Accounting CS Release User Bulletin v.2021.4.0 - December 20, 2021

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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.

After July 12, 2022, Microsoft will no longer support SQL Server 2012 or earlier. Therefore, as of the v.2022.2.0 Accounting CS release, scheduled for late June 2022, your firm must have SQL Server 2014 or higher installed on the servers that run Accounting CS. See Discontinued support for Microsoft SQL Server 2012 for details and steps you can take to continue using Accounting CS without interruption.

Note: This change does not affect firms using Accounting CS on Virtual Office or Software as a Service (SaaS).

Import of client data from QuickBooks Pro

  • We have added the ability to import data from QuickBooks Pro 2022 using the direct method via the QBW file.

Note: At this time, the CS QuickBooks Data Utility v.15.1 is still not supported with QuickBooks Pro 2022. We will release a new version of the CS QuickBooks Data Utility when it is available.

Export of client data to QuickBooks Pro

  • We have added the ability to export data to QuickBooks Pro 2022 using the direct method via the QBW file.

Note: At this time, the CS QuickBooks Data Utility v.15.1 is still not supported with QuickBooks Pro 2022. We will release a new version of the CS QuickBooks Data Utility when it is available.

Report Designer

  • We have renamed the Accruable Benefit > Limits section of the variable tree to be the Accruable Benefit > Accrual Limits section of the variable tree.
  • We have added a number of variables to the Accruable Benefit > Usage Limits section of the variable tree. Details
  • We have added and updated a number of variables in the Employee > Accruable Benefits section of the variable tree. Details
  • We have added a number of variables in the Employee > Accruable Benefits > Balances section and the Payroll > Check > Accruable Benefits section of the variable tree. Details

Layout Designer

  • We have added a number of variables in the Payroll > Check > Accruable Benefits section of the variable tree for payroll check layouts. Details

General - Payroll

  • Ohio locals.
    • We have renamed the Cleveland Warrensville Heights JEDZ Tax to Warrensville Heights JEDZ Tax.
  • Oregon locals. We have added the following taxes that become effective January 1, 2022.
    • Metro Supportive Housing Services Income Tax (MSHS)
    • Multnomah County Preschool for All Income Tax (MCPFA)

    The accompanying payment and reconciliation forms will be available in a future release, in time to meet the forms' respective deadlines. For more information, see Oregon local tax calculations.

    Note: The Oregon Metro Supportive Housing Services Income Tax is not automatically enabled on clients due to the complexity of identifying the boundaries of the six applicable Metro Council districts. For clients that are doing business within the six districts, the Wage Exempt checkbox for the Oregon Metro Supportive Housing Services Income Tax will need to be unmarked in the Taxes section in the Payroll Taxes tab of the Setup > Clients screen.

  • Washington. We have added the Washington Long-Term Care Insurance (LTI) tax, also known as Washington Cares, that becomes effective January 1, 2022. The accompanying payment and reconciliation forms will be available in a future release, in time to meeting the forms' respective deadlines. For more information, see Washington FLI and LTI calculations.
  • Wisconsin. We have updated the workers' compensation limits for Wisconsin. For more information, see Workers' Compensation overview.

COVID-19 changes

  • On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 was signed into law by President Biden. As part of the act, the Employee Retention Credit which was previously set to expire on January 1, 2022 was retroactively accelerated and terminated as of October 1, 2021. The newly enacted termination date excludes eligible employers that are a recovery start-up business.

    Forms 941, 943, and 944 will now display an information diagnostic message if the 2021 Fourth quarter checkbox in the Employee Retention Credit section in the COVID-19 Acts tab of the Setup > Clients screen is marked. We recommend data entry be reviewed for these clients based on the latest IRS guidance issued in Notice 2021-65.

    For more information, see COVID-19 - Employee Retention Credit.

  • We have updated the default W-2 Box 14 descriptions for special type ARPA pay items to use the following descriptions.
    • ARPA self care = ARPA 511
    • ARPA other care = ARPA 200
    • ARPA extended care = ARPA ESL

    For more information, see Common W-2 processing questions.

  • We have update Form 943 and Form 944, which include the various COVID-19 and ARPA credits, to the latest versions released by the IRS. See the Form 943: COVID-19 changes and Form 944: COVID-19 changes articles for details about the changes and additions to these forms.
  • To find out how we're responding to the impact of COVID-19 on your firm's payroll process and general operations, and to access additional resources and news, see Accounting CS Coronavirus response - updates and resources.

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.

  • We have added the ability to limit the number of accruable benefit hours an employee can use per paycheck, per month, or per benefit year. (Idea Incubator #2890) Details
  • Maine. We have updated the Maine Creditor Garnishment calculation. For more information, see Setting up creditor garnishments.
  • For every release, be sure to check the Updates for payroll tax rates, limits, and minimum wage rates (year to date) article to stay on top of changes that may affect your firm and clients.

Payroll compliance

  • We have added the ability to print Form 8655 from the Actions > Enroll > Reporting Agent Authorization screen to Onvio Documents. For more information, see Enroll > Reporting Agent Authorization screen.
  • We have combined the W-2 Copy 1 and transmittal forms into a single available selection in the Form filter options in the Actions > Process Payroll Tax Forms screen for the following jurisdictions and forms.
    • Hawaii - Copy 1/HW-30
    • Massachusetts - Copy 1/M-3
    • Mississippi - Copy 1/89-140
  • Illinois. We have added the ability to file Form W-2 Copy 1 electronically via FSET. The Internet filing method is no longer available for the form. For more information, see Illinois payroll tax information.
  • Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue now requires all employers to file Forms W-2 Copy 1 and WT-7 electronically and will no longer accept paper copies of the form. Therefore, we have removed the Paper filing method for the forms and added the Web fill-in method to Form WT-7. You can still file the forms using the Electronic filing method.

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 W-2 Copy 1 electronic file (replaced internet file)
    • New Jersey – Form 1099 internet files. We now generate the corresponding Form NJ-W-3 internet file for each 1099 form type.

    Local

    • Delaware
      • City of Wilmington – Form W-2 Copy 1 and internet file
    • Oregon
      • ER EXP - City of Eugene – Form Eugene_EUG-PY-1(p2)
  • 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 940 and electronic file
    • Form 943 and electronic file
    • Form 944 and electronic file
    • Form 945 and electronic file
    • Forms W-2 Copy A and W-3 facsimile copies for 2021
    • Forms 1099 internet files
    • Forms 1099 Corrected internet files
    • Forms 1094-C and 1095-C internet files
    • Forms 1094-C and 1095-C Corrected internet files
    • Forms 1094-C and 1095-C Replacement internet files

    State

    • California
      • Form 1094-C/1095-C internet and test files
      • Form 1099 internet files. We have updated the files to include the .txt extension.
    • Connecticut
      • Form CT-W3
      • Form CT-1096 internet files
    • Georgia – Form G-1003
    • Hawaii
      • Form HW-14. We now include third-party sick pay wages on line 1 of the form.
      • Form HW-30
    • Illinois – Form IL-941 electronic file (for zero filings)
    • Indiana
      • Form WH-1U
      • Form WH-3. The form is now a single page as the state no longer requires the breakdown of county tax withheld for each county to be included on page 2.
    • Kentucky – Form K-5
    • Massachusetts – Form M-3. We have added the Internet filing method to the form.
    • Mississippi – Form 89-140. We have added the Internet filing method to the form.
    • Montana – Form MW-3 and electronic file
    • New Jersey – Form NJ-W-3 internet file (that corresponds to Form W-2 Copy 1)
    • North Carolina
      • Form NC-3. We have updated the form to a worksheet format.
      • Forms W-2 Copy 1 and NC-3 electronic files
    • North Dakota – Form 307. We have updated the form to allow zero filings.
    • Ohio – Form IT-3
    • South Carolina – Form WH-1612
    • Washington, D.C. – Form 1094-C/1095-C internet file
    • Wisconsin
      • Forms W-2 Copy 1 and 1099 electronic files
      • Forms W-2 Copy 1 and WT-7. We have removed the Paper filing method for the forms and added the Web fill-in method for Form WT-7.

    Local

    • Kentucky
      • Louisville Metro Revenue Commission – Form W-3
    • Pennsylvania
      • Blair County Tax Collection Bureau – Form Blair_LST
  • Tax agents added

    We have added the following tax agents.

    Local

    • Delaware – City of Wilmington
    • Oregon
      • MSHS - City of Portland – We have added a new tax agent for the Metro Supportive Housing Services Income Tax that becomes effective January 1, 2022.
      • MCPFA - City of Portland – We have added a new tax agent for the Multnomah County Preschool for All Income Tax that becomes effective January 1, 2022.
  • Tax agents updated

    We have updated the following tax agents.

    State

    • Washington – We have updated the WAFLI - Employment Security Department tax agent to include the new Washington Long-Term Care Insurance tax (also known as Washington Cares) that becomes effective January 1, 2022.
    • Ohio
      • We have added the following school district taxes to the Ohio School District Income Tax agent.
        • Pike Delta York SD
        • Sidney SD
      • We have updated the form filing addresses for the Village of Lisbon tax agent.
    • Pennsylvania – We have updated the direct deposit information required to produce an ACH credit file based on the latest specifications released by the agency for the City of Philadelphia tax agent.
  • Forms pending approval

    The following forms are pending approval. Once the forms have been approved, we will make them available in a subsequent software update.

    Forms that are approved after the current update (and before the next update) will be made available immediately. We will inform you of the approval in the following ways.

    • Via an alert message that displays when you open the application.
    • In the Payroll Alerts section of the Notices portlet on the Home or Firm dashboard.

    Annual forms

    • Kentucky locals
      • Fayette County Public Schools – Form 222-S
    • Missouri locals
      • Gregory F.X. Daly, Collector of Revenue – St. Louis Form W-3
    • Ohio locals
      • City of Cincinnati Income Tax Division – Form W-3
      • Commissioner of Taxation City of Toledo – Form W-3
  • Forms not yet released

    The following forms have not yet been released. Once the forms have been released and approved, we will make them available in a subsequent software update.

    Annual forms

    • Kentucky locals
      • Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government – Form 222
    • Ohio locals
      • Central Collection Agency – Form CCA-W3
      • Columbus City Treasurer – Forms IT-3 and IT-3J
    • Pennsylvania locals
      • City of Philadelphia – Form PHILADELPH_Annual

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

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