The Office to Office Transfer tool in TaxSlayer Pro gives you the ability to securely transfer encrypted returns over the internet from one office to another. This method of transferring returns obviates the need to use removable media such as a thumb drive and is useful for several common scenarios:
- A company with more than one office preparing returns but only one EFIN and thus one office transmitting returns;
- An office that has multiple preparers but doesn't have a network established within their office;
- A preparer who prepares returns remotely at home or on the road.
Returns that are sent are generally available to be retrieved within seconds, but occasionally they may delayed for a few minutes.
Note: Sending and retrieving should only be done on the computer designated as the File Server in each location. This means that the Network Configuration setting "Are You Using a Network" is either set to NO or, if set to YES, the setting "File Server" is also set to YES.
Sending returns
To send one or more tax returns from one office to another office, from the Quick Menu of TaxSlayer Pro on the File Server select:
- E-File
- E-File Utilities
- Office to Office Transfer
- Send Returns to Another Office
- Select each return that needs to be sent to the other office. (Note: if a return has been marked private, you will also need to enter the return's password.)
- After choosing the returns to send, select OK. You will be prompted to enter a password used to secure the transmission to the other office. This is a one-time password created for this transmission.
- When the transmission is complete, you will see the message "Returns successfully uploaded to TaxSlayer Pro", indicating that the transmission was successful. Select OK.
- Communicate the password you created to the other office.
Note: Our tech support team recommends sending batches of no more than 50 returns at a time. The Office to Office tool is meant to transfer the equivalent of a day's worth of returns in a batch. For transfers of 50 or more returns, be sure to send in smaller batches.
Retrieving returns
To retrieve the tax returns(s) sent from another office, from the Quick Menu of TaxSlayer Pro on the File Server select:
- E-File
- E-File Utilities
- Office to Office Transfer
- Retrieve Returns from Another Office
- Enter the EFIN of the sending office and the transmission file's password.
- A window will appear listing the returns that were sent. Ensure each return to be retrieved has been selected, then select OK. (After the 2018 program year they should be automatically selected.)
- You will see the message, "Returns successfully recalled". Select OK.
The recalled return(s) will show in the Client List. However, if after entering the sending office EFIN and password no returns are shown to be retrieved, see the Troubleshooting section below.
Troubleshooting
There are several possible reasons why returns don't show up at the office attempting to retrieve them:
- Retriever mis-keyed the sender's Transmitting EFIN.
- Retriever misspelled the password.
- In the Sender's Configuration, the Transmitter's EFIN is different than what the Retriever is expecting.
- The Sender and Retriever are not in the same program year.
- The Retriever is not on the file server.
- There is a temporary delay in the return being available to the Retriever.
- The return was successfully retrieved but the retrieving preparer's security role prevents them from seeing the return (see below).
- The Retriever received a list of the returns to be retrieved but did any of the following:
- Did not select Ok but closed the window by either clicking the X at the top right or pressing the Esc key on the keyboard.
- 2019 and forward: deselected the returns in the list before selecting Ok.
- 2018 and prior: did not select the returns in the list before selecting Ok
If any of the above three things happened, the Sender will need to resend the returns.
Not seeing a return that was retrieved
Is a preparer not finding in the client list a return that was retrieved? If their security role is Return Preparer, they are only able to view returns they created, so if the preparer code in the return retrieved doesn't match theirs they won't be able to open it.
Preparer information considerations
Ideally, both the sending and retrieving offices have identical preparer information in their Preparer Setup menus for the return preparer, including the preparer code, so the return can transition seamlessly from one PC to another. If the preparer code used in the return by the Sender isn't also used in the Retriever's PC, when the return is opened by the Retriever the program will complain about this. To ensure seamless continuity, the Retriever's Preparer Setup should include the same preparer information as the Sender is using.
PDFs and other return documents
A PDF document attached to the federal return or a state return will remain with the return when sent using office to office transfer.
If you're a Premium subscriber, images and PDF documents saved in Paper Cut are not sent with the return when using Office to Office Transfer.
Additional Information: