SSA WAGE FILE UPLOAD

[Lee B]

Anyone who will be uploading client's W-2s to the SSA should revad the following document,

since the SSA has changed the process:

https://www.ssa.gov/employer/documents/WageFileUpload-Tutorial.pdf

[jklcpa]

Thanks, Lee.  I'm going to pin this topic through the end of January.

[ILLMAS]

why do they complicate things, this was such a simple process.

[Lee B]

It looks like they are trying to do more front end processing to reduce the number of errors which require manual intervention and letters to employers

[ILLMAS]

I can see businesses increase their fees.

[JohnH]

Looks like an invitation to send paper W3/W2 Copy A via Certified Mail with Return Receipt.  If SSA wants to complicate things, let them be responsible for working it out.

[Lee B]

Actually, my first impression is that it's a sincere attempt to improve the system.

[Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana]

I submit 95% of my W2's via Nelco, the vendor partnering with my Howell write-up software.   The handful that are not sent via Nelco generally have 1 or 2 employees, which I enter manually.  I do not plan to change to file upload (I'd tried accuwage previously without success).  For my practice, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' !!

 

[Abby Normal]

I submit 100% of my W2s to SSA using QuickBooks. State copies are mailed in because, fortunately, all my clients are under the limit that requires them to be uploaded. QB says you can create a file to upload to the state, but I've looked at it and it takes a lot longer than just mailing them in.

[Lee B]

I have been using Accuwage and uploading my W-2s  to the SSA for at least 15 years, first with ATX now with Medlin.

I did use Drake Accounting for 2 years in between ATX and Medlin.

Didn't really like Drake, I didn't find Drake Accounting to be very user friendly.

Never had any problems with Accuwage or uploading the W-2s thru BSO.

Oregon has required state W-2s to be efiled for a number of years now.

Medlin creates the files to be uploaded, works very smoothly.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

SSA is easy for efile.  It took them several years to get the file structure to a stable point, but it has been stable for several years.

The problems are when other agencies claim to use the SS format, but they really don't.  For instance, something as simple as carriage returns at the end of a line can cause issues if the programmer at the agency does not believe in following the SS format to a T.  So, one must use trial and error, even when the format is specified. Sometimes the state alterations to the file structure simply make no sense, unless it is to protect turf/budget.

[Catherine]

I use one of the online services (EFileMyForms) and they take care of all the e-filing nonsense.  Fortunately, I also don't have too many of these to do any more.  My business partner takes care of most of our businesses and I forget what he uses.

[Lee B]

After using BSO for many many years, the new system doesn't recognize me anymore.

Even after entering my Name, SSN and DOB, BSO won't even send me a temporary password.

I even got through on 1 800 after waiting about 20 minutes which was of no help.

I was told to paper file my client's W 2s.

I hope I never have another month like this again!

[ILLMAS]

1 hour ago, cbslee said:

After using BSO for many many years, the new system doesn't recognize me anymore.

Even after entering my Name, SSN and DOB, BSO won't even send me a temporary password.

I even got through on 1 800 after waiting about 20 minutes which was of no help.

I was told to paper file my client's W 2s.

I hope I never have another month like this again!

No way, I’m scared now, I haven’t logged in yet 

[Lee B]

It took me far less time to to the print and mail the W 2s to the SSA than the time I wasted trying log into the BSO.

Yea, I am totally done with all of my 4th Quarter and Year End  Payroll Stuff, both Federal and State!

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

1 minute ago, cbslee said:

It took me far less time to to the print and mail the W 2s to the SSA than the time I wasted trying log into the BSO.

Yea, I am totally done with all of my 4th Quarter and Year End  Payroll Stuff, both Federal and State!

Please don't rub it in! I still have 8 more clients left. Nebraska changed their unemployent website and it's been a PITA. They have extended the payment and filing deadline to 2/28 because of the headaches. 

[ILLMAS]

Today I uploaded 18 files in TXT format and it went pretty smooth, I give it a thumbs up.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

The upload process is done well, and "should" be an example for the other tax agencies.  More so that they have baked in the accuwage (testing) process, instead of making folks download a new app (and possibly java) each year.

The BSO and dealing with the likely case of forgetting the password you may not have used in a year, is another animal.

Printing and mailing, especially if your software is approved for self printing on blank paper, is a snap.,  Especially since paper copies are needed for employees, and the employer.  SSA will not be late in getting the forms scanned as they likely hold up personal returns processing waiting to try to match income.

[Catherine]

I was recognized but had to upload W2s by hand rather than in a text file. AccuWage kept finding "errors" in Medlin's files and I didn't want to chance it.  Fortunately I only had a handful to do - filling them out by hand, online, was faster than fighting their submission system. Not complaining about Medlin, either - most likely some oddball glitch.

[Lee B]

Interesting, I was able to upload my Oregon W 2s quickly and smoothly

I use Medlin also.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

27 minutes ago, Catherine said:

I was recognized but had to upload W2s by hand rather than in a text file. AccuWage kept finding "errors" in Medlin's files and I didn't want to chance it.  Fortunately I only had a handful to do - filling them out by hand, online, was faster than fighting their submission system. Not complaining about Medlin, either - most likely some oddball glitch.

The most common "error" is not an "error", it is a warning, that the submitter and the employer's EIN's are the same.  This is a warning only, and does not prevent submission.  The SSA defaults to the submitter not usually being the employer...

Next often is an incorrectly formatted piece of data, such as a phone number having anything other than the 10 numbers.

Other than those two items, anything else is usually a setup or data entry issue, and is usually only seen with first time efilers.

Personally, this is the first year I efiled W2 data, and both the signup with BSO, and the submission (with the warning about the matching EIN's) went smoothly.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

16 minutes ago, cbslee said:

Interesting, I was able to upload my Oregon W 2s quickly and smoothly

I use Medlin also.

OR is a relatively easy state (compliments to the staffers who manage it).  They are even enlightened enough to have a test submission process, which does not ever get mixed up with live data (calling out NY for an incident several years back...)

[Catherine]

@Medlin Software first error was indeed the phone number, which I fixed. Then it said something about too many characters on a line or something else.  Didn't want to muck with the file and maybe really mess it up, so I just did 'em manually.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

Just now, Catherine said:

@Medlin Software first error was indeed the phone number, which I fixed. Then it said something about too many characters on a line or something else.  Didn't want to muck with the file and maybe really mess it up, so I just did 'em manually.

Always makes me chuckle that the SSA programmers cannot strip out the non numerical characters.  It is a simple function in any programming language.  I would do it for you, but some of the other agencies which use the same file structure might allow the non numerics, and some customers like the non numerics for other reports.  Also makes me chuckle when other agencies claim to use the SSA format with no alterations, which is only true about 50% of the time.

For next year, send images of the error messages.  Likely not something you have to change more than once, such as some sort of invalid character in a field.

[Catherine]

8 minutes ago, Medlin Software said:

For next year, send images of the error messages. 

I still have the text file; maybe tomorrow I'll have a chance to log in and run AccuWage and grab a screenshot of the error for you.  I literally only have a couple of W2s and it took me a whopping five minutes to do them by hand.