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Prepare forms 940, 941, 943, 944, and 945
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This article applies to:

  • Product: Accounting CS
  • Subject: e-file,Payroll tax forms

E-file Forms 940, 941/944, 943, 945

You'll need to be a reporting agent to e-file 94x forms: Forms 940, 941/944, 943, and 945. It enables your firm to file multiple returns using a single PIN (5 digits).
Visit the IRS page for Become an authorized e-file provider to learn how to apply for an IRS e-Services account and begin the e-file application. Review the IRS publication Third party arrangements for information on the implications of operating as a reporting agent.
Reporting agent registration may take up to 2 months to process, so we recommend registering as a reporting agent as soon as possible to avoid delays. 
Form 8655 is available in Accounting CS. You'll need to file a Form 8655 for each client for whom you'll be acting as a reporting agent.
You'll also need to file a Form 8822-B for a client if there are address or responsible party information changes.
note
You have the ability to electronically file the Form 941-X starting with the 1st quarter of 2024 and Forms 943-X, 945-X, and an amended 940 starting with tax year 2023.  Any tax periods prior to these periods will still need to be filed using the Paper filing method.  Form 944-X can't be filed electronically and must also be filed using the Paper filing method.
Your firm needs a valid credit card on file to submit electronic files, unless your firm purchased an unlimited license. To add or update your credit card information, visit My Account page. If you're a software as a service firm, contact CS Customer Service at 800.968.0600 for further assistance.
We charge a per-return transmission cost for electronically filing federal 94x forms. Enrollment files don't accrue a fee. There is no extra transmission cost for electronically filing state forms.
For many firms, it may be more cost efficient to purchase an unlimited e-filing license. For pricing information on the unlimited e-filing license, contact your Sales Representative.

Before you begin

You'll need to take these one-time steps before e-filing.
  1. After you've registered with the IRS as an e-file provider and received an Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN), you'll need to submit the e-file application summary to us.
  2. Select
    Setup
    ,
    Firm Information
    ,
    Firm
    , then select the
    Main
     tab.
  3. Enter the firm's EIN/SSN number in the EIN/SSN field in the Identification section.
  4. Select
    Setup
    ,
    Firm Information
    ,
    Staff
    , then select the
    Main
     tab.
  5. Enter the ID, SSN, and First and Last name for at least 1 staff member in the Identification section.
  6. Select the
    Payroll form preparer
     checkbox for the staff member and enter their
    PTIN
    .
    note
    This enables you to select this staff member as the preparer at the client level.
  7. Go to
    Actions
    ,
    Process Electronic Forms
     screen, then the
    Transmission Information
     window.
  8. Select the staff member from the dropdown list in the
    File contact
     field.
  9. Enter the
    Firm Name Control
    .
    note
    If you leave this field blank, you'll get a critical diagnostic message and you won't be able to process the form.
  10. Enter your firm's EFIN number and your Reporting agent PIN, if you've already registered as a reporting agent with the IRS. Then, verify the PIN.
  11. Select
    OK
    .

Filing procedure

  1. Select
    Setup
    , then
    Clients
    .
  2. Select the client, then select
    Edit
    .
  3. Select the
    Payroll Taxes
     tab, then select
    Additional Information
     for Federal 94X in the Forms section.
  4. Enter the Business name control in the
    Federal 94X Additional Information
     window.
    note
    Your file can be rejected if you use an incorrect name control. To help determine the correct business name control, review this IRS article.
  5. Mark the
    Reporting agent
     checkbox in the Electronic Filing section.
  6. Select
    OK
     to save the information, then return to the
    Payroll Taxes
     tab.
  7. Select
    Final Statement
     to enter information about the type of final return, if this is a final return for this client.
  8. Select the proper taxpayer and preparer for the client in the Signature Area section.
    note
    • If the
      Preparers
       dropdown is blank, refer to step 6 in the preceding "Before you begin" section of this article.
    • If the
      Taxpayers
       dropdown is blank, go to
      Setup
      Clients
      Main tab
      Additional Contacts
      . Select the ellipsis then make sure the taxpayer name is entered in the
      Additional Contacts
       field and it has the
      Payroll Form Signer
       checkbox marked as well. Adding phone numbers and emails here will also eliminate e-critical errors when processing.
  9. Select
    OK
     to save the information, then return to the
    Payroll Taxes
     tab.
  10. Select
    Electronic
     or
    Electronic with payment
     as the filing method for each form you want to file electronically in the Federal 94X grid of the Forms section.
    note
    If you select the Electronic with payment method, go to
    Setup
    ,
    Vendors
    , then the
    Main
     tab to verify the correct bank account is selected for each 94X vendor.
  11. Select
    Actions
    , then
    Process Payroll Tax Forms
    .
  12. Filter the tax reconciliation forms, select the checkboxes for the forms you want to print, then select
    Process Selected
    .
  13. Make your selections in the
    Print
     window.
    • If you don't want to print client paper copies, select only the
      Filing copy
       checkbox, then select
      OK
      .
    • You need to select the
      Filing copy
       checkbox to queue forms to the
      Actions
      ,
      Process Electronic Forms
       screen.
    note
    The
    ELF Data Errors
     window displays any errors the application finds in the data when you try to queue a file for transmission. These errors could include missing information, incomplete fields, or liability and net tax amounts that don't match.
  14. Select
    Actions
    , then select
    Process Electronic Forms
    .
  15. Select the checkboxes for the clients and forms you want to process, then select
    Transmit Forms
     to send the files.
note
  • Once the 94x electronic filing information has been transmitted, it can't be stopped. To delete the electronic filing information before the transmission (if you discover an error, for example) in the
    Process Electronic Forms
     screen, select the proper files and select
    Remove Selected
    .
  • If the pay period of a form is a future date, and if the agency will reject a submission for that form until the period has ended, Accounting CS won’t try to transmit the file, and will display the following message: 
    Unable to transmit file due to the following errors: Filing period is in the future.
    In this case, you'll need to select
    Transmit
      again for that file after that date has passed.
  • You need to use the paper filing method for the Form 941-x Adjusted Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return or Claim for Refund even if you have previously transmitted Form 941 electronically.

View and print acknowledgments

Accounting CS receives acknowledgments automatically and displays them when they become available, so you don't need to manually retrieve acknowledgments.
  1. Select
    Actions
    , then
    Process Electronic Forms
    .
  2. Select
    Manage Forms
     to check the status of each file.
    note
    You can delete files with a
    Sent to data center
     status if you need to preprocess them.
  3. Select the ellipsis to review the history of the status or the rejection code.
  4. Select
    Print
     if you want to print the information.

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