Welcome to ProSeries Basic Edition tax software

Transcription

1 Wecome to ProSeries Basic Edition tax software ProSeries Basic Edition is an easy-to-use, professiona-strength tax program that incudes everything you need to prepare federa and state individua returns. The ProSeries Basic Edition program: Heps you prepare 1040 returns using a step-by-step process Provides checkists that prompt you to ask cients the right questions Provides one-cick access to form instructions and tax-scenario guidance Contains comprehensive error-checking diagnostics Lets you e-fie your cients returns Deivers professiona-ooking printed output Offers in-product support when you need it Incudes extended hours of to-free phone support during tax season For information about this topic Computer system requirements and recommendations Getting ready for the tax season Instaing ProSeries Basic Edition software Setting up the ProSeries Basic Edition program Transferring data from ast year s ProSeries cient fie Product icensing Keeping your tax products up-to-date Preparing your cients returns Getting information and hep Eectronic fiing Bank Products 1

2 The ProSeries Basic Edition Prepare Returns window and the start of the Federa Information Worksheet are shown in this iustration. The Refund or Amount Due button shows the refund amount or the amount due for the open return according to the data that s been entered thus far. Cient data hasn t been entered in this exampe, so the amount shown is $0. Computer system requirements Make sure the computer on which you intend to use ProSeries Basic Edition software meets or exceeds the minimum requirements for a reevant components. If you want to use a pug-in utiity named Get System Info to get information about your system, go to then foow the instructions. The minimum requirements shown beow shoud provide adequate performance on most computer configurations. Systems that don t meet the minimum requirements may not operate as designed. For more information about how system requirements can affect the operation of ProSeries Basic Edition software, go to seect Products, then seect either Basic or Professiona, and finay seect the System Requirements tab. Component Recommendation Minimum Requirement Computer 2.0 GHz or faster 1.0 GHz Memory 1 GB RAM or more. More memory normay resuts in improved performance. 512 MB RAM. More memory may be required if you insta many products and have a arge number of cients. For Windows Vista operating systems, we recommend at east 1 GB RAM. 2 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

3 Component Recommendation Minimum Requirement Hard disk space Windows operating system Screen resoution Printer 2 GB or more, depending on the number of products you insta and the number of cients you have. One of the foowing: Windows XP - Professiona edition (service pack 3 or ater) Windows Vista - Business edition, (service pack 1 or ater) 1024 x 768 or higher 1024 x 768 Hewett-Packard LaserJet or PCL (Printer Contro Language) compatibe printer with 2 MB of printer memory Note: Inkjet printers are not recommended. CD drive 24X or faster 12X or faster Internet connection Internet Browser Internet Service Provider (ISP) High-speed Internet connection, such as T-1, DSL, or cabe modem Microsoft Internet Exporer 6.0 or ater. 850 MB. More space may be required if you insta many products and have a arge number of cients. One of the foowing: Windows XP - Home or Media edition (service pack 3 or ater) Windows Vista - Home Basic, Home Premium, or Utimate edition, (service pack 1 or ater) Hewett-Packard LaserJet or PCL (Printer Contro Language) compatibe printer with 2 MB of printer memory. Note: GDI printers are not supported K modem Note: Internet Exporer 6.0 is instaed if Internet Exporer 6.0 or ater isn t aready instaed. None required, but an ISP is required for features that use the Internet, such as eectronic fiing and the onine deivery of ProSeries Basic Edition products and product updates. ProSeries Basic Edition software works with most ISPs. Contact your ISP if you have a specific question. Getting ready for the tax season Know your responsibiities. You and your cients are responsibe for correcty reporting a information that is required by the Interna Revenue Service or appicabe state taxing agency, and for the accuracy of each return that you fie. Be famiiar with your computer system. If you re unfamiiar with the basic operation of your computer or your Microsoft Windows operating system, read the owner s guide for your computer or Windows hep. 3

4 Understand the ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement. The ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement appears at the start of the instaation procedure. After the software has been instaed, you can review the ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement by seecting License Agreement in the Hep Center. Pease note the foowing conditions of the ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement: You are icensing the software for use by a named entity and its empoyees at one identified ocation. You are representing to Intuit that the firm name and address you provide is the primary firm name and ocation used in the norma course of business. This is the name and address under which you market yoursef and your professiona services. This firm name and address wi appear in the Paid Preparer designation on tax returns. You may enter information about mutipe preparers, provided that they a are empoyees of the firm isted at that particuar address. Important: Mutipe preparers who operate as separate and distinct firms even if they share office space are considered to be unique and each preparer must purchase a icense for his or her own copy of ProSeries Basic Edition software. Preparing for eectronic fiing Eectronic Fiing Identification Number (EFIN). You must have an IRS-issued Eectronic Fiing Identification Number (EFIN) if you want to fie your cients federa returns (or extension request forms) eectronicay. In addition, you must be abe to connect to the Internet from the computer on which you insta the ProSeries Basic Edition program. Appying for an EFIN If you are new to eectronic fiing or no onger have a vaid EFIN, you can appy for one using either of the foowing methods: Onine. To use the IRS e-fie appication, go to cick the IRS e-fie ogo, cick on the e-services ink in the e-fie for Tax Professionas section, then foow the instructions on the screen. Form Submit Form 8633, Appication to Participate in the IRS e-fie Program. 4 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

5 Important: You must use the version of Form 8633 dated Juy If you submit an earier version, the IRS wi reject your appication. The IRS recommends that you submit your appication at east 45 days prior to the date that you intend to begin fiing returns eectronicay. You can find Form 8633 and information about eectronic fiing at the IRS Web site, which is Tip: The IRS strongy recommends that you use the Onine method to appy for an EFIN. You can find information about eectronic fiing at Seect Products, then E-Fie Resources at the bottom of the page. If you have additiona questions about eectronic fiing, ca the IRS e-hep desk at State enroment requirements Some states require additiona eectronic fiing enroment paperwork. Verify the eectronic fiing enroment requirements for each state where you pan to fie returns eectronicay. For more information about eectronic fiing, see Fiing returns eectronicay on page 77. Preparing to offer bank products When you fie your cients individua returns eectronicay, they can receive proceeds based on their expected federa refunds in the form of Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs), Refund Anticipation Loan Direct Deposits (RALDDs), Refund Transfers (RTs), and Refund Transfer Direct Deposits (RTDDs). In addition, your fees can be deducted from the cient s refund and deposited into your bank account eectronicay. Tip: Under certain circumstances, you can offer a cient an RT or RTDD based on the expected refund from a state return. Before you can offer bank products to your cients, you must first appy to either Santa Barbara Bank & Trust or Refund Advantage to participate in their banking products program. For more information about bank products, see Overview of Bank Products on page 90. 5

6 Ordering presentation foders and enveopes To purchase presentation foders and window enveopes, ca Professiona Tax Products at , or go to the Professiona Tax Products Web site at Preparing to use your ProSeries Basic Edition products After you insta the software, the ProSeries Basic Edition program performs product icensing, which icenses the software that you ordered to your firm. (For more information, see Setting up the ProSeries Basic Edition program on page 19 and Product icensing on page 31.) Product icensing information Product icensing identifies the ProSeries Basic Edition software that s avaiabe to you and defines the imits on your use of your ProSeries Basic Edition software. To see product icensing information before you insta ProSeries Basic Edition software: Review the information on the packing sip that accompanied the ProSeries Basic Edition CD, or Go to then navigate to the My ProSeries area To see product icensing information after you insta ProSeries Basic Edition software: Go to the Information menu and seect Product Licenses Preparing federa returns When you ordered ProSeries Basic Edition software, you chose one of the foowing ways to prepare federa returns: No imit to the number of federa returns. Limit of 50 federa returns. If you need to prepare more than 50 federa returns, prepare the additiona returns on a pay-per-return basis. Tip: Prepare federa returns on a pay-per-return basis. You can prepare federa returns for $18 per return if you icensed the 50- return option, and you need to prepare more than 50 federa returns. Preparing state returns You aso chose one of these options for preparing state returns: 6 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

7 No imit to the number of returns for four states. If you icensed the four-state option, you can prepare an unimited number of state returns using the four state products that you seected for icensing. No imit to the number of returns for two states. If you icensed the two-state option, you can prepare an unimited number of state returns using the two state products that you seected for icensing. Limit of 50 returns for two states. If you icensed the 50-return option, you can prepare up to 50 state returns using the two state products that you seected for icensing. If you need to prepare more than 50 state returns, prepare the additiona returns on a pay-per-return basis. Tip: Prepare state returns on a pay-per-return basis. You can prepare state returns for $14 per return under any of the foowing circumstances: You icensed the two-state option or the four-state option, and you need to prepare returns for other states. You icensed the 50-returns for two states option, and you need to prepare more than 50 state returns for those states. You icensed the 50-returns for two states option, and you need to prepare state returns for other states. For more information about using the pay-per-return system, see Using ProSeries Basic Edition products on a pay-per-return basis on page 8. Eectronic fiing If you ordered ProSeries Basic Edition eectronic fiing capabiity, a of the foowing appy to your use of ProSeries Basic Edition software to fie federa and state returns eectronicay: Limit of 100 federa returns and the associated state returns. You can eectronicay fie up to 100 federa returns and a state returns that are associated with those federa returns. Fie more than 100 federa returns eectronicay. If you need to eectronicay fie more than 100 federa returns (and the state returns that are associated with those federa returns), fie the additiona returns on a pay-per-return basis. Tip: Fie additiona federa and state returns on a pay-per-return basis. You can eectronicay fie federa returns for $3 per return and state returns for $2 per return using the pay-per-return system. For more information about using the pay-per-return system, see Using ProSeries Basic Edition products on a pay-per-return basis on page 8. 7

8 Monitoring your 50-return or 100-return usage If you icensed a 50-return preparation option or a 100-return eectronic fiing option, here s how you can check the status of your use of ProSeries Basic Edition software. Go to the Information menu and seect Return Usage & State License Status Tip: The program informs you when ony five returns remain unti you reach a 50-return preparation imit or a 100-return eectronic fiing imit. Keeping your product icensing information up-to-date You need to update your product icensing information under the foowing circumstances: Before you begin to prepare cient returns, you upgrade your ProSeries Basic Edition icense. Before you begin to prepare cient returns, you can upgrade your icense: From the Basic 50 Returns package to the Basic Unimited Returns package or the Basic Unimited Returns-100 e-fie package, or From the Basic Unimited Returns package to the Basic Unimited Returns- 100 e-fie package The ProSeries Basic Edition software or a ProSeries Basic Edition representative instructs you to update your product icense information If either of these situations occur, you need to update the product information for your firm. To do so, go to the Toos menu, seect License Products, then seect Onine (Recommended) or Manua. For more information, see Updating your firm s product icensing information on page 33. Using ProSeries Basic Edition products on a pay-per-return basis When you use ProSeries Basic Edition software on a pay-per-return basis, you might need to: Add funds to your pay-per-return account baance. Go to the Toos menu, seect Pay Per Return, then seect Increase account baance. In the Increase Account Baance diaog box, seect Onine or Manua, cick OK, then foow the instructions on the screen. 8 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

9 Authorize payment for pay-per-return processing. If you prepare federa or state returns on a pay-per-return basis, you must authorize the appicabe payment for each return before you can print it. If you eectronicay fie federa or state returns on a pay-per-return basis, you must authorize the appicabe payment for each return before you can fie it eectronicay. Check the baance of your pay-per-return account. Go to the Toos menu, seect Pay Per Return, then seect Show account baance. Increase the baance of your pay-per-return account. Go to the Toos menu, seect Pay Per Return, seect Increase account baance, seect Onine or Manua, cick OK, then foow the instructions on the screen. View or print the Pay-Per-Return audit report. Go to the Toos menu, seect Pay Per Return, then seect View audit report or Print audit report. Preparing to provide specific information You wi be prompted for information about the foowing topics whie you re setting up your ProSeries Basic Edition program. (You can enter this information ater as you use the ProSeries Basic Edition program, if you prefer.) For this topic... Firm and Preparers Eectronic Fiing Bank Products You shoud know this... Basic information about your firm and the preparers who wi be using the ProSeries Basic Edition software Information about the person(s) who wi be the eectronic fiing contact(s) for your firm (if you re going to offer eectronic fiing to your cients) Your bank products registration information, incuding information about the bank account where your fees wi be deposited by Santa Barbara Bank & Trust (if you re going to offer bank products to your cients through Santa Barbara Bank & Trust) Getting your computer system ready We suggest that you review the foowing information before instaing ProSeries Basic Edition software. Internet connectivity Having an Internet connection is necessary to take advantage of ProSeries Basic Edition features such as onine deivery of tax products and tax product updates, product icensing, eectronic fiing software, bank products software, and the Web sites. 9

10 Important: The computer on which you wi insta ProSeries Basic Edition software must have a vaid Internet connection. Computer performance We strongy recommend that you do the foowing for each computer that wi run ProSeries Basic Edition software: Insta the atest updates for your operating system from Use virus-protection software to check for viruses on the hard drive, and use anti-spyware software to check for spyware on the hard drive. Make sure the atest software updates are instaed. Insta a firewa (software or hardware) to prevent unauthorized access to your computer from the Internet. Run the Scan Disk and Disk Defragmenter system toos to correct any errors on the hard drive and speed up access to the contents of the hard drive. (For more information, refer to Windows Hep.) Last year s TurboTax data fies If you want to move reevant data from ast year s TurboTax data fies to ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies, do the foowing: 1 Make sure you know the ocation of ast year s TurboTax data fies. 2 If you used ProSeries Basic Edition or ProSeries software to prepare ast year s returns, proceed to step 4. If you didn t use ProSeries Basic Edition or ProSeries software to prepare ast year s returns, ca ProSeries Basic Edition Customer Service at and request ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition Archive CD. 3 After you receive ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition Archive CD, insert the CD into the appropriate drive to start the ProSeries Basic Edition instaation procedure. Foow the instructions on the screen. In the Product Seections diaog box, be sure to seect the appropriate state products. 4 Start ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition (or ProSeries) program. 5 If a diaog box asks Woud you ike to transfer ast year s cient fies?, seect Yes. Otherwise, go to the Fie menu, seect Transfer, then seect Transfer Cients. 6 In Step 1 of the Transfer window, seect <ast year> TurboTax 1040 to <ast year> ProSeries Compete the remaining four steps in the Transfer window to create ProSeries cient fies. Note where those cient fies are ocated. 8 In ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition (or ProSeries) program, open each fie then save it. 10 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

11 9 After this year s ProSeries Basic Edition software has been instaed, start the ProSeries Basic Edition program if it doesn t start automaticay. When you see the diaog box that asks Woud you ike to transfer ast year s cient fies?, seect Yes. 10 In Step 1 of the Transfer window, seect <ast year> Form 1040 to <this year> Form Compete the remaining four steps in the Transfer window to create ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies for this tax year. Information about those cient fies wi appear in HomeBase. Converting ast year s data from non-intuit tax software data fies to this year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies If you want to move reevant data from ast year s non-intuit tax software data fies to this year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies, do the foowing: 1 Go to seect New User Program, then seect Data Conversion to earn about the data conversion services that are avaiabe. 2 Ca ProSeries Basic Edition Customer Service at and request the conversion packet that s right for you. 3 After you receive the conversion packet, foow the steps in the Conversion Checkist. 4 At the concusion of the conversion process, the converted data wi be in ast year s ProSeries cient fies that are stored in C:\YYconv, where YY represents that ast two digits of the tax year from which the data is converted. 5 After this year s ProSeries Basic Edition software has been instaed, start the ProSeries Basic Edition program if it doesn t start automaticay. When you see the diaog box that asks Woud you ike to transfer ast year s cient fies?, seect Yes. 6 In Step 1 of the Transfer window, seect <ast year> Form 1040 to <this year> Form In Step 2 of the Transfer window, seect C:\YYconv, where YY represents that ast two digits of the tax year from which the data is converted. 8 Compete the remaining steps in the Transfer window to create new ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies for the current tax year. Information about those cient fies wi appear in HomeBase. Know the ocation of ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies ProSeries Basic Edition software for this tax year can transfer reevant data from ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition (or ProSeries) cient fies into new ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies for the current tax year. If you have ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition (or ProSeries) cient fies, make sure you know the ocation of those cient fies especiay if ast year s cient fies are stored on externa storage media. 11

12 Tip: The defaut instaation ocation for ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fie directory was C:\BasWinYY\YYData (where YY represents the ast two digits of the tax year). The defaut instaation ocation for ast year s ProSeries cient fie directory was C:\ProWinYY\YYData (if a stand-aone instaation) or x:\proseries\pronetyy\yydata (if a network instaation) where x represent the drive where ast year s ProSeries shared network components were instaed, and YY represents the ast two digits of the tax year. Know the ocation of Quicken data fies If you use Quicken software, make sure you know where the reevant Quicken data fies are ocated. 12 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

13 Instaing ProSeries Basic Edition software You insta ProSeries Basic Edition software from a ProSeries Basic Edition CD (or via the Internet from ProSeries.com). Each ProSeries Basic Edition CD contains the atest version of the ProSeries Basic Edition federa (Form 1040) product and each ProSeries Basic Edition state product that s currenty avaiabe. When you run the ProSeries Basic Edition instaation program, seect each ProSeries Basic Edition state product that you expect to use for the tax year. Tip: The instaation program aways instas the ProSeries Basic Edition federa (Form 1040) product, so you don t need to seect it. The instaation program wi insta each state product that you seected, provided the tax product is on the ProSeries Basic Edition CD. The on-screen version of this ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide wi aso be instaed. Important: We strongy recommend that you insta ProSeries Basic Edition software when you receive the ProSeries Basic Edition CD so you can receive other products via the Internet as soon as possibe. For more information, see Keeping your ProSeries Basic Edition tax products up-to-date on page 35. Before you insta ProSeries Basic Edition, note the foowing important information: Reease Notes. Read the printed Reease Notes and any other materia that accompanied the ProSeries Basic Edition CD. THE RELEASE NOTES MAY CONTAIN, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ADDITIONAL LICENSING TERMS THAT GOVERN THE USE OF THE PROSERIES BASIC EDITION SOFTWARE AND RELATED SERVICES. Packing sip. The packing sip that accompanied the ProSeries Basic Edition CD contains your Customer Number and ZIP code, which is information that you wi need to provide for product icensing purposes. Instaing ProSeries Basic Edition software To insta ProSeries Basic Edition software: 1 Cose a open appications and turn off any virus-protection utiities on the computer. 2 If you re instaing from a ProSeries Basic Edition CD, insert the ProSeries Basic Edition CD into the appropriate drive. Don t remove the CD from the drive unti you finish instaing products. 13

14 If you re instaing from an.exe fie that you downoaded from ProSeries.com, start Windows Exporer, go to C:\Temp, then doube-cick the.exe fie. 3 In the ProSeries Setup Instaation diaog box, cick Insta ProSeries. If the ProSeries Basic Edition Instaation diaog box appears, go to Step 4. If you re instaing from a ProSeries Basic Edition CD and the ProSeries Basic Edition Instaation diaog box doesn t appear automaticay: a. Go to the Windows taskbar, cick Start, then seect Run. b. In the Run diaog box, type x:\cdsetup (where x represents the etter of the drive containing the ProSeries Basic Edition CD), then cick OK. c. In the ProSeries Setup Instaation diaog box, cick Insta ProSeries, then continue to Step 4. 4 In the Wecome diaog box, cick Next when you re ready to continue. 5 A System Warning diaog box appears if your computer doesn t meet the minimum system requirements for this year s ProSeries Basic Edition software. (For more information, see Computer system requirements on page 2.) If the System Warning diaog box appears, read the information, then do one of the foowing: Cick Cance to exit the instaation program, then correct the situation(s) identified in the System Warning diaog box. After your computer meets the minimum system requirements for this year s ProSeries Basic Edition software, go back to step 1 and start the instaation procedure again. Check the box indicating that you understand you may not receive technica support for issues that you may encounter whie using the ProSeries Basic Edition program, then cick Next to continue to Step 6. Important: We strongy recommend that you cick Cance and correct the situation(s) identified in the System Warning diaog box. For information about how system requirements can affect the operation of the ProSeries Basic Edition program, go to In the Software License Agreement diaog box, read the ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement to understand the scope of your rights to use ProSeries Basic Edition software. Seect I accept the terms of the icense agreement if you agree to accept a the terms of the ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement, then cick Next and continue to Step 7. Seect I do not accept the terms of the icense agreement if you don t agree to accept a the terms of the ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement, then cick Cance and exit the instaation program. 14 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

15 Important: If for any reason you find the terms of the ProSeries Basic Edition License Agreement unacceptabe, do not insta the software. Ca ProSeries Basic Edition Customer Service at for a refund instead. 7 In the Seect Destination Directory diaog box, do one of the foowing: Cick Next if you want to insta ProSeries Basic Edition software in a \BASWINyy directory on the drive that s shown in the diaog box. (That drive wi be C: or the drive on which ast year s ProSeries software was instaed. yy represents the ast two digits of the tax year.) Skip to Step 9. Cick Browse if you want to insta ProSeries Basic Edition software to a different drive or directory. Continue with Step 8. Cick here if you want to insta your ProSeries Basic Edition products on a drive other than the drive that s shown in the Destination Foder fied. See Step 8 for additiona instructions. 8 In the Seect Foder diaog box, take the foowing steps: a. Seect the drive where you want to insta ProSeries Basic Edition software. Note that ProSeries Basic Edition software cannot be instaed to a network drive for shared use. b. After seecting the drive, type the foder name \BasWinyy (where yy represents the ast two digits in the tax year) in the Foder name fied so that it appears after the drive you seected, then cick OK. BASWINyy directory. For best resuts, use BASWINyy as the name of the directory for this year s ProSeries Basic Edition software (where yy represents the ast two digits in the tax year). Be sure you insta the ProSeries Basic Edition software to a directory, not to the root of a drive. c. When prompted to create the directory in the ocation that you ve specified, cick Yes. d. When you return to the Seect Destination Directory diaog box, cick Next. Continue with Step 9. 9 In the Product Seections diaog box, seect the ProSeries Basic Edition state products that you expect to use for the tax year, then cick Next. 15

16 Tip: If you used ProSeries software for the previous tax year, the state products that were instaed ast year may aready be seected. Every ProSeries Basic Edition state tax product for is shown in this diaog box, incuding products that may not be avaiabe on the ProSeries Basic Edition Tax Reease 1 CD. If you ordered specific state products when you paced your order, be sure to seect those state products in this diaog box. If you seect any state products other than the products that you chose, they wi be instaed for pay-per-return use. For information about pay-per-return use, see Using ProSeries Basic Edition products on a pay-per-return basis on page 8. You can insta additiona products ater, as described in Keeping your ProSeries Basic Edition tax products up-to-date on page If any of the state products you seected aren t on the CD, you see the Instaation Note diaog box. Review the ist of products that wi be instaed ater (when they become avaiabe), then cick OK. 11 In the Instaation Detais diaog box, review a the information, incuding the Required Space and Avaiabe Space information, then cick Next. The instaation program instas a avaiabe ProSeries Basic Edition tax products that you seected. Continue with Step 12. Instaation Faied diaog box. If you see this diaog box, a product was not instaed propery. Cick Hep to find a possibe soution, then cick Exit to exit the instaation program. 12 Additiona components. Wait whie additiona components, such as any necessary fonts, Internet Cient software, the ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide, a search engine, a PDF print driver, and ProSeries Basic 16 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

17 Edition Product Licensing components are instaed. Diaog boxes and progress bars keep you informed. 13 Internet Exporer. If Microsoft Internet Exporer 6.0 or ater isn t instaed on your computer, the instaation program instas Internet Exporer 6.0 before continuing. ProSeries Basic Edition software requires portions of Internet Exporer 6.0 or ater to run propery. Important: If the instaation program instas Microsoft Internet Exporer, you are prompted to restart your computer. After the computer restarts, the instaation program wi finish the ProSeries Basic Edition instaation procedure. 14 Restart Windows message. Restart your computer if you are prompted to do so. Tip: If the instaation program doesn t resume after you restart the computer, start the ProSeries Basic Edition program by doube-cicking the ProSeries Basic Edition shortcut icon on your Windows desktop. The Connected Customer Wizard wi begin automaticay. Skip Step 15 through Step 18 and proceed to Setting up the ProSeries Basic Edition program on page 19 now. 15 Setup Compete. In the Setup Compete diaog box, cick Finish, then continue with Step 16. We recommend that you eave the check mark in the Launch ProSeries Basic Edition option. 16 If the Launch ProSeries Basic Edition option was seected: The Connected Customer Wizard begins automaticay. Proceed to Setting up the ProSeries Basic Edition program on page 19. If the Launch ProSeries Basic Edition option wasn t seected: You return to the ProSeries Basic Edition Instaation diaog box. Cick Exit to return to the Windows desktop. Continue with Step

18 17 After you return to the Windows desktop, start the ProSeries Basic Edition program by doube-cicking the ProSeries Basic Edition shortcut icon. The Connected Customer Wizard wi begin automaticay. 18 Continue with Setting up the ProSeries Basic Edition program on page 19. Troubeshooting suggestions If you have difficuty instaing or starting the ProSeries Basic Edition program, see the troubeshooting suggestions in the foowing tabe. If this occurs... A diaog box informs you there was an error during the instaation process A diaog box informs you that your computer doesn t have enough disk space The ProSeries Basic Edition program doesn t start when it shoud You sti are unabe to insta or start the ProSeries Basic Edition program You are unabe to resove the probem Do this Write down the error message, then restart the computer. 2. Go to the Start menu, point to Programs, then Accessories, then System Toos, and then cick ScanDisk. 3. After ScanDisk is compete, go to the Start menu, point to Programs, then Accessories, then System Toos, and then cick Disk Defragmenter. 4. After Disk Defragmenter is finished, run your virus-protection software. 5. Cean the ProSeries Basic Edition CD with a soft coth, then try to insta the ProSeries Basic Edition software again. 1. Go to the Start menu, point to Programs, then Accessories, then System Toos, and then cick Disk Ceanup. 2. Try to insta the ProSeries Basic Edition software again. 3. If there sti isn t enough disk space, remove unused programs or data from the hard drive. 1. Restart the computer. 2. Make sure no other appications are running. 3. Doube-cick the ProSeries Basic Edition icon on the desktop. Start your Internet browser, then go to to see additiona troubeshooting soutions. Ca ProSeries Basic Edition Technica Support by phone, e-mai, or chat. Refer to for contact information and hours of operation. To save time, gather as much information as possibe, incuding any error messages. 18 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

19 Setting up the ProSeries Basic Edition program The first time that you start the ProSeries Basic Edition program, the Connected Customer Wizard heps you set up the program if there s a vaid Internet connection. If the computer has a vaid Internet connection If the computer has a vaid Internet connection, the Connected Customer Wizard performs the foowing important tasks to save you time: Internet Connection. Connects via the Internet to an Intuit ProSeries Basic Edition server that contains customer information. Firm information. Retrieves the name and address of your firm from the Intuit ProSeries Basic Edition server. Product icensing. Licenses your ProSeries Basic Edition tax software to your firm, based on your Customer Number, ZIP code, and information in the customer database on the Intuit ProSeries Basic Edition server. Products with no usage imitations are icensed as Unimited. Products with a 50-return preparation imit are icensed as 50 Return Limit. Products with a 100-return eectronic fiing imit are icensed as 100 Return Limit. A other products are icensed as Pay-Per-Return. For more information, see Product icensing on page 31. Product updates. Checks for updates to the products that were instaed from the ProSeries Basic Edition CD, then downoads and appies the reevant updates, if any. New products. Checks for products that you seected for instaation that weren t instaed from the ProSeries Basic Edition CD, then downoads and instas those products, if any. Tip: If you need to edit information that the Connected Customer Wizard retrieves from the Intuit ProSeries Basic Edition server, you can do that ater in the ProSeries Basic Edition program. Proceed to Using the Connected Customer Wizard beow. If the computer doesn t have a vaid Internet connection If the computer doesn t have a vaid Internet connection, you see a diaog box that expains the benefits of being connected and asks whether you want to start the Internet Connection Setup Wizard. If you think you might be abe to estabish a vaid Internet connection, cick Yes to run the Internet Connection Setup Wizard. After you estabish a vaid Internet 19

20 connection and return to the Connected Customer Wizard, proceed to Using the Connected Customer Wizard beow. If you know you won t be abe to estabish a vaid Internet connection now, cick No to exit the Connected Customer Wizard. The ProSeries Basic Edition program wi start and the Options Setup Wizard wi begin. Proceed to Setting ProSeries Basic Edition options on page 22. Tip: To estabish a vaid Internet connection at a ater time, go to the ProSeries Basic Edition Hep menu and seect Internet Connection Setup. Important: Your computer must have an Internet connection so you can receive ProSeries Basic Edition products and product updates after you insta the software from a ProSeries Basic Edition Tax CD (or an.exe fie that you downoaded from ProSeries.com). Using the Connected Customer Wizard When the Connected Customer Wizard starts, go to: Step 1 if the computer has a dia-up Internet connection Step 2 if the computer has a non-dia-up Internet connection 1 If the computer has a dia-up Internet connection, you are prompted to connect to the Internet if the computer isn t currenty connected. After you connect to the Internet, continue with Step 2. 2 In the Connected Customer diaog box, cick Choose Products to Insta if you want to view the ProSeries Basic Edition products that you seected to insta, or if you want to seect additiona ProSeries Basic Edition products for instaation. Cick Next in the Connected Customer diaog box when you re ready to continue to Step 3. Cick here to review the state products that are seected for instaation or to seect additiona state products for instaation. Cick here when you re ready to continue. 3 The Customer Information diaog box opens so you can enter or verify your Customer Number and ZIP code. That information is printed in the Sod To: area in the upper-eft corner of your ProSeries Basic Edition packing sip. 20 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

21 The numbers you enter in these fieds shoud match the Customer Number and ZIP code that are printed in the Sod To: area of your packing sip. A different Customer Number and ZIP code might appear in the Ship To: area of your packing sip. 4 Cick Next after you enter your Customer Number and ZIP code. A Progress diaog box keeps you informed about what the Connected Customer Wizard is doing. The Connected Customer Wizard adds a check when it successfuy competes a task. If the wizard is unabe to compete a task, you see an X instead. 5 Cick Next after the Connected Customer Wizard finishes the setup tasks. 6 In the Verify Firm Information diaog box, review the information carefuy. This is the information that we have on fie for your firm (based on the Customer Number and ZIP code entered). The program prints this information on a returns prepared by your firm. Cick Yes if your firm information is correct. Cick No if you want to enter or edit your firm information. 7 Seect Yes or No, then cick Next. If you seected Yes, skip to Step 11. If you seected No, you see the Enter Firm Information diaog box. Continue with Step 8. 8 Enter or edit your firm s name and address, then cick Next. 21

22 9 If you make significant changes to your firm s name or address, the Connected Customer Wizard transmits the updated information to an Intuit server via the Internet, or you see a diaog box that instructs you to ca Customer Service to update your firm information in our records. Cick OK to continue. 10 Review the firm and product information in the Product Licenses diaog box. 11 If there are new products or product updates to downoad, wait whie the ProSeries Update program downoads and instas those new products and product updates. When the resuts of that process appear in the ProSeries Basic Edition Update diaog box, review the status of each product that you seected for instaation. Cick Detais to see more information. Cick Print to print the information. Cick Read the atest Critica Product Information to see the most recent ProSeries support newsetter in a browser window. When you re ready to continue, cick Cose. 12 When the Connected Customer Wizard finishes, the Prior Year Settings Transferred diaog box opens or the Options Setup Wizard begins so you can set up various ProSeries Basic Edition options. Proceed to Setting ProSeries Basic Edition options next. Setting ProSeries Basic Edition options The first time this year's ProSeries Basic Edition program starts, it transfers preferences and settings that you used with ast year s ProSeries program if it ocates the fie with that option information on your system. Of course, if you didn t use a ProSeries program ast year, this year s program won t be abe to ocate a fie with ast year s ProSeries preferences and settings. Not Transferred. If the program wasn t abe to transfer ast year s ProSeries preferences and settings, the Options Setup Wizard starts. Proceed to the next section, Using the Options Setup Wizard. 22 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

23 Transferred. If the program transferred ast year s ProSeries preferences and settings, the Prior Year Settings Transferred diaog box opens. If you see the Prior Year Settings Transferred diaog box, review the information, then cick OK. If eectronic fiing information was transferred, the Options Setup Wizard starts. Proceed to the next section, Using the Options Setup Wizard. If eectronic fiing information wasn t transferred, a diaog box asks Do you pan to offer Eectronic Fiing of returns/extensions as part of your tax preparation practice? If you answer Yes, the Options Setup Wizard starts. Continue with the next section, Using the Options Setup Wizard. If you answer No, the Options Setup Wizard doesn t start. Proceed to Transferring data from ast year s ProSeries cient fies on page 27. Using the Options Setup Wizard The Options Setup Wizard heps you set ProSeries Basic Edition options that you need to set before you compete returns. The wizard starts automaticay under the circumstances expained in the previous section. If you want to start the Options Setup Wizard ater, go to the Hep menu and seect Options Setup Wizard. When you finish with each Options Setup Wizard diaog box, cick Next. Most Options Setup Wizard diaog boxes are sef-expanatory. The foowing tabe briefy describes the Options Setup Wizard diaog boxes that you might see. Name of diaog box Firm/Preparer Information Fiing Cient Returns Eectronicay E-Fie Eectronic Signature PIN Check for EF Acknowedgments ProSeries Bank Products Software Comments See Entering firm and preparer information beow. Answer either: Yes, some returns may be fied eectronicay No, returns wi not be fied eectronicay If you see this diaog box, answer either: Yes, automaticay generate taxpayer PINs No, don t automaticay generate taxpayer PINs If you see this diaog box, seect the frequency (in days) that you want to be prompted to check for eectronic fiing acknowedgments. If you see this diaog box, answer either: Yes, ProSeries Bank Products may be offered No, ProSeries Bank Products wi not be offered 23

24 Name of diaog box Seect a Printer Print a Test Page Check for Product Updates Congratuations Comments If you have more than one printer, seect the printer that ProSeries Basic Edition wi use. Cick the Print Test Page button to print a test page with information incuding the name of the printer and printer driver. Seect the frequency (in days) that you want to be prompted to check for product updates. Cick Finish to exit the Options Setup Wizard. Entering firm and preparer information You enter information about your firm in the Firm/Preparer Information diaog box. If you competed the Connected Customer Wizard described in Using the Connected Customer Wizard, you see your firm s name and address in the gray area of the Firm Information section. Tip: If you don t see your firm s name and address, you retrieve that information from an Intuit Internet server ater, as expained in Product icensing on page 31. Enter other information about your firm in the fieds beow the gray area. If the firm wi be fiing returns eectronicay using the firm s Eectronic Fiing Identification Number (EFIN) instead of a preparer s EFIN, be sure to enter the firm s EFIN and an Efie contact name. During the product icensing procedure, your firm s name and address are retrieved from an Intuit Internet server, then entered here. Enter other information about your firm here. Enter preparer and ERO information in this section. To move to new fieds, press ENTER or TAB, or use your mouse. Enter information about the firm s preparers in the Preparer/Eectronic Return Originator (ERO) Information section of the diaog box. There s room to enter information for many preparers. If preparers wi be fiing returns eectronicay, enter Eectronic Return Originator (ERO) information in this section aso. If you enter an EFIN for a preparer, be sure to enter an Efie contact name aso. If the ProSeries Basic 24 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

25 Edition program transferred preparer information from ast year s program, edit that information as necessary. Tip: For information about any fied in the Firm/Preparer Information diaog box, right mouse cick the fied, then seect About <Fied> on the pop-up menu. This tabe expains some of the fieds in the Firm/Preparer Information diaog box: Fied Firm Name and Address Eectronic Fiing Identification Numbers and Efie Contact Names Preparer Code Expanation This must be the primary firm name and ocation used by you in the norma course of business (in other words, the firm name and address under which you market yoursef and your professiona services). This information prints in the Paid Preparer area on each tax return for which you are the paid preparer. You can t enter or edit your firm s name or address in the Options Setup Wizard. To edit information in the shaded area after you finish the Options Setup Wizard, go to the Toos menu, seect Options, seect Firm/ Preparer Info, cick the Edit button, then foow the on-screen instructions. To enter your firm s name and address after you finish the Options Setup Wizard, go to the Toos menu, seect License Products, seect Onine or Manua, then foow the on-screen instructions. If your firm has an Eectronic Fiing Identification Number (EFIN), enter the firm s EFIN and an Efie Contact Name in the Firm Information section. If a preparer has an Eectronic Fiing Identification Number (EFIN), enter the firm s EFIN and an Efie Contact Name in the Preparer/Eectronic Return Originator (ERO) Information section. Enter a code of up to three characters to identify the preparer. For exampe, enter the preparer's initias or a numeric code. Each Preparer Code must be unique. As a preparer prepares returns, he or she enters his or her code in the Preparer Code fied at the start of Part V-Return Preparer Information in the cient's Federa Information Worksheet to associate that return with that preparer. Tip: If you prepare a return for which you are not the paid preparer, and you want sef-prepared return or non-paid preparer to appear in the paid preparer section of appicabe forms instead of your company s firm name and address, seect the Sef-Prepared or Non-Paid Preparer box beow the Preparer Code fied at the start of Part V-Return Preparer Information in the cient's Federa Information Worksheet. 25

26 Fied Print name in signature area? Sef-empoyed? ERO Practitioner PIN Expanation Check this box to print the preparer's name on the Preparer's Signature ine of the tax return. The preparer can then write his or her signature on top of or next to his or her printed name. Seect this box if you want the program to check the Sef-Empoyed box in the Paid Preparer area of the tax returns. Checking the Sef-empoyed box does not repace the firm s name with the preparer's name, even if the preparer is sef-empoyed. The firm name aways prints on the returns that are prepared by the preparer. Enter any five digits (except a zeros) that the preparer chooses. The IRS requires that tax practitioners use PINs when e-fiing individua returns. Tip: To see detaied information about ProSeries Basic Edition options after you finish setting up the program, use the Search Hep feature on the Hep toobar or in the Hep Center. (For information about the Search Hep feature, see Getting information and hep on page 71.) To run the Options Setup Wizard whenever you want from within the ProSeries Basic Edition program, go to the Hep menu and seect Options Setup Wizard. Seecting the state products you want to icense In the Choose State Licenses diaog box, seect the state products that you want to icense for unimited use, then cick OK. You can seect up to two or four state products, depending on which ProSeries Basic Edition suite you purchased. If you prefer to wait, you can icense state products ater. State products that aren t icensed for unimited use can be used on a pay-per-return basis. 26 ProSeries Basic Edition Quick Reference Guide 2009

27 Transferring data from ast year s ProSeries cient fies The transfer procedure is a simpe way to start your cients ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies for this year using the reevant data stored in their ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies or ProSeries cient fies from ast year. Tip: If you used TurboTax or non-intuit tax software for the prior tax year, the data in ast year s data fies can be moved into this year s ProSeries cient fies. If you have TurboTax data fies from ast year, see Last year s TurboTax data fies on page 10. If you have non-intuit tax software data fies from ast year, see Converting ast year s data from non-intuit tax software data fies to this year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies on page 11. When you compete the Options Setup Wizard or seect OK in the Prior Year Settings Transferred diaog box the first time that you start the ProSeries Basic Edition program, you are asked if you want to transfer ast year s cient fies. If you have ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies or ProSeries cient fies, cick Yes to go to the Transfer window, then compete the five steps isted on the eft side of the Transfer window. Note the foowing: The choices for Step 1, Seect the type of fies to transfer are <ast year> Form 1040 to <this year> Form 1040 and <this year> TurboTax 1040 to <this year> ProSeries 1040 because you can transfer data from ast year s ProSeries cient fies or this year s TurboTax data fies. The most ikey entry for Step 2, Transfer data fies from is C:\BasWinYY\YYData (the defaut ocation for ast year s ProSeries Basic Edition cient fies, where YY represents the ast two digits of the tax year) or C:\ProWinYY\YYData (the defaut ocation for ast year s ProSeries cient fies, where YY represents the ast two digits of the tax year). 27