Accounting CS Release User Bulletin v.2020.2.0 - June 26, 2020

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  • You can search for specific information (such as a state name) in this article. Details

    Follow these steps.

    1. Expand the text for the applicable sections or click the Show expandable text link at the top of this article to expand all text in the article.
    2. Press CTRL+F on your keyboard to open a search field above the toolbar.
    3. Enter the search term in the search field. As you type your search term, the Help & How-To Center highlights all instances of the term in the body of the article.
  • If you are looking for a specific update, but it doesn't appear in this bulletin, try checking the Accounting CS Alerts & notices article. 
  • New features and new reports that are released in this version might be protected by security privileges. If your firm has enabled firm security, please evaluate all enhancements and update your security groups as needed.

COVID-19 changes

  • We have updated Form 941 and the electronic file to the latest version released by the IRS for tax processing periods 6/30/2020, 9/30/2020, and 12/31/2020. See the Form 941 2020: Covid-19 changes article for details about the changes and additions that were made to the form.
  • We have added two sections to the COVID-19 Acts tab of the Setup > Clients screen to help you enter 2020 Form 941 information for quarters 2, 3, and 4.
    • Form 7200 Advance Payment Information. Use this section to record any advance payments requested that should be reported on Form 941.
    • Federal 94x Information. Use this section to record any qualified health plan expenses that should be allocated to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) related wages and reported on Form 941.
  • We have added the 7200 Worksheet – COVID-19 custom report to the Accounting CS Library.
  • We have added variables to the Client > COVID-19 Acts Information section of the variable tree. Details
    • 7200 Advance Quarter
    • 7200 Advance Requested
    • 7200 Advance Notes
  • We have disabled the Payroll Tax Form option (accessible via the Actions > Analyze Client Activity menu) when 2020 is selected as the Form 941 processing year in the Actions > Edit Payroll Tax Forms screen. Details
    The Payroll Tax Form analysis tool is not available for the 2020 processing year due to the complexities of Form 941 and the related COVID-19 credits and tax deferrals.

General

  • We are excited to announce the launch of the next generation of idea collection with our new platform, the Idea Incubator. We will be discontinuing use of the Accounting CS Ideas Community effective July 20, 2020. Bookmark any Ideas Communities you wish to access during this transition period. Details

    We have updated the Accounting CS menu command that linked to the Ideas Community to Help > Additional Resources > Idea Incubator, and we have also updated the dashboard portlet.

    The Idea Incubator offers many enhancements over the prior communities, and will allow you to focus on sharing ideas with less hassle and stronger communication from our team. Major features include the following.

    • A single website for all your Tax & Accounting software from Thomson Reuters
    • A sign-in process using your Thomson Reuters ID, the same credentials you use to access your software
    • Product Team review of ideas within 10 business days of submission (beginning July 20th)
    • Status updates that allow clear understanding of where ideas are in the development process
    • An improved submission form that will help us better understand your ideas
    • Merging of similar ideas to better identify their overall demand and priority

Import of client data from QuickBooks Online

  • We have addressed an issue that, in certain circumstances, caused an error to occur during attempts to import from QuickBooks Online or export to QuickBooks Online. Details
    This issue was related to the Chart of Accounts mapping between QuickBooks Online accounts and Accounting CS accounts.

Accounting CS Payroll, for live payroll processing

In addition to any changes made for general payroll features listed above for after-the-fact payroll processing, the following changes have been made for the live payroll processing features specific to Accounting CS Payroll.

Payroll compliance

  • As of July 1, 2020, you will no longer be able to file 94x returns as an electronic return originator (ERO) using individual client PINs in Accounting CS. We strongly recommend that you register as a reporting agent as soon as possible to avoid any delays in electronically filing your clients' 94x returns. Details
    • CS Connect will automatically reject any 94x returns that are transmitted using the 10-digit client PIN method.
    • Accounting CS will generate a new e-file critical diagnostic if you select the Electronic filing method on a 94x form and the Reporting agent (Form 8655 filed) checkbox is not marked in the 94X Additional Information dialog (accessed via the Payroll Taxes tab of the Setup > Clients screen).

Updates for payroll tax forms, tax agents, and new hire files

To search for a specific state, locality, form, or file in one of the sections listed below, follow these steps.

  1. Expand the text for the section by clicking the link (such as Payroll tax forms added) or click the Show expandable text link at the top of this article to expand all text in the article.
  2. Press CTRL+F on your keyboard to open a search field above the toolbar.
  3. Enter the search term in the search field. As you type your search term, the Help & How-To Center highlights all instances of the term in the body of the article.
  • Payroll tax forms added

    We have added the following forms, internet files, and electronic files.

    State

    • Illinois – Form IL-941 Schedule WC worksheet information (included in the Form IL-941 electronic file) (Accounting CS Ideas Community #3409 and #3411)

    Local

    • Kentucky
      • Carter County Fiscal Court – Form Quarterly
    • Pennsylvania
      • Becky Maruca – Form SalemTwp_LST
      • Carla J Scholl, Local Services Tax Collector – Form EastFranklinTwp_LST
      • Municipality of Monroeville – Form Monroeville_FormLST internet file
  • Payroll tax forms updated

    We have updated the following forms, internet files, and electronic files to the latest versions available from the agencies. Those forms marked with an asterisk (*) were released via an alert between application updates, not as part of the current release.

    Federal

    • Form 941 and electronic file (2020)
      • For tax processing periods 6/30/2020, 9/30/2020, and 12/31/2020, we have updated Form 941 to three full pages, as released by the IRS.
      • For tax processing period 3/31/2020 ONLY, we have renamed the Form 941 display tab to Form 941-Q1 in the Actions > Edit Payroll Tax Forms screen.  Details
        The IRS requires the previously released 2020 version of this form to be used for the first-quarter filing period.

    State

    • Delaware – Forms UC-8 and UC-8A
    • Illinois
      • Form IL-501 electronic file
      • Form IL-941 worksheet and electronic file
        • We have updated the electronic file to include the Schedule P worksheet information for zero filings. (Accounting CS Ideas Community #3397)
        • We have updated the electronic file to include the Schedule WC worksheet information. (Accounting CS Ideas Community #3409 and #3411)
    • Maine – Form 941ME internet file
    • New Jersey – Form NJ-927/NJ-927-W internet file
    • North Carolina – Form NCUI 101 and internet file
    • Wisconsin – Form W-2G internet file

    Local

    • Kentucky
      • Boyle County Tax Administrator – Forms 1 and Annual
      • City of Ashland – Forms OLF-1 and OLF-2
      • City of Corbin – Form Annual
      • City of Hopkinsville – Form Annual
      • City of Jeffersontown – Forms Quarterly and Annual
      • City of Vine Grove – Form Quarterly
      • Garrard Co Occupational License Fee – Form Annual
      • Henderson Tax Administrator – Form Cou_APR
      • Marshall County Finance Office – Form MOLT-1
      • Marshall County Occupational Tax Administrator – Form OCC-3PT
      • Perry County Occupational License Office – Form Annual
    • Michigan
      • Big Rapids City Treasurer – Forms BigRapids_BR-941_MNTHLY, BigRapids_BR-941_QRTLY, and BigRapids_BRW-3
    • Pennsylvania
      • Keystone Collections Group – LST – Form Keystone_LST-S
      • Treasurer, City of Pittsburgh – Form Pittsburgh_LS-1
  • Tax agents added

    We have added the following tax agents.

    Local

    • Kentucky
      • Carter County Fiscal Court
    • Pennsylvania
      • Becky Maruca
      • Carla J Scholl, Local Services Tax Collector
  • Tax agents updated

    We have updated the following tax agents.

    Local

    • Kentucky
      • We have renamed the Grant County Tax Administrator tax agent to Grant County Fiscal Court.
      • We have updated the direct deposit information required to produce an ACH credit file for the Louisville Metro Revenue Commission tax agent.
    • Michigan – We have updated the form filing address for the Big Rapids City Treasurer tax agent.
    • Ohio – We have added the following taxes to the Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA) tax agent.
      • Dorr St JEDD
      • Dunkirk City Tax
      • Leesburg City Tax
    • Pennsylvania – We have updated the form filing address for the City of Philadelphia tax agent.
  • New hire files updated

    We have updated the following state new hire files to the latest versions available from the agencies.

    • Washington

Accounting CS includes two interactive tools that provide valuable payroll tax information.

Related articles

Prior release user bulletins

Support Contact Information page on our website

Finding answers in the Help & How-To Center

Accounting CS Ideas Community

Ordering Forms W-2, 1099, and 1095-C

Payroll Year-End Processing tips

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