I can see TaxCycle can import an Excel spreadsheet for the preparation of T4s, but when I look at either Quickbooks or Sage I see no easy way to export the required information to a spreadsheet. It appears to me I’d have to enter most of the information manually into the spreadsheet and then import it. I’m not sure that’s easier than manually entering it directly into TaxCycle (at least for existing clients).
Am I missing something, has anyone else found an easier way to do this?
From QuickBooks you can export the Employee Earnings Summary (Last Calendar Year) from QuickBooks to an xls or csv file for import.
You will have to do a bit of dicking about to get the columns in order but it is still faster than retyping
Yes, I agree that you have to play around with the Quickbooks export and could get it to work and Sage 50 is also a PITA. An import would be nice; however, i doubt we will see it in the near future.
An export from Quickbooks is a pipedream, as Intuit was not even interested in exporting to Profile.
I’m thinking that both Sage and Quickbooks must export to an XML in their filing process, but it doesn’t appear that the XML import in TaxCycle is set up to import numbers at this time, just roll forward information.
Likely only during the filing process; however, I have never actually filed T4’s from either program
I’m a little surprised by this request as I assumed that if you have payroll information in QuickBooks or Sage, that you would just create the T4s with that same program.
Is it that QuickBooks and Sage do not provide some critical piece of the puzzle? If so, we can look at doing an import… but I’d prefer to understand why you want to do this first, so we can figure out the best way to help.
~ Cameron
Just chatted about this with Rob at Trilogy:
Rob indicated they are looking at modifying this, so import of actual data will be imported, and they are looking at doing this for the next release.
Neither QuickBooks nor Sage automatically calculate the adjustments to CPP or EI, you have to do them manually in those programs and override the amounts. It just doesn’t work as well as TaxCycle, and its more difficult to give to an lower level person to do reliably (then it has to be manually recalculated to check).
Here is an example of one client. We have a client uses Quickbooks Enterprise version (which we don’t have), they print T4s, distribute them to their 40 employees, there are five additional T4s for the shareholders which require automotive benefits which we calculate, and ensure are correctly recorded on their T4s, including applicable deductions. We reenter all 45 of those T4s in Quickbooks, adjust the five shareholders T4s and efile all 45.
I could, as was suggested in the forum, have the client print the Earnings summary to an Excel spreadsheet, manipulate the columns and import it. The Earnings report does not have all the information shown on the sample spreadsheet so I’m not sure how well that would work. The thing is, I would have to do that work. The reentry work is done by an entry level staff person, I check it and so that’s the way we would do it currently.
That client is the largest example but we do not produce or file any T4s in Quickbooks or Sage we reenter them all into TaxCycle because of the adjustments and because we prefer to use one overall system for preparing, checking and filing the slips.
Thanks. We understand now. We’re working to improve this for you right this instant!
Cameron,
In a nutshell, I do not file any T4’s from Sage 50, Quickbooks or any other accounting software. The clients will send us a backup which we will restore and enter into the T4 program and ensure that the deductions were calculated properly.
I suspect that there are accountants that will use the programs; however, most I deal with will re key so they can have a file of the work they did which is why the Doxcyle link between the T4, T3 etc is more important than the link between the T2 program.
And the chances the improvement includes a Doxcycle link?? I have my first T4 in my office for review and it would really be nice if the supporting documentation could be linked.
Anyone who trusts the T4 info directly from Sage or QuickBooks can be categorized as a fool. There is almost always a correction required - especially for part-time employees and the owners. Heaven forbid that taxable benefits get thrown into the mix!
I’ve been doing T4’s for 21 years (about 2,500 T4 files) and have only had Sage be right twice. QuickBooks never.
VERY glad to see Trilogy is working on a direct import for us - Keep up the good work!
We have a client that doesn’t prepare their T4’s correctly in Sage as they have some employees that are non-taxable due to Treaty status. We would like to import the information into the program so that we can then easily move it to the correct Box. In general any mucking about required with T4’s is much easier done in a slip program than within the sage or Quick-books file
@bonnie –
Our release to handle this is coming later today or tomorrow. Just doing our final testing now.
Best,
~ Cameron
It will be interesting to tryout to see how it works. Could save a lot of time working on these files.
I am interested to see if you are able to import just the employees with data. You also need to consider that we may not want to overwrite the address in the file. Sometimes the clients are not that great at entering addresses when they know we are doing the T4’s. maybe the ability to import everything or allow us to approve address changes on a individual basis
Right now the import will replace existing address information. We’d like to give you more control over this (like we do with AFR / XML slip import into T1), but we didn’t want to delay the release any further. I suspect this is an improvement for next year, given the remaining things on our to do list.
~ Cameron
I kind of figured so. I suspect it will be an option that will need some tweaking
Works like a charm.
Taxcycle now uses the *.xml file to import from Quickbooks.
Found however, that I have to review the data in one file I did, but I believe the reason is in the QB file, as QB gave me a warning about slips not being included because of missing data (without giving me any more clues which slip)
Looking forward to trying it. Maybe later today.