Bulletin - Jan 31, 2009

 

As the new season starts we would like to bring you up to date with this first Bulletin and answer a few frequently asked questions at this time.

A. From T1Draft08 to Production T1-2008 version

The T1-2008 production program was posted on our web site on Jan. 31, 2009 under the name T1Full08.exe

The production program is the fully CRA approved version and includes Paper filing, Efile Online and Efile On-line Plus.

The T1Draft08 program that was issued Dec 16, 2008 will expire Feb 10, 2009 so it needs to be replaced with a new download from our web site.

The production program is not an update to the T1Draft08 but a full replacement of it, so you need to go to our web site and Download it or just click here to get to the Downloads page: http://www.visualtax.com/download.asp

The draft program was installed by default in C:\T1Draft08 folder and any returns you have prepared were saved in C:\T1Draft08\data

The production T1-2008 program will install by default in C:\T1-2008 folder and the default data folder would be C:\T1-2008\data so there is no conflict between them. The first time you run the program it will ask you for an Authorization key. The key remains the same with the one Emailed to you.

We would like everybody to start off the season with the same program version. This provides a better version control and allows any subsequent update to be very small for download as it will cover only very small changes expected after the Jan 31 version is issued.

With high speed internet, the full version download takes about 30 - 40 seconds and any update about 15 seconds.

B. Saving the work done with the T1Draft08 program

If you did not use the T1draft program in any useful way, just use the Windows Explorer and delete the folder C:\T1draft08 and install normally the production program.

If you did, then follow the procedure below to save some time:

1. Save the Configuration data you entered: Run the T1draft program and click Configure -> Export Configuration. This must be done BEFORE you download/install the production version.

2. Install the production T1-2008 version. This will replace the icon to point to the new program

3. Run the new program

3a. Click Configure -> Import Configuration and select Import From 'Last backup'. In what to Import check only items 1, 5, 6 and 7 and then click the OK button and exit

3b Click Configure -> General Options - Data Directories and enter the Current and Default data directories. Enter C:\T1-2008\data (or any other) and Save and Exit

The following step is not needed if you are running the T1 Limited or you defined the data directory to be outside the T1draft08 program folder

3c Click Configure -> Copy returns by clicking 'Copy returns from T1Draft08'

Once the data is in the production data directory, you can delete the folder C:\T1Draft08

We have listed below a few 'How to' items that may be of interest and provided answers to some frequently asked questions. You could find more items in the FAQ section of our web site: http://www.visualtax.com/t1faq.asp

C. Rollover from the previous year

The program includes rollover from the previous year, one by one or All in one pass.

Before you do the rollover:

- You must tell the program from what program you are rolling over from (VisualTax, Profile, CanTax) and also enter Last Year's data directory.

Click Configure -> General Options - Data Directories.

In the 2007 section of the Data Directories:

Program used last year: select the program you used last year.

Program Directory last year: Enter C:\T1-2007

Data Directory last year: Enter C:\T1-2007\data (if you had the limited version enter C:\vtData07)

- You should set up the Efile parameters before you do a rollover from last year. (Click the top menu item EfileOnline -> 'Setup EOL' and also 'Setup EOL Plus and SEND').

D. How to find out if your program is up-to-date

Run the T1 program. Click Help on the top menu and then click the last item 'About'.

The line 'Your Current update is: yyyy/mm/dd' indicates what your last update is.

E. How to download the last update posted

You can use one of the following methods:

METHOD 1. While running the T1 program click on Help of the top menu and then Click Check Update via Web. This downloads and installs the update and restarts the program. In some Windows versions you may get an error message 'Cannot create output file'. This means that the update cannot be installed poperly since the T1 program is still open. It could be that your Firewall blocks the update of the program. In this case you must use Method 2 to do a download/install. Please let us know what Windows version you are running if that error pops up in your machine.

METHOD 2. CLOSE (Exit) the T1 program and click here to connect to our web site http://www.visualtax.com/download.asp

and locate the T1-2008 section. Click on the last Update file (i.e. T1UpdM23.exe) and select Open or Run

There is no harm in downloading/installing the same update

Read the 'What's New' any time you install an update.

Click the top menu 'Help' item and then select What's New.

F. EFILE related

F1. How to find EFile Error Codes in the Program. Click EfileOnline on the top menu and then click "list of efile errors". If you click "All (Master List" all the error codes will be shown on the left side panel. Some 6 character error codes begin with the letter "Y" on the Master List.

F2. Efile Error Codes - 6 characters long such as 188518. These errors refer to the line numbers of a self-employment statement or rental statement. The last 4 digits (in the above case 8518) is the line at fault. In general, all individual income and expense lines in Self Employment statements MUST be positive and not less than a $1. If you received multiple error codes like the above, usually by fixing the first one will take care of the rest.

Below are the only line numbers of self employment statements that can have negative value:

8519 Gross profit (loss) (T2125)
9369 Net income (loss) before adjustments (T776, T2121, T2125)
9369 Net income (loss) before adjustments (T776, T2121, T2125)9899 Net income (loss) before adjustments (T2042)
9944 Net income (loss) after adjustments (T1163, T1273)
9946 Net income (loss) for rental/self employment operations (T776, T1163, T2042, T2121, T2125, T1273)
9969 Net income (loss) before adjustments (T1163, T1273)

F3. Efile error: 'Invalid characters in the free format area': Usually it is the self-employment statement. In general, all individual income and expense lines on a self employment statement or rental MUST be positive and not less than a $1.

F4. Efile Overrides: If you need to override the value transmitted to Efile, you can use the Efile memo form (EFMEMO).

Suppose you want to override line 371 to send $1 to EFile: Bring up the EFMEMO form, and scroll it down until you locate the Overrides section. Enter 371 on the LineNo box and 1 on the Value for Efile box. If you need to remove line 371 from being transmitted to Efile, enter 371 on the LineNo box and nothing on the Value box

F5. How to track the progress of Efiling and tax preparation. Click on File, then click 'Open Selectively..' and select a filter

G. Program Overrides

In general, we only have specific and controlled overrides indicated by 'Override (Y/N)'. CRA is discouraging the use of blind overrides as they tend to break the balance between the various schedules and the jacket.

H. Back up the tax data

We encourage you to back up your tax data. See Utilities | Backup all tax data. Also copy the backed-up tax data folder to an external drive (CD or flash drive). It can save you a great deal of problems in the event the computer in not operable any longer.

I. How to copy files for home use (i.e. into your flash drive)

Method 1: Open up the Client Book (via the Open button), highlight the one you want to copy and click on the Button 'Copy/Move'. Then enter the desired destination folder such as E:\Data.

Method 2: Email a tax return to yourself. Open the Client Book (Via the Open Button), highlight a return and Click the EMail Button. Then at home, open the Email and save the attachments into your data directory (i.e. C:\T1-2008\Data). To open the new file, run the program and click File | Open by file name

Method 2 works well if you have the MS Outlook Express. If you have an Internet based Email program you can still do the Emailing: Open your Email program and use its 'attach' feature and select the file directly from your data directory where it is located by SIN number. Your data directory typically is C:\t1-2008\data or C:\VtData08 in the Limited version of the program.

J. How to copy all tax returns from one computer to another if you do not have a network.

1. Install the program on the second computer. Use Configure -> General Options -> Data directories and define a Current and Default Directory, typically C:\T1-2008\Data (or C:\VtData08 in the Limited T1 version).

2. Use the Windows explorer and Copy all files from the data directory of the first computer to the flash drive or CD. You should include all the tax returns listed by SIN and also the files Clients.DBF and Clients.MDX. Then Copy all these files from the flash drive or CD into the data directory C:\T1-2008\data (or in the T1 Limited version into C:\VtData08) of the second machine.

K. How to delete a shared slip or statement or any other 'shared' form between spouses

There are several forms shared between spouses. The program attaches them to both returns so you can use a split % without having to re-enter the info. This applies to several worksheets (UCCB, Fitness, Assets, Automobiles, Dependants, or even Business Statements that have a split % between the two spouses) .
To remove the data from such forms:
a. Stop the coupling (Click on the red 'Family on' button)
b. Right click on the form (any place in the blue area) and select 'clear current form'.
c. Press F8 to switch to the other spouse and Clear it from that spouse as well.
d. Re-couple (click the Family Coupling icon)

L. How to register in the User-to-user Forum

We encourage users of our software to register in the VisualTax Forum.

Unless you are already registered in the Forum, click the following link to access the Forum

http://www.visualtax.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi

and then click 'Please Register' at the top right hand corner. It allows you to participate and exchange knowledge with other VisualTax users in an anonymous way. Many users found the Forum a fast way to get answers to tax questions or program operation.