50, that would be 25 sheets of paper to equal 50 forms.

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Why should I buy forms when the IRS provides free forms?

The forms provided free from the IRS are not the same as the forms approved for laser printing. Typically, we have been informed, that these forms will cause printer jamming and have been designed to jam. In addition, while these forms may appear to the eye to be identical, the forms will not align with the printed output and will not line up with your envelopes. The IRS has intentionally provided formatting specific for laser printed output that is unique from other printed outputs. Our recommendation is to purchase laser approved forms for use with our program. We believe you can obtain the best value from us; however, any laser approved formated forms will work with our software since there is only 1 approved format.

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Printing

General Printing Instructions
Troubleshooting Printing Problems
I can see the form on my screen but when I print it doesn't print out.
When Printing from the program I can only print Copy B
Everything I print has SAMPLE on it
When printing on 2up forms the 2nd form appears 1 line too low
When printing my forms the '0' does not print

HELP CATEGORIES

General Printing Instructions / Tips

1. When you are ready to print (you can only print forms that are saved), click on the print icon.
   
   NOTE: You should always test print first (on plain paper selecting the pre-printed output). Select two records and use the print selected records only option then hold the page behind a pre-printed form and hold up to the light to ensure your form and your data align properly. If it does not, click here to see instructions for adjusting your printer margins.

2. A dialog box will open displaying options for printing

• Template Options determine what type of form you want to print, either plain paper or pre-printed, and what form you are printing. In this exmaple the options are "W2 - 2up on pre-printed forms - All Copies" or "W2 - 4up on pre-printed forms - All Copies".
  
• Paper Range determines how many records you want to print. If you are re-printing only 1 record for a recipient, then select "Current record only". If you have applied a filter setting and selected only those where the company was ABC Company, then using "Selected Records Only" would not be greyed out and could be chosen as an option. "All records (or records in Filter Setting)" would print all the records in the database. Or you can choose to print a Single Company with a drop down box displaying all of the different companies that currently have W2 data in your database.
  
• Printer determines what printer you want to print to. The software will provide a list of printers based upon all of the Microsoft registered printers on your driver. In other words, if you can print to a printer with another piece of windows software then you will be able to print to that same printer with EASITax.
  
• Sample will show a screen shot of the form that you are printing.
  
• Margins are used to set the print values for the printer when the file is sent. This is a very important setting. The SSA, for example, has placed so much information on the W2 that they have really pushed to the edges of the paper. When you print to a deskjet type printer, there are standard margins already accepted by the printer. The W2 most likely will not print in that allotted space. This causes only one form to print on a page and then print some paper with just a few words on it. The margins you see in the graphic above are the default settings that work with the printers in the EASITax office. We test on deskjet and laserjet printers. Adjusting the margin 'Top' if you are printing over to another page. Adjust by .05 at a time until the data prints on a single page as intended. Adjust the margin 'Left' setting if you have problems printing a single form on one page where the reamining data is cut off. Again, adjust by .05 at a time until the data prints on a single page.
  
  As different template formats are highlighted, you will notice that the printer margin settings may change. Each document may have different margin settings even though a particular set of margin settings may work for all of your forms since we try to register all forms the same distance from the edges of the page.
  
• Copies indicate how many times you want to print the selected files. For example, if you are printing copy A and want one set for the IRS and another set to maintain in your files, you would change the '1' to '2'.
  
  The number of copies option can be used to automatically pause between each of the copies so you can change the paper. For instance, if the template being printed has two forms on each page, EASITax will print all the way through all of the records entered with two different recipients on each page. Once all of the records have been printed, EASITax will pause and display 'Wait until the paper feed stops and then you can change the paper.' Once the printer stops feeding paper, just put in a stack of paper for the next copy to be printed and then press the OK button to continue printing.
  
3. You should always print some sample forms onto white paper before you begin to use your forms so you can make sure the printed output aligns with the blanks on the preprinted forms. This can be done on white paper by lining up the edges of the white paper with the preprinted form and then holding them up to the light so you can see through the paper and ensure that everything lines up correctly. If not, just increase or decrease the margins to move the printed output closer to or further from the edge of the paper.

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Troubleshooting printing problems

Printer margins and printable are sizes vary between printers. As a result, you may be required to make adjustments to your printer settings. The following paragraphs suggest solutions to some of the most common problems.

Problem: Fields are printing too high or low on the page
Solution: Increase or decrease the top margin setting to move the printed output further or closer to the top edge of the page.

Problem: Fields need to be moved right or left on the page
Solution: Increase or decrease the left margin setting to move the printed output further or closer to the left edge of the page.

Problem: Fields are skipped at the bottom of the page
Solution: This problem occurs when the printable area of a page is too small to hold all of the information to be printed. First, ensure that the top margin has been adjusted to line up all of the other fields exactly. Reducing the top margin will increase the size of the printable are and therefore may solve this problem. Certain printer drivers, such as the DeskJet series of printer drivers from Hewlett-Packard, have a printable area that is smaller than a laser printer. Even though the printer is capable of printing with smaller margins, the driver offers no way to reduce the margins to an area that will reach the far edges of the form. In these cases, you may need to switch to another printer driver that has a larger printable area.

Problem: Printing stopped so you need to restart with a particular form
Solution: Use filter options to limit the forms that will be printed. Using the Filter option, you can select the first and last records to be printed. This allows you to print any group of consecutive forms. You can also use the Browse view to select multiple records that were not printed. To do this use hold down the control key while you click on the row with the records you need to print. Finally when you select print, choose the selected records option on the paper range.

If you have an issue not addressed here or these options don't work...

Verify that you printer is working correctly with other software packages. If not, contact your printer manufacturer. Other than that, our technical support staff will be glad to assist you any way possible. Contact us at Support or (770) 406 - 8326.

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I can see the information on my screen, but it won't print.

We get this question most often in regards to printing transmittals. You have finished inputting all of your 1099 information and have pressed the W3 / 1096 Transmittal button on the screen (the one that looks like a mailbox). You finish inputting the remaining information on the 1096 and press print, select pre-printed, print all forms, and nothing is sent to the printer. This happens when the form has not been saved. The software will only print saved content from the database meeting whatever selection criteria you have selected (all records or some subset defined by you like selected only or single company). If the form is not saved, nothing will be sent to the printer (or this particular record will not be sent if you have other saved forms in the database). To fix this problem, simply save the form in question (i.e. 1096 transmittal) and then select print.

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When printing from the program, I can only print Copy B

Actually, you can only print Copy B in plain paper format for 1099's. If you select pre-printed output you can print 'All Copies'. This happens because the IRS only allows plain paper printing for 1099 Copy B. All other formats are printed on pre-printed forms. For more information on forms click here and view our forms section of this document which covers this in more detail.

 

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Everything I print has SAMPLE on it

 

SAMPLE prints on all forms until a valid password is entered in the system. The version of software you are using is a Shareware version that allows people to try the product before purchasing it. You do not need to download a new copy, all you need to do is purchase a license from us which will provide you with a password to enter and unlock the software. If you have already purchased a license, then all you need to do is enter the password you were provided at the conclusion of your purchase. To enter the password follow the steps below:

1. From within the software, select "Show Password Login Screen"

   

2. When the password screen comes up, enter the password you were provided at purchase and hit 'Activate'.

   

Once complete, you will receive a 'Successful' confirmation message of password acceptance. Now you can print your saved data without 'SAMPLE' showing on your forms.

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When printing on 2-up forms, the 2nd form appears to print 1 line too low

This occurs for one of two reasons, either the printing margins need to be adjusted or you are printing on forms that are not the laser approved forms (i.e. free forms from IRS). We will address both here.

Adjusting print margins

We have established EASITax printing to work with 'most' printers. In an effort to print easily for the majority of our user community EASITax comes with predefined printing margins. These margins are easy to change. The IRS and SSA have gone to a lot of effort to make the most out of every bit of space on a sheet of paper. As such, the margins of most printers are set too high to accomodate printing all data on the single page. When this happens, the user will see one form print ok and the other to print on another page or print on several pages (depending on how your printer software is set to handle overflow). Follow these steps to adjust your printer margins in an incremental manner until you find the optimum setting for your form to print on a single page. We recommend printing on white paper (even though you may be selecting pre-printed forms) to line up behind the blank form and see if you are in alignment. It may require several attempts at adjusting the settings before you find the best one for your printer.

1. Select the print command from the 'outlook' bar on the left hand side. When you do this your printing window will display. Below you can see where the Margins are default defined (in this example we are using 1099 MISC) which can and will vary depending on which forms you are printing. The .25 settings seen here are the settings we found work with most printers, and therefor the program comes already set.



2. Begin by knowing which setting needs to change. If the form is printing on one form to one page and the other form on another page (for 2-up forms) or on several other pages, you will want to adjust the TOP setting in the margins setting section. If the forms are printing all on one page but start too far over to one side and run off the field areas, you will want to adjust the LEFT setting in the margins setting section.
   
3. The margins should be modified in small increments. For illustrative purposes, let's say the printing issue we are having is printing the first form on the paper and the second form prints on the second, third, and fourth pages instead of printing on the bottom of page 1. We will be focused on adjusting the TOP margin setting. It is best to do this by .05 increments at a time. In the first adjustment our setting will show this:



4. Now you should test print again, selecting no more than 2 records, on white paper (selecting the pre-printed format) and line it up behind a pre-printed form to see if it aligns with the form fields. If it is still printing on more than 1 page then you should adjust the print margin by another .05. Continue this until the two forms print on a single page and line up with the pre-printed form fields. You are now ready to print all of your forms.

Laser Approved Forms vs. All other Forms

The IRS has different form templates for the different types of forms provided. There are forms in PDF format that you can download from the website. There are free forms available at various post offices, local tax offices, etc. There are also free forms that you can order from the IRS. Most important to our discussions here, there are the laser approved forms that are designated to be used for printing on laser printers. These forms are the ones that you should be using.

If you use one of the other types of forms available you will not be using the IRS approved format for printing your forms from a software product that prints to laser paper. You could experience problems ranging from the paper and data not lining up, all the way to having repeated jamming issues and onward. The IRS is very specific about the format and knowingly filing improper formatted forms can result in fines up to $50.00 per filed form. If you are using an alternative form, adjusting the margin settings will most likely not help resolve alignment issues or printing variations.

While you can purchase the laser approved pre-printed forms at other locations, we recommend purchasing your forms from us. We are certain that our forms are IRS approved for laser printing and work perfectly with our software. Additionally, we believe we offer a great product at a great price. You can view the forms available for sale by choosing a form type from the website navigation bar on the right hand side.

 

IRS Requirements (Publication 1220)

If you want (or are required) to electronically file your 1099's this year, you will need to do the following:

1. Submit IRS form 4419, Application for Filing Information Returns Electronically, to the IRS/ECC (Enterprise Computer Center) no later than 30 days before the due date of your information returns.
2. The IRS will, in turn, provide you with a TCC (Transmitter Control Code) which is required before the software will even build an electronic file.
3. Create an account at http://fire.irs.gov establishing a username and password. This is where you will upload your data file after EASI eFile has created it.
4. Create your first electronic file (make sure to name the file something that is specific to the data i.e. CompanyNameYear) in EASI eFile selecting it as a 'Test' file and submit it to the fire.irs.gov website.
5. In approximately 2 business days, return to the website and review the status of your test file.
   • If 'Good, Federal Reporting' or 'Good, Federal / State Reporting' then you are ready to run the file again and selecting inital report and submit the efile to the IRS again. You should feel extremely confident that you will have no problems with the data file being accepted.
   • If 'Not Yet Processed' wait another business day and return to check the status again.
   • If 'Bad' then you have problems with your data file. Click on the filename and a list of the errors will be displayed for you to correct. You can contact us with your errors and we can assist in correction if you are unsure how to proceed.

6. When your test file status returns with 'Good' then you are ready to submit your real data file. Run your EASITax eFiler again and this time select 'Original File Indicator'.
7. Submit 'Original' file to IRS FIRE website.
8. Return in approximately 2 business days and verify original file is also statused 'Good'
9. Lean back in your chair, smile, and know that you are DONE!

SSA Requirements (Publication MMREF)

If you want (or are required) to electronically file your W-2's this year, you will need to do the following:

1. Submitters must obtain a Personal Identification Number (PIN) through our registration process.

• From the BSO Website, select Registration.
• A PIN will be issued immediately.
• Enter a unique password of your choosing. (Third-party preparers need only register once in their own firm's name).
  • You must have the EIN of the company you work for. If you are a third party submitter, you need the EIN of your own company, not the EIN of the company for which the wage report is being submitted. NOTE: If you are self-employed, you do NOT need to provide an EIN.
  • You must have your Social Security Number (SSN) and your name as shown on your Social Security Card.
  • You must have your date of birth, telephone number, mailing address, email address and/or fax number to call.
  • You also will need to have your Company name and Company phone number.
    • To be approved the SSA will match your name, date of birth, SSN and EIN against SSA records and verify that you work for the company that will submit the file. If the information is verified, we issue a PIN immediately.

2. Finally, your employer will be notified of your registration.
3. Purchase EASITax and EASI eFile or the EASITax bundle.
4. Import or enter your data.
5. Generate a W3 Transmittal and the eFile Submitter and Employer records making sure you save each one.
6. Create your electronic file (make sure that you name your file in a way that identifies it for you like CompanyNameYear) and validate it against the SSA AccuWage software which can be launched from within the EASITax software.
7. Make any corrections required from your AccuWage run through on your data file.
8. When complete run your efile software again to generate the data file.
9. Run the AccuWage software again to validate the data file.
10. When the testing comes back complete and verifies that no errors were located; exit AccuWage by pressing the 'Exit' key and you are back in EASITax.
11. Log on to the SSA website and submit your file to the BSO (Business Services Online). For assistance using BSO or for questions about BSO check the Business Services Online Handbook.
12. Lean back in your chair, smile, and know that you are DONE!

IMPORTANT / HELPFUL LINKS

1. IRS Submit Electronic File to FIRE
2. IRS File Information Returns Electronically (FIRE)
3. IRS Form 4419 - Application for Filing Information Returns Electronically
4. IRS Puclication 1220 - Specifications for Filing Electronically
5. IRS Publication 3609 - Filing Information Returns Electronically
6. IRS Taxpayer Identification Number
7. IRS Taxpayer Identification Number Matching
8. SSA BSO Website
9. SSA Employer W2 Reporting Instructions & Information
10. SSA File-Edit Tips for W-2
11. SSA Social Security Number Verification
12. SSA Business Services On Line Handbook
13. SSA Forms and Publications for eFile
14. SSA Employer Reconciliation Process
15. SSA How to contact
16. SSA Find A Local Office

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EASI eFile Quick Start User Guide

Welcome to EASITax with EFiler, we are so glad that you have decided to purchase our product. This part of the online documentation will provide a get started guide to EASI eFile software. Once you have installed the software or entered the password unlocking eFile, for those already using EASITax, you will want to follow these guiding principles.
(NOTE: This user guide was written with the understanding that the software is a first time installation and EASITax data is not currently present in the application).

Step 1: Enter or Import your records into the EASITax portion of the install. Ensure your data for the recipients is complete and accurate. Make sure any forms that are altered get saved over the existing record and then generate the Transmittal adding any missing data to the form before saving the record.

Step 2: Once complete, you are ready to create your eFile data records for transmitting/submitting the data electronically. These additional 2 records are used to build the first and last parts of your electronic file. Click open and select the appropriate forms.

Step 3: From the drop down windows in the top section of each form, select the name of the Payer / Employer from the drop down window. This will tell the software which company you are working with. From this selection the form will populate certain information from the W3/1096 form you have saved for the company. Fill in the missing information, save the form, and select the open button to fill in the second form from the set. The second form works the same way; select the company from the drop down box, fill in the missing information, and save the form.

Step 4: Generate your efile selecting the name by which to save the data. The program will run through the build process and specify any problems it locates in your data file generation. There may be things you need to do that will require you to exit efile, make corrections, regenerate your W3/1096 (if individuals records require modification), or other changes before you can run EASI eFiler again. (NOTE: For W2/W3 AccuWage is incorporated to validate your data prior to submittal but for the 1099/1096 forms we recommend that you generate a test file first and submit it to the IRS for validation.)

Step 5: Upload your data file to the IRS or SSA respectively. Once your efile is accepted you will be responsible for checking back in a few days to ensure the data file was found ok. If so, you are done!

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What is a Transmitter Control Code (TCC) and where do I get one?

The Transmitter Control Code (TCC) is assigned by the IRS and consists of 5 characters. This code is assigned by the IRS once form 4419 has been approved. This code comes to you in the approval letter from the IRS. It is used to identify payers/transmitters and to track their files through processing. If you file for multiple payers simply submit for 4419 once and use the same TCC for all files you generate. You can not use more than one TCC in a file. Each TCC must be reported in seperate transmissions; meaning do not select multi-payer when generating your electronic file. This information is provided to you based upon the information availabe in IRS publication 1220.

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What is Payer Name Control and where do I get it?

The Payer Name Control signifies a business entity and is received on the mail label package mailed to most payers each December. Package 1099 contains form 7018-C, Order Blank for Forms, and the mail label on the package contains a four character name control. If you do not recieve or have not recieved Package 1099, you can determine your name control by using the following simple rules:

For a business, use the first four significant characters of the business name. Disregard the word 'the' when it is the first word of the name unless there are only two words in the name. A dask (-) and an ampersand (&) are the only acceptable special characters. Names of less than four (4) characters should be left justified, filling the unused portion with blanks. Examples:

Company: AT&T Payer Name Control: AT&T
Company: EASI Payer Name Control: EASI
Company: McDonalds Payer Name Control: MCDO
Company: @ Last Payer Name Control: LAST (The @ Symbol is not allowed)

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Error says there is no Transmittal but I saved my 1096

This message is actually referring to the 1099 Transmitter Record that you need to create and save. The 1099 Transmitter is created partly from your saved 1096 Transmittal form and partly from information you supply. Choose to get out of EASI eFiler and then select 'Open' from the outlook bar.

This form needs to be filled in and saved to ensure that you no longer have a problem with this error message. Now you can generate your efile again.

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Who is Required to eFile?

According to the IRS and SSA the following information should be used to determine if you must eFile your data. As always the true source of tax and tax reporting is the IRS and SSA.

IRS

IRS publication 1220 states: "The regulations under section 6011(e)(2)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code provide that any person, including a corporation, parnership, individual, estate, and trust, who is required to file 250 or more information returns must file such returns electronically/magnetically. The 250* or more requirement applies separately for each type of return and separately to each type of corrected return. *Even though filers may submit up to 249 information returns on paper, IRS encourages filers to transmit those information returns electronically...

SSA

According to the SSA 07EFW2 specification (formerly mmref): Employers with 250 or more W-2 Copy A forms to submit must use the 07EFW2 instructions. Should an employer with 250 or more forms submit paper copy A forms, a penalty may be applied by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If a hardship exists an employer may file IRS Form 8508 to request a waiver; however, this must be done 45 days before the due date of the report. Additionally, beginning last year, the SSA no longer accepts Magnetic Media filing and ONLY accepts electronic filing or electronic data transfer (EDT).

 

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Does EASITax Support Magnetic Media?

No, EASITax does not support Magnetic Media filing. EASITax produces electronic files compliant with the SSA and IRS electronic filing specifications outlined in Publications 1220 and 07EFW2 (formerly known as mmref).

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Can I validate my data file before I submit it?

EASITax provides several different methods for validating data. The information below will outline various ways for validating data using the EASITax software application.

1. Validate data prior to importing into EASITax and ensure things like:

• Social Security numbers are accurate
• All users are listed only one time per form type
• Payer/Employer data is populated on every record
• Dollar amounts are accurate and include data for all different types with amounts in appropriate columns
• etc.

2. Validate data in the Spreadsheet view. Using the tools in the Spreadsheet view, users can validate records in quantities equal to the size of the screen. The Spreadsheet view operates similar to an excel spreadsheet enabling users to format their view for easier navigation. See below:

3. EASITax with EFiler will validate your data as it builds your records ensuring that your data has the requisite information to complete your data file build. Things like the length of your data elements, all records contain social security numbers, etc. This validation is more for the format of your data than accuracy of your data elements. See below for an example:

4. EASITax with EFiler has integrated AccuWage for W2 data file validation. The SSA provides AccuWage to everyone for the purpose of validating the data structure prior to being submitted for filing. In addition to format validation, it also advises of problems with the data elements. When you complete the build of your data file, the program will advise that the next step is the installation and use of AccWage. This installation will place the SSA AccuWage program on your machine which EASITax with EFiler will then call upon to validate your data file. Problems located in your data file from AccuWage will be displayed for correction. Should you encounter multiple errors, we recommend that you view the report in HTML format as it is easier to read.
   
5. EASITax with EFiler allows for the creation of test files for the IRS 1099 forms. These test files are accepted between November 1, 2008 through Febraury 15, 2009. To create a test file, simply mark the 1099 Transmitter Record in EASITax with EFiler with a 'T'. Submit to the IRS at the fire website.

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Where do I submit My File?

W2 files should be submitted to: http://www.ssa.gov/bso

1099 files should be submitted to: http://fire.irs.gov

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I want to EFile, what should I buy?

If you want to electronically file this year, below is a table showing what you need to buy depending upon what you already have.

HELP CATEGORIES

Helpful Links

EASITax Downloads and Help Documents
IRS / SSA Information
Electronic Filing

EASITax Downloads and Help Documentation