TimeTrex Time and Attendance

First of all really love your software. I've searched left and right for years and nothing else comes close.

I've been using Timetrex for over 2 years now and have successfully used the eFile option to create the W2 to file to the US Federal agency and two state agencies. The pdf forms print out correctly and show the state information in box 15, 16, 17.

• Updated to newest version 12.6.3

• Windows 7 Version

• Automated installer

Nothing is sticking out to me on the error logs.

Are you using Payroll -> Tax Wizard to generate the eFile for the state specific W2 event?

No, I'm using the Reports (tab), Tax Reports (Icon), Form W2/W3.

I've successfully backedup and restored the software to a Ubuntu 20.04 with your default .deb instructions. It's showing version 12.6.4 and it is still doing the same thing.

I've traced it down to the _compileRS function. The function is being called with id values a-z but it's quitting immediately because efile_state is empty.

You must use the Tax Wizard to generate State W2 eFile's.

Additionally, you should be using the Tax Wizard for all government related reports, especially when you are attempting to do an eFile.

Okay, i'll attempt to use the Tax Wizard. FYI I've successfully used the Reports/Tax Reports the previous 2 years. We have other software that we must use to track all the events. Also, if we shouldn't use it there why is the efile option present in Reports?

Thanks for your help.

I was able to use the Tax Wizard to spit out the eFIle. Thank you!

solo8788 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:36 am Also, if we shouldn't use it there why is the efile option present in Reports?

The eFile you were using was just for Federal eFiling and it still works (though we still recommend that you use the Tax Wizard). The Tax Wizard provides more context to TimeTrex when generating government forms (ie: which state you are generated the eFile for, among many other things), so that is why its important to always use the Tax Wizard. It helps ensure that things are correct and that steps aren't missed.

Going forward the Tax Wizard will become more and more important, and likely be the only way to generate such tax reports.

shaunw wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 12:58 pm

solo8788 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:36 am Also, if we shouldn't use it there why is the efile option present in Reports?

The eFile you were using was just for Federal eFiling and it still works (though we still recommend that you use the Tax Wizard). The Tax Wizard provides more context to TimeTrex when generating government forms (ie: which state you are generated the eFile for, among many other things), so that is why its important to always use the Tax Wizard. It helps ensure that things are correct and that steps aren't missed.

Going forward the Tax Wizard will become more and more important, and likely be the only way to generate such tax reports.

Thank you this makes sense.

I might of spoke too soon. The tax wizard creates the eFile correctly with the RS entry when I use the default report attached to the event. If I specify a saved report it does not include the RS entry in the eFile. I'm going to keep testing the saved reports to see if I can find something it doesn't like.

The eFile only prints out the State Records (RS) if I leave it as -Default- . If I designate another saved report it does not print out any State Records (RS) .

My only reason for different W2 saved reports was to include/exclude employee's based on state. Since the Tax wizard does this based on Remittance Agency. Going forward I can now just use one W2 Default report with all my required mappings. So, this will not affect me.

Also, I changed my different W2 Tax Saved reports to be default and see if this affects the output of the Tax Wizard. It does not affect the Summary Report, W2 Form or eFile.

So, it looks like the Tax Wizard only works correctly if the RemittanceEvent uses the -Default- Saved report field.

solo8788 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:41 pm My only reason for different W2 saved reports was to include/exclude employee's based on state. Since the Tax wizard does this based on Remittance Agency. Going forward I can now just use one W2 Default report with all my required mappings. So, this will not affect me.

When you select a Saved Report for the event, you are overriding much of the settings that the Tax Wizard would normally use as you've now overridden them to whatever is in the saved report. This should never be required for W2 related reports.

If you have employees in different states, you should have separate Tax/Deduction records for each state income tax, which links to a separate Remittance Agency for each state, which in turn links to separate Remittance Agency Events. This will create two events in the Tax Wizard, one for each state and the W2 eFile will automatically include only the employees that apply to each. It also allows each state to have its state specific eFile settings that may be required in the Remittance Agency.

So you shouldn't ever need to worry about filtering employees for each state manually, its all handled automatically when TimeTrex is properly configured.

shaunw wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:45 am So you shouldn't ever need to worry about filtering employees for each state manually, its all handled automatically when TimeTrex is properly configured.

I agree and I will use this going forward. Previously this was required for me because I only knew about getting the eFile from the Reports tab.

shaunw wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:45 am When you select a Saved Report for the event, you are overriding much of the settings that the Tax Wizard would normally use as you've now overridden them to whatever is in the saved report. This should never be required for W2 related reports.

Thats the thing, it doesn't overide the Tax summary or W2 Form in the Tax Wizard. The Tax summary always shows all employees for the year (Not Correct for state summary) and the W2 Form only shows the ones for the state(Correct).
Also, the Form Setup (Optional) always pulls up the saved report that's designated as Default via the Reports tab, not the one that's selected in the Remittance Event.

But most importantly the Tax Wizard produces improperly formatted eFIle's that are missing the state records (RS) when you select anything other than -Default- saved report under the Remittance Event.
I just think this is not expected behavior and can be improved either in code or documentation of when it is proper to change from the -Default- saved report.



Once again thank you for such great software. I was able to successfully file my state W2's with only minor modifications required on the eFiles before submitting them to Remittance Agencies.

solo8788 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:58 pm Once again thank you for such great software. I was able to successfully file my state W2's with only minor modifications required on the eFiles before submitting them to Remittance Agencies.

Can you provide more details as to what manual modifications you needed to make?

Sure. we have 3 remittance agencies US Federal, Illinois and Wisconsin.

For all three files:

• I had to change the RE (Employer Record) "Employment Code" from R -> X

For Wisconsin:

• Our Company name on file with the state is different than our federal and Illinois state. Wisconsin rejects the file if the id number doesn't match the Company Name. I know your software pulls from the trade name in the legal entity, but I don't see anywhere else where I can specify a different name per Remittance Agency. So we have to change it manually to match what they have on record.

For Illinois:

• All changes where in State Total Record (RV)
• Number of RS Records - was showing 1, corrected it to running total of all RS entries in the file.
• Total State Taxable Wages - was showing the same amount as the last RS entry for Total State Taxable Wages -> corrected it to running total off all RS entries in the file.
• Total State Income Tax Withheld - was showing the same amount for the last RS entry Total State Income Tax Withheld -> corrected it to running total off all RS entries in the file.

Thanks for that information, its extremely helpful.

No problem. Once again, thanks for the software it is very flexible and well thought out.

Thanks for those kind words.

If you would like to help the project and other businesses like your own, please consider leaving a review on one of the many review sites:
https://www.timetrex.com/reviews#review-sites

Also, the link on upload file for Illinois should be updated to https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/programs/ ... nicw2.aspx . The myTax website that you link to does not accept electronic W2's they accept a csv file.

Thanks, we will get that updated.