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Add Smart Links (document retrieval accounts)

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Smart Links with document retrieval accounts create a link between TaxCaddy and your financial institution, letting TaxCaddy retrieve documents (for example, W-2, 1098, 1099) directly from your financial institution the moment they're added (and will periodically check for updates depending on the time of year) to save you from uploading your documents yourself.
note
Don’t worry, we’ll only use this information to transfer your tax documents from your institution to your TaxCaddy account. View our Smart Links Security page for information on the privacy and safety of your documents.
TaxCaddy.com on PC, Mac, or tablet
Follow these steps to add a Smart Link to a document retrieval account using TaxCaddy.com on your PC, Mac, or tablet.
  1. Sign in to TaxCaddy.com.
  2. Select the
    User Menu
    , then select
    Smart Links
    .
    Select Smart Links from the user menu
  3. Select
    ADD SMART LINK
    .
    Select ADD SMART LINK
    If this is your first time adding a Smart Link, then the
    TRY SMART LINKS
     appear on the 1st panel under
    Quick access options
    Select TRY SMART LINKS
  4. In the
    Name Your Smart Link
     window, enter a name to differentiate this Smart Link from the others in your account.
    Enter a name for the Smart Link
  5. Once the Smart Links window appears, select one of the following institution types:
    • Payroll
      : W-2 form
    • Financial Institution
      : 1099-CONSOLIDATED, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, 1099-OID, 1098
    Smart Links window
  6. Select your employer if you previously selected a
    Payroll
    account, or select your institution if you previously selected
    Financial Institution
    .
    If you don’t see your institution listed, you can scroll to the bottom of the window to find the
    Search all
     feature to find your specific institution.
    Select an employer
    Some employers/institutions may require additional searching to find your specific account.
    Specify further if necessary
  7. Provide your sign-in credentials in the
    USER ID
     and
    PASSWORD
    fields.
    note
    You can select
    SHOW
    to make your password visible as you type.
    Provide the requested credentials
    Some employers/institutions may require additional searching (that is,
    Location
     or
    Store Number
    ) to find your specific account.
    Enter further credentials if requested
  8. If you are experiencing trouble logging into your account, you can select
    Trouble Logging In?
     and select from one of the following options:
    • I don't have credentials
    • I don't remember my credentials
    • I am not able to reset my credentials
    • My credentials are not working
    Trouble logging into your Smart Links institution
    If you've forgotten your password, select
    Forgot username/password
     to be redirected to your institution's login page.
    Select Trouble logging in?
  9. After you've provided your login credentials, select
    CONNECT
     to proceed.
    Select CONNECT
  10. Some institutions may require an additional multi-factor authentication code for further security. When prompted, provide the authentication code in the
    Passcode
     field, then select
    NEXT
    .
    Enter your passcode if requested
  11. Once the link has been established, the window will update to notify you of the successful link.
    note
    Connecting Smart Links with your financial institution may take 24 hours to process.
    Connected Smart Link
    You will also see a toast notification appear on your screen notifying you of the successful link.
    Notification that a Smart Link was added
    If you weren't able to establish a link, you will be redirected back to the login screen and you will see an error message will appear stating:
    You provided invalid credentials. Please try again.
    Invalid Smart Link credentials
  12. The newly added Smart Link will be listed under the
    Your Smart Links
     section of the
    Smart Links
     tab.
    note
    Upon connection, newly established Smart Links may take up to 2 days to appear in the
    Your Smart Links
     panel and fetch your documents.
    Successfully added Smart Link appearing in Your Smart Links section
  13. You can select
    ADD SMART LINK
     to add another Smart Link for a new institution.
    Select ADD SMART LINK to add a new Smart Link
  14. The Smart Link will appear on the screen while the connection is in progress.
    Smart Link status and corresponding action
  15. You will see a toast notification appear on the bottom if a Smart Link is broken or needs additional information. Select
    FIX SMART LINK
    to fix your Smart Links connection.
    Notification of a failed Smart Link
  16. Select the Smart Link that requires your attention.
    Connected Smart Links
  17. Enter the required information in their respective fields and select
    CONNECT
    . If your financial institution requires two-factor authentication, you may be prompted to provide additional information in order to validate your identity.
    Update Smart Link credentials
  18. Once your account credentials and other required information have been validated, TaxCaddy will import any tax-related documents from the account.
    note
    Linked accounts will stay linked each year, unless removed manually or disconnected due to an incorrect password.
    Edited Smart Link now connected
    note
    If your financial institution requires you to receive and verify a security code each time you sign in, then the Smart Link won’t be able to automatically check and retrieve documents.
If your Smart Link hasn't connected after 24 hours, then remove the Smart Link and try again. You may also sign in to your financial institution's main site to check if your account is locked or if Third-Party Access is restricted.
iOS mobile app
Follow these steps to add a Smart Link on your iPhone mobile phone app.
  1. Sign in to the TaxCaddy mobile app.
  2. On the
    Overview
     screen, select the
    Try Smart Links
     panel. You may need to swipe left or right to view different panels.
    Select Try Smart Links
  3. Select one of the following institution types:
    • Payroll
      : W-2 form
    • Financial Institution
      : 1099-CONSOLIDATED, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, 1099-OID, 1098
    Select your institution type
  4. Use the
    Search
     field to find your financial institution, or make a selection from the list.
    Select your payroll or financial institution
  5. Enter the
    EMPLOYEE ID
     and
    PASSWORD
     you use to log into the financial institution, then select
    CONNECT
    .
    Enter your credentials in the provided fields
  6. The Smart Links processing screen will appear. Establishing a connection may vary in duration.
    note
    Connecting Smart Links with your financial institution may take 24 hours to process.
    Your Smart Link is connecting
    note
    You may receive an authentication code if your financial institution requires additional verification. The authentication code must be verified in 10 minutes before it expires.
  7. Once your account credentials and other required information have been validated, the Smart Links processing screen will update.
    Connected Smart Link
    A financial institution can’t be added twice. If you share a bank account or have different accounts with the same financial institution, then you will only be able to add 1 account at a time.
    For example: If your Charles Schwab bank account is connected with Smart Link, then your spouse's Charles Schwab account can't be connected with Smart Links unless you remove your Smart Links connection with Charles Schwab.
  8. A
    Broken Link
     appears on the Smart Link panel to indicate that it needs your attention. Select the
    Smart Link
    .
    Broken Smart Link on the Overview screen
  9. The status of the account updates to
    Smart Link failed
     if additional information is needed. Select the
    Smart Link
     to address the issue.
    Failed Smart Link on the Smart Link screen
  10. Select
    FIX SMART LINK
     to fix the Smart Link.
    Select FIX SMART LINK
  11. You may be prompted to correct the information you provided or to provide additional information. Enter the required information, then select
    SUBMIT
    .
    Enter your credentials in the provided fields
  12. Once your account credentials and other required information have been validated, the status of the connected account updates to
    Account Linked
    . TaxCaddy will import any tax-related documents from the account once per day.
    note
    Linked accounts will stay linked each year, unless removed manually or disconnected due to an incorrect password.
    Fixed Smart Links
    note
    If your financial institution requires you to receive and verify a security code each time you sign in, then the Smart Link won’t be able to automatically check and retrieve documents every day.
Android mobile app
Follow these steps to add a Smart Link on your Android mobile phone app.
  1. Sign in to the TaxCaddy mobile app.
  2. On the
    Overview
     screen, select the
    Try Smart Links
     panel. You may need to swipe left or right to view different panels.
    Select Try Smart Links
  3. Enter a name for your Smart Link.
    Enter your Smart Link's name
  4. Select one of the following institution types:
    • Payroll
      : W-2 form
    • Financial Institution
      : 1099-CONSOLIDATED, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, 1099-OID, 1098
    Select and institution type
  5. Use the search field to find your financial institution, or make a selection from the list.
    Search for a Smart Link institution
  6. Enter the username and password you use to log into the financial institution, then select
    CONNECT
    . You may receive an authentication code if your financial institution requires additional verification. The authentication code must be verified in 10 minutes before it expires.
    note
    Connecting Smart Links with your financial institution may take 24 hours to process.
    Enter your institution credentials into the respective fields
  7. Once your account credentials and other required information have been validated, the Smart Links processing screen will update if the Smart Link connected successfully.
    Smart Link connection confirmation
    A financial institution can't be added twice. If you share a bank account or have different accounts with the same financial institution, then you will only be able to add 1 account at a time.
    For example: If your Charles Schwab bank account is connected with Smart Link, then your spouse's Charles Schwab account can't be connected with Smart Links unless you remove your Smart Links connection with Charles Schwab.
  8. A
    Broken Link
     appears on the Smart Link panel to indicate that it needs your attention. Select the
    Smart Link
    .
    Select the broken Smart Link from the Overview screen
  9. Select the
    Smart Link
     to address the issue.
    Smart Link is Not Linked
  10. You may be prompted to correct the information you provided or to provide additional information. Enter the required information, then select
    OK
    .
    Enter your institution credentials into the respective fields
  11. Once your account credentials and other required information have been validated, the status of the connected account updates to
    Account Linked
    .
    note
    Linked accounts will stay linked each year, unless removed manually or disconnected due to an incorrect password.
    Corrected Smart Link
    note
    If your financial institution requires you to receive and verify a security code each time you sign in, then the Smart Link won’t be able to automatically check and retrieve documents every day.

This article applies to:

  • Product: TaxCaddy

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