In TaxSlayer Pro, after starting a new return and entering the taxpayer's personal information, dependent information, and answering a few questions, eventually you will find yourself at the 1040 interactive window. The main parts are numbered in the image below:
Click the line number in the menu below to learn more about each part.
1 Top Menu and Toolbar
You can click the icons at the top of the window for quick access to many helpful program resources. See here for more information on each icon.
2 Return Menu
These menus take you to the different sections of the return you are working on. At the bottom is the Exit button used to exit the return.
3 Form Finder
Use the Form Finder to search for a federal form, schedule, or worksheet. You can filter the list by typing the form or schedule number or any part of the name, or you can scroll down through the list to find what you want.
4 1040 Resizer
Use this control to size the return to best fit your display. It has three controls:
- Slider bar - Click and move it up or down to dynamically resize the window.
- Res - Click this button to reset the window to a comfortable size that's suitable for most displays.
- Fit - Click this button to size the return to its widest within the space.
5 Return Info and Statistics
This section provides an overview of a few bits of info about the taxpayer and the return. If you're billing by the hour, the total time in the return is provided. The effective tax rate is also shown - see here for more info about this number.
6 1040 Interactive Screen
The middle of the window includes a rendition of Form 1040 along with Schedules 1, 2, and 3. (Use the scrollbar on the right side to scroll down through the forms.) This display updates as you make entries in the return, and most form lines that also have a menu line can be clicked to go straight to the section of the return that informs that line.
7 Diagnostics Section
This section will be colored yellow and labeled "Diagnostic Warnings" when the program is highlighting things to be concerned about, i.e., messages to help you not to forget something important or to be sure you did something correctly.
This section will be colored red and labeled "Diagnostic Errors" when the program is highlighting a condition that makes the return unable to be electronically filed. Generally this is due to certain essential information being missing or incomplete, and if the return was e-filed it would reject for this reason.
This section won't display if there are no warnings or errors detected.
8 Federal and State Status
Several numbers display here:
- Federal AGI
- Federal Refund or Balance Due
- State(s) Refund or Balance Due
9 Forms Completed
This section displays a list of federal source documents entered along with federal forms and schedules that have been started. Also displayed here are the state returns that are included, so it's another and quicker way to get to a state return rather than by going through the States menu.
Additional Information:
Downloading and Installing State Software Programs