T2 FAQ & Troubleshooting Tips


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Support

FOR REMOTE TECHNICAL SUPPORT with TeamViewer

We can connect to your machine and help you with your questions or problems or demonstrate a program feature. To do that, you need to install in your machine a small program called Teamviewer which is free for occasional users.

If you already have TeamViewer instaled in your machine, Email us its ID, its Password, your phone and we will contact you before we connect. 

Copy this link to the URL box of your Browser https://www.teamviewer.com in order to download and install the Free copy of TeamViewer that will allow us to logon to your machine and see the same windows you see.

During Installation of the TeamViewer program it asks you some questions:

Select as shown below:

  • for 'How do you want to proceed': Use 'Basic installation' and
  • for 'How do you want to use TeamViewer?' Use: 'Personal / Non-Commercial use'

Then Email us at support@visualtax.com the following:

  • Teamviewer ID  And Password as shown on its first window when you run it. They are both shown below 'Allow Remote Control.'
  • Your Telephone number
  • A one to two lines description of the issue you need help with
  • The time we can phone you and logon to your machine to see the issues and help you.

The Teamviewer password changes/expires if you Close/Exit the TeamViewer program. This ensures that we cannot logon to your machine again, unless you give us the new Password.

Leave the TeamViewer running until we connect.  You can minimize the TeamViewer if you want.

We will phone you before connecting to your machine, approximately the time you are available, and help you if we can. We can tell you what to click or do and we watch, or we click and you watch.



Efile

Unlock the return: Click File -> Unlock the return, so you will be able to modify it.

T183CP form: Right Click on the form and select Clear Current Form. Ensure you delete the Confirmation number.

Enter Y in the Amend indicator on Page 1 of the T2 jacket (Processing Options on the upper left-hand corner).

Describe the reason in the AMEND form and modify the return.

Save the return: In the Save As window set the status to 'Ready for Efile'.

Efile the return again.


E-filing prior years: The oldest T1 you can Efile with the latest CRA web service technology is normally the current year, plus the 3 prior years. i.e. in tax year 2019 the oldest year you can Efile will be 2016 and later tax years.
The oldest T2 return you can Efile with the latest CRA web services technology must start in Jan 1, 2011 or later, and you MUST use a T2 tax program of T2-2013 or later. For T2 programs older than 2013: Start the Efile process which creates the COR file. Then use the url below to transmit the COR file to CRA: https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/tgif/t2if/prot/displayFileReturn.action
Note: Efiling by transmitting a COR file, is an obsolete CRA method that does not meet the high security standards as the current CRA Web Services.


Vista and XP machines are not any longer suitable for Efiling due to changes in the security protocols.

Otherwise check the folllowing, one by one:
a. Ensure your Efiler Number and Password are correct b. Your Firewall may be blocking your connection (Either 'disable' the firewall or configure it to allow the VT program to connect). c. It would be better to set Internet Explorer as your 'Default' browser.

Failing the above:
d. Restore Internet Explorer Options e. It could be that a MS Windows Update or Firewall has changed your Internet security parameters that must be in effect now, as described on the Internet Security instructions below issued by CRA: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ntcs/ntrnt_scrty-eng.html#h5


The latest version of Internet Explorer (IE 10 or some combination of your Windows version and your Internet Explorer) in your machine appears to cause this problem with Efiling and it generates the 'Floating point division by zero' error. The return however may have been successfully Efiled despite the error. Check with CRA.

You must get the latest update for either T2-2012 or T2-2013 (see Downloads page of our website).

This problem has been addressed retro-actively for T2-2012 and T2-2013 programs via their updates, but not for T2 tax programs prior to 2012. So, where feasible, use the T2-2012 or T2-2013 programs to Open, Calculate and Efile the return, provided these programs support the fiscal periods of your return. Otherwise you may need to use an older windows machine.

Fiscal periods supported by the T2 programs:
T2-2013: Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2013
T2-2012: Jan 1, 2010 to Dec 31, 2012

The following programs and prior years may give you 'Floating' error in some machines, so either use the above programs, where feasible, or paper file the return.

T2-2011: Jan 1, 2009 to Dec 31, 2011
T2-2010: Jan 1, 2008 to Dec 31, 2010
T2-2009: Jan 1, 2007 to Dec 31, 2009



Miscellaneous

CRA requires the Opening Balance sheet on newly incorporated companies. In this case, you need to complete the Opening Balance sheet in addition to the Closing Balance Sheet (See option in the GIFI Balance Sheet, left-upper-hand corner). Normally there are no 'operational' transactions of Revenue or Expenses in the opening balance sheet.

As a minimum, in the Opening Balance Sheet you can enter the value of the Common Shares and the same amount in Cash or Cash In Banks.


I have in progress a few 2002 year ends rolled over from Profile 2001 T2. They reside in a data directory C:\data\T2-2003 .. I have also entered a lot of information, mostly the GIFI. It will be a pain to recreate it in T2-2004 .. but, I can.

Is there a way to roll it over from partially completed T2-2003 program to T2-2004 program? If I try to go in T2-2004 and rollover the dec/31/2002 T2 partially prepared in T2-2003, it rolls over the year end to dec/31/2003.

Use the 'Open' return function and change the data directory in the 'Client Book' screen to be the 2001 or any other VT data directory. When you 'Save as' either put it back where it came from or you can change it to your most recent data directory (in effect copying the return to your most recent directory).

For a Tax Return in the VisalTax format you can use either 'Open'or 'Rollover'.

The Open function reads the return, regardless of year end. If the data is too old in format, the program will give warnings that it cannot read the data properly and prompt you to inspect certain forms. By default when it saves the data it will save it back to the data directory where it came from, This can be changed during 'Save as' to a directory you like such as C:\T2-2003. In the latter case this amounts to Copying a tax return from one data directory to the other.

The Rollover function is like the Open but it only keeps the carry forward amounts and increases the fiscal periods by one. In the 'Save as..' screen the default is the Current directory, not the original directory where it came from. But it can be changed.

Always keep in mind that directory names are meaningless as you can have multiple years in the same data directory. i.e. 2002, 2003 and 2004 year ends can all be in the same data directory (data base) for the same corporation.


Vista machines: Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Regional and Language -> Customize this format -> Date and enter MM/dd/yyyy on the short date format and click Apply

Win 7 machines: (as in Vista) or On the Search box enter Short Date Format and once the window comes up, enter MM/dd/yyyy on the short date format and click Apply

XP machines: Click Start -> Control Panel -> Regional and Language -> Customize -> Date and enter MM/dd/yyyy on the short date format and click Apply


Run the program and enter the name of the combined folder via Configure -> General Options -> Data directories.

Use the Windows File Explorer and Copy ALL files from the various VT Data folders into the combined folder. Ensure these files represent the latest versions you have.

Run the program and Click Utilities -> Rebuild the Client Data Base.


Step 1. Copy the tax return (It is a file by SIN No for T1's or Account no for T2's) from the lap top data directory into the data directory of the main machine.

Step 2. If the tax return already existed on the main machine then this step is not required. You just use the 'open' command and the up-to-date file shows on the Client book.

If the tax return is a brand new one prepared on the other machine the return will not show on the Client book. In this case, use the 'File | Open File Name' and find the file of the new return (Sin or Account). Double click on it and that opens up the tax return. Once you save the return it will start appearing on the Client Book.


Close all returns. Then under file click on "Carry forward a return to the following year". The program presents returns for both years.


Return and Schedule Information. It has replaced the pre-GIFI keypunch summary. It must be printed and submitted to CCRA with every return. Submission of the normal facsimile forms is optional.


There is no CRA form as such. The GIFI info is submitted as part of the RSI.

The report provided by the program during GIFI preparation is for your own use only.


a. Add a new keyword

Click on Configure | Data Dictionary Then click on the + button (to add a new keyword). Then enter the following on the empty line created:

(Field) Name --> ^Client_SignFirstNm
FormNm --> PAGE_8
Elm --> 43

Then click on the Save button

b. Change the client letter

Click on Configure | Client letter design. Double click on the Cover1 letter. Change the Attention line to read as follows: Attention: ^Client_SignFirstNm ^Client_SignOfficer

Save the letter (you may want to validate it and preview it also)