Fred W

It appears that after logging into the Auto-fill service with proper credentials, the Autofill data is not coming into the VT program, but instead the CRA window keeps spinning with no results.

The following was collected from VT users who experiment with connection issues and shared their experience with us or via the VT Forum.

Here is an interesting solution that a user offered. This solution seems to bypass the impact of firewalls.

Connect to CRA 'Represent a client' service, then Click the VT Auto-fill item and it connects and brings the Auto-fill data without a problem.

Here is what this user wrote:

Stumbled on a way to make auto fill work for me. It is a variation on one suggested by someone else earlier.

For info, we use Firefox and ESet. Did not have to do anything with these in my auto fill process.

First step was to sign on as a rep on the CRA site. Once I got to the point where I would normally enter a SIN, I minimized the screen.
Then I opened Visual Tax and opened a client's file. With the cursor anywhere on the Info page, I right clicked; this gave me the Auto Fill options (same ones you see when you click on Auto Fill in the Toolbar); I clicked Login to CRA; I followed the usual steps - clicked the box to Connect to CRA; then clicked the Send SIN box; after a bit I got the CRA screen that showed the client's SIN; clicked Next and waited; eventually the Visual Tax screen reappeared with the box saying the data had been received. Then went to the Auto Fill heading in the Toolbar and proceeded as usual.
Couple of things - First, when I clicked on Autofill to move the data from CRA to Visual TAx, the data moved but did not show up on the right hand side of the screen; could only see slips' contents by clicking an item from the list on the left hand side.

Second, I did quite a few clients this way without logging out of CRA; system seemed to retain the fact I was logged in.

Not sure if this will help anyone else but it worked for me.

Other methods/solutions

Each windows version may have a slightly different procedure to establish the Firewall rules.

1. Primarily for Windows 10. Find the blockers, one is in Microsoft Edge Content Process, another is in Browser Broker. Then add VT-2016.exe in the appropriate Exemptions.

2. Turn off Windows Defender and any other Firewall

3. Use Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge as your default Browser

4. If you logged in to Auto-fill and it is spinning without bringing any dada do the following:
- While the wheel is spinning, repeat the login process
- click the Menu item Auto-fill
- then continue with the Login to CRA for the same SIN.

You may receive the data right away after that. Then repeat the same for a second SIN which goes smoother the second time.

5. Go to control panel: Click on Windows Firewall or Enter Windows Firewall on the Start search. On top left click – allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall.
If you have another Firewall (I have AVAST) Open Firewall Click on Tools Click on Firewall Click on Application Rules Add a New GROUP Add New application rule Click on Visual Tax Program

EXPERIENCES FROM OTHER USERS

Go to control panel:
Click on Windows Firewall
On top left click – allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall

If you have another Firewall (I have AVAST)
Open Firewall
Click on Tools
Click on Firewall
Click on Application Rules
Add a New GROUP
Add New application rule
Click on Visual Tax Program

This worked for me and now can use CRA autofill

The above seems to be the proper way to deal with Firewalls

I always use Chrome as my default browser. I switched over to the old Internet Explorer ( I am on Windows 10 so I actually had to download Internet Explorer). I also disabled my firewalls (Windows Defender) for VT only.

I tried auto-fill using Internet Explorer and it totally worked! Huge sigh of relief!

Further thoughts......I used auto-fill last year with Chrome as my default browser and my firewalls enabled and had NO PROBLEM with autofill. I also contacted a colleague this morning who is on Windows 7 and they also could not get autofill to work, so it appears it is not a Windows 10 issue. They subsequently used IE as their browser, and disabled firewalls only for VT and now they are up and running with autofill.

So I will leave Internet Explorer as my default browser till the end of tax season, then switch it back to Chrome (my preferred choice).

Successful combination: Windows 10, Internet Explorer, Disabled Windows Defender

I turned off Windows Defender and the auto fill data came through.

Just FYI prior to this I changed my default browser from Microsoft Edge, to Internet Explorer 11 and then Firefox. This did not work. I then downloaded VT program and re installed. Still no go. It was at that point I turned off defender and it worked.

I downloaded the VT2016 from the Visual Tax website to a spare laptop that has never had any VT programs loaded on to it. The lap top runs " Windows 8" and I could not believe it but the Auto Fill has worked every time and perfectly!! I was even able to batch 7 and 8 SINs and no problem receiving data. I have let Con know that this did work for me today. I am still experiencing all the problems with Auto Fill on my computer running Windows 10. (if that is the problem... I don't know)

I just solved my problem this afternoon after going to my
computer guy. This is what finally fixed it:

- Turned off Windows Firewall.
- got rid of a couple other programs (Spybot and Spyware). This still did not completely fix the problem.
- Changed my default browser to the old Internet Explorer. Then it worked! (tried Chrome and Edge and did not work).
- So each time I autofill I will turn off Windows firewall and use the default browser Internet Explorer. I hope this helps.

- Note - I am using Windows 10.
(Note - I have Avast and Malware still running)

I was finally able to get things working yesterday after changing my default browser from Chrome to Edge.

Still didn't work initially, but after a clean boot, it was fine.

Let's hope that's still the case today.