Canada Revenue Agency
www.cra.gc.ca
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News and program updates
March 1, 2010
Error Clue 55
If you received the following error clue when you transmitted an EFILE return on Friday, February 26 between 2:00 p.m and 3:00 p.m. Eastern (Ottawa) time, please retransmit the return. There was a temporary problem with one of our databases.
55 - The entry for the postal code is not in ANANAN format
We regret this inconvenience.
February 11, 2010
Service Interruptions - Annual Conversion
Service interruptions will occur on February 13 and 14, 2010.
The Canada Revenue Agency's mainframe systems will be going through an annual conversion process. The EFILE On-Line Plus and SEND transmission services will be temporarily closed until Monday morning.
Acknowledgement files are scheduled to commence on Monday morning, February 15, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. eastern (Ottawa) time.
February 9, 2010
Annual Review of Individual Income Tax Returns
Each year, the Pre-assessment Review and Processing Review Programs conduct an annual review of Individual Income Tax Returns.
If any of your clients' tax returns are selected for review, letters will be sent to your office if the following information was transmitted with the return:
Unfortunately, each program, we receive complaints from preparers that they have not received these letters. Letters are sent to preparers only if all of the above requirements are met, otherwise, they are sent to the taxpayer.
If you want these letters sent to you, please ensure all of the above have been properly completed.
We appreciate your assistance in this matter.January 18, 2010
T1 Stockpile
For a number of years, the CRA has permitted the EFILE community to submit returns in advance of our official opening in February providing their software has been certified. For the 2010 program (2009 tax year returns) the EOL+ (batch) filing system will accept transmissions into the stockpile inventory on January 25th, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. (eastern (Ottawa) time). These returns will be held until we open for processing on February 15th, 2010.
As a reminder, past experience has proven that many of these stockpiled returns get rejected when we try to process them in February because they were submitted under duplicate ISA control numbers. These control numbers are generated by your software product. It is an EDI and EFILE system requirement that each batch be submitted under a separate and distinct ISA number.
Logic introduced in previous years to address the duplicate ISA number problem, remains in place.
During the stockpile period, Efilers who inadvertently send in batches under duplicate ISA control numbers will now have those transactions rejected just as they are during the regular program. Should you have any transmissions that fall into this category, the Action Menu Item, "Outstanding Acknowledgement Files" will be displayed the next time you logon. Accessing that option will result in an EDI 864 message being available for retrieval. Not all software handle this message the same but generally speaking, the message will indicate that CRA has received a transmission from you using duplicate control numbers. It will indicate the number and ask that it be retransmitted. You need only to change the ISA number and retransmit the file.
If you are submitting discounted returns please ensure that you include a valid discounter number.
The following text message will be returned for transactions in error:
The record number XXX in the attached file contains an invalid discounter code. Please correct the information, resave your file and try again.
This message will be displayed throughout the program for all EOL + (batch) transactions that contain invalid discounter codes. When we start accepting EOL returns on Monday February 15th, 2010, those containing invalid discounter codes will continue to reject on error code 58.
January 14, 2010
Electrical Maintenance
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will be conducting essential electrical power maintenance checks on its facilities this coming weekend. As a result, our website will be disabled starting at 23:00 hrs eastern (Ottawa) time on Friday January 15, 2010. We will re-open on Sunday January 17, 2010 at 16:00 hrs eastern (Ottawa) time. Users attempting to logon during this time period will receive a "not operational" message.
We regret this inconvenience.
January 5, 2010
Electronic Services - 2010 Program
Renewal Reminder
Thank you for using the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) electronic services to file your clients’ individual and corporation income tax returns.
CRA would like to remind you to renew your participation online in order to maintain your access to electronic services for the coming year and to receive CRA emails. This will allow use of the following electronic services:
To renew your participation, make an online request at www.efile.cra.gc.ca. Click on "Renewal" and follow the instructions provided. To log on, you will need your current EFILE number and password.
As an electronic filer, you have to comply with the electronic filing procedures. These procedures are available at www.efile.cra.gc.ca. You should become familiar with the information on these pages before using EFILE or SEND.
You only need one EFILE number to file all your clients' income tax returns. Only tax preparation businesses that operate more than one location are required to have multiple EFILE numbers. If you are in that situation, remember to complete a separate renewal request for each EFILE number.
If you have lost your EFILE number or password, DO NOT file a new application using the "New Registration" link. Instead, contact your EFILE Help Desk for assistance.
Seconds after submitting your electronic renewal request, it will be validated, and you will receive a confirmation page with your new password. Until we complete the required suitability screening, you will be restricted to account maintenance activities. We will send you an email or letter to let you know the result of our screening.
If you are also a discounter, you do not need to renew your discounter code. However, a revised application Form RC76 is required when information previously provided on Form RC75, Form RC76, or Form RC115 has changed.
If you have any questions about this letter or the electronic filing services and you can't find the answer on the CRA EFILE Web pages, call your EFILE Help Desk.
December 15, 2009
Reminder to System for Electronic Notification of Debt (SEND) Users
This is to remind you that the information provided in SEND responses is based on our records at the time the request is processed. Balances may change between the time the SEND request is processed and the time the tax return is assessed. These balances will affect the refund amount.
We are not responsible for errors or omissions in this information, or for providing any additional information about the client’s debt status.
December 1, 2009
System Maintenance - SEND Production
The EFILE website will be disabled for system maintenance on Thursday, December 3. It will re-open on Friday, December 4 at 06:00 a.m. eastern (Ottawa) time. Users attempting to logon during this time period will receive a “closed for maintenance” message.
On Monday, December 7, at 8:30 a.m. eastern (Ottawa) time, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will start accepting production SEND requests.
November 3, 2009
Corporation Internet Filing
The following information is provided in response to a number of calls from electronic filers asking if they can still efile T2 returns after renewing their accounts. For those who have renewed, please ensure that your new password is inserted in your tax software.
Can I continue to electronically file corporation income tax returns while I renew my EFILE Online account each year?
Yes. You may continue to file corporation income tax returns up to the end of December using your current EFILE Online number and password. To file corporation income tax returns after that date, you will need to have renewed your EFILE Online account and passed our suitability screening. Once you have applied to renew your account and have been assigned a new password, you must use the new password to electronically file your corporation income tax returns.
If you renew your account but have not completed suitability screening by the end of December, you will not be permitted to transmit corporation income tax returns using your EFILE Online number and password. Suitability screening can take up to 30 days.
October 27, 2009
EFILE Renewals
The purpose of this message is to advise those who are renewing their EFILE accounts that there has been a change to the online renewal/registration form where it pertains to Managing Office. This section only has to be completed if you indicated that your Business Type is a Branch Office.
Some existing accounts, that are not Branch Offices, currently contain entries in the affected fields. Those entries must be deleted. Should you try to renew your account without deleting the entries or try to complete the fields and you are not a Branch Office, the following error message will be generated.
Managing office information cannot be entered for business types other than Branch Office.
Following are the affected fields in Part B - Managing Office:
Street:
City:
Province: (please note that the drop down box must be set to Prov or the error message will be generated)
EFILE Number:
Phone:
We appreciate your cooperation and regret any inconvenience in this regard.
October 26, 2009
Electronic Services - 2010 Program
Thank you for using the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) electronic services to file your clients’ individual and corporation income tax returns. To maintain your access to electronic services for the coming year, including receiving emails from the CRA, you have to renew your participation online. This will allow you to use the following electronic services:
- EFILE Online
- EFILE Online Plus
- System for Electronic Notification of Debt (SEND)
- Corporation Internet Filing
As an electronic filer, you have to comply with the electronic filing procedures. These procedures are available at www.efile.cra.gc.ca. You should become familiar with the information on these pages before using EFILE or SEND.
To renew your participation, make an online request at www.efile.cra.gc.ca. Click on "Renewal" and follow the instructions provided. To log on, you will need your current EFILE number and password.
You only need one EFILE number to file all your clients' income tax returns. Only tax preparation businesses that operate more than one location are required to have multiple EFILE numbers. If you are in that situation, remember to complete a separate renewal request for each EFILE number.
If you have lost your EFILE number or password, DO NOT try to file a new application using the "New Registration" link. Instead, contact your EFILE Help Desk for assistance.
Seconds after submitting your electronic renewal request, it will be validated, and you will receive a confirmation page with your new password. Until we complete the required suitability screening, you will be restricted to account maintenance activities and, on a temporary basis, the filing of corporate returns. We will send you an email or letter to let you know the result of our screening.
If you are also a discounter, you do not need to renew your discounter code. However, a revised application Form RC76 is required when information previously provided on Form RC75, Form RC76, or Form RC115 has changed.
If you have any questions about this letter or the electronic filing services and you can't find the answer on the CRA EFILE Web pages, call your EFILE Help Desk.
