Electronic Filing Preparation

NOTE: During setup you should complete the Electronic Filing Page of the User Setup Options submenu of the Setup menu if you plan to submit returns electronically. Much of the information required by eForms for electronic file processing is contained there.

To access electronic filing you can either select the Electronic Filing menu; or choose Electronic Filing from the appropriate slip listed under the Reports menu. Note: The screen shots and instructions below describe the process for CRA returns only; the process is identical for filing Revenu Québec returns.

Click on the video thumbnail on the electronic filing page to be take to our training video regarding electronic filing.

Refer to the section Company Selection for details on selecting companies to include in this report.

Note: eForms Lite and Basic can select one Company at a time to file electronically; eForms Standard and Enterprise can select multiple companies.

You can select any number of return types to include by clicking on the checkbox beside each return type to be included in the electronic submission.

Pressing this button will allow you access to the information stored on the Electronic Filing page of the User Settings submenu of Setup menu where you can add or edit as required. Clicking on the OK button will return you to the electronic filing dialog box.

Use this option to customize the destination where eForms will save the XML output for this report.

As diskette and CD/DVD submissions are no longer permitted, Internet is the only option available.

Each submission can contain only original, amended or cancelled returns. Select "Original," "Amended" or "Cancelled" to include all original, amended or cancelled returns (respectively) of the types selected for the companies included in your submission. Note: eForms does not include slips having a zero dollar value in an electronic submission.

Check the box marked "Only process slips that are selected for special e-filing on the Advanced tab" to create an electronic submission (XML file) containing only selected slips. You must also check the box marked "Check to select this slip for special electronic filing" on the Advanced Tab on the data entry screen for the slip(s) to be included. This feature allows you to select a subset of slips for XML submission; such as when you may need to issue an additional, amended or cancelled slip and do not need to include slips previously submitted to CRA or RQ.

Check the box marked "Only process slips with this subset tag on the Advanced tab" to create an electronic submission (XML file) containing only slips with a particular subset tag. You must also enter the subset tag on the Advanced Tab on the data entry screen for the slip(s) to be included.

Click this button to validate the selected data and correct any critical or warning errors. This option only validates the selected data, it will not create an XML file.

Note: Data validation errors found using XML File and Validation Report and Validation Report Only that would result in a rejection of your submission will be listed in a Critical Error report and must be corrected before eForms will generate an XML file. Errors that should be corrected, but will not invalidate the submission if they are ignored, are displayed in a Data Validation Warnings report.

This section is hidden by default but can be displayed by clicking on "Validation Options" at the bottom of the screen. In this section you can

•	adjust the number of Critical and Warning messages displayed, the default is 20

•	set whether or not to show errors in the XML schema, this option is often useful when diagnosing Critical errors

•	determine whether or not to display Warning messages, since they do not materially impact on the acceptability of a submission

Clicking this button will cause eForms to validate the selected data, display any applicable critical or warning messages and create the XML file (if no critical errors were found). Note: If you are preparing an electronic file including unadjusted T4 and/or Relevé 1 data the following message will be displayed:

This message can be ignored if you do not intend to use the Adjustment Report option of eForms on the data being submitted.

A validation report will be generated and displayed; it can be printed if desired.

Processing of an electronic return will be halted if any Critical Errors are found. Critical Errors are those that would cause CRA or RQ to reject the electronic return. Processing of the electronic return can only continue if all Critical Errors have been repaired.

Pressing the Next button on the Validation Report (available only if no Critical Errors have been found) will create the XML file. Once the XML file has been successfully created the Internet Filing dialogue will be displayed:

The message "Your XML file is ready for submission. The filename is" is displayed at the top of this screen followed by the name of the XML file and its location on your computer. Make note of this information as it will be required by the CRA Internet File Transfer webpage to denote the file to be uploaded.

If you are preparing an XML submission for Revenu Québec you will see this additional button which allows you to print the ED-400 form.

Prints a list of all companies included in the submission, we recommend that you print this report and retain it for your records.

Opens the XML file for your review in your default XML viewer, typically your default Internet browser. We recommend that you be extremely cautious if you open the XML file in an editor due to the risk of invalidating the submission.

Toggles the display of three additional buttons by which the XML file may be acted upon:

•	Move XML File - Allows you to move the XML file from its default location to a location of your choice

•	Go to File Location - Opens your default computer browser at the location where the XML file has been saved

Your XML file has been created but you must go to the CRA Internet File Transfer site and follow the instructions there to submit the XML file. The submission is NOT automatic as the CRA does not permit any software to communicate directly with the Internet File Transfer site. Once you have submitted the XML file, you will receive a Confirmation of Receipt which you should enter in Step 8 for your records.

Click on Go to the Internet filing web page to begin the process of submitting your XML file to CRA. To log in to the CRA Internet filing web page you will need the Account Number and Web Access Code for the company for which you are filing an Internet return. To log on to the Revenu Québec Internet filing web page you will need the username and password assigned to you by Revenu Québec.

•	The Account Number and the Web Access Code are not interchangeable; they are two different numbers of two different formats used in two different capacities. Contact the CRA if you need an Account Number or Web Access Code.

•	The Account Number and Web Access Code do not serve to identify the entity submitting the XML file. Filer identification is contained within the XML file and is taken from the Electronic Filing Page (accessed through User Settings under the Setup menu).

Once you have logged in to the filing site, you will be prompted to upload the XML file created by eForms in Step 6. By default, eForms saves the XML file in the XML Output folder; which can be located by using the DIAGNOSTICS AND FILE LOCATIONS option under the HELP menu in eForms. eForms saves all XML files in the following format:

Where: “COMPANY_NAME” is the name of the company for which the file has been created with all space characters replace by an underscore character; “xxx’ is a sequential number applied by eForms to ensure that older files are not overwritten, and “XML” is the file type designator required by CRA. If the submission is for multiple companies, "COMPANY_NAME" will be replaced by "MULTIPLE_COMPANIES."

eForms Standard and Enterprise are able to batch submit returns for multiple companies and multiple return types into a single file which can be no larger than 150Mb (contact the CRA if your file exceeds 150Mb). Since you are acting as an agent for multiple companies, to submit a batch XML file, you must use your company's Account Number and Web Access Code to access the CRA website.

eForms Lite and Basic are limited to submitting single returns over the Internet for a single company at a time. As above, the file can be no larger than 150Mb in size. If you are using one of these eForms versions to file electronic returns for a significant number of clients it may be in your best interest to upgrade to the eForms Standard or Enterprise.

If you must make a payment with your submission you can visit CRA's My Payment website; if your financial institution is supported you can setup your payment options as necessary.

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I have submitted this file online to CRA. The submission number from the Confirmation of Receipt is... - Click this radio button if you have submitted the XML file to CRA and have received a confirmation number (once CRA has received the XML file you will receive a confirmation number) record the confirmation number here for your records.

•	I will submit this file to CRA later - Click this radio button if you will not immediately be submitting the XML file to CRA but wish to retain the file for submission at a later date.

•	This file will not be submitted (The program will delete it) - Click this radio button if you will not be submitting the XML file to CRA; eForms will delete the XML file when you click NEXT button.

Only available when one of the three radio buttons in Step 8 has been chosen; when clicked it will return you to eForms after confirming whether or not you wish to update the filing status for the company(ies) included in the XML submission.

There is no need to submit a transmittal report (T619 form) with electronic returns.

Click on Go to the Internet filing web page to begin the process of submitting your XML file to RQ. To log on to the Revenu Québec Internet filing web page you will need the username and password assigned to you by Revenu Québec. In order to submit your XML file to RQ, you will need your Québec Enterprise Number (NEQ) and Identification File Number. The Québec Enterprise Number and Identification File Number are entered on the Company Setup screen.

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I have submitted this file online to RQ. The submission number from the Confirmation of Receipt is... - Click this radio button if you have submitted the XML file to RQand have received a confirmation number (once RQ has received the XML file you will receive a confirmation number) record the confirmation number here for your records.

•	I will submit this file to RQ later - Click this radio button if you will not immediately be submitting the XML file to RQ but wish to retain the file for submission at a later date.

•	This file will not be submitted (The program will delete it) - Click this radio button if you will not be submitting the XML file to RQ; eForms will delete the XML file when you click NEXT button.