Processing Year (PY) 2008 - What’s New in EMS!
The following are new features of the Electronic Management System (EMS) for the 2008 processing year:
NEW LOGIN BANNER
THIS U.S. GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IS FOR AUTHORIZED USE ONLY!
Use of this system constitutes consent to monitoring, interception, recording, reading, copying or capturing by authorized personnel of all activities. There is no right to privacy in this system. Unauthorized use of this system is prohibited and subject to criminal and civil penalties.
TRADING PARTNER RESET ACKNOWLEDGMENT OPTION
Beginning with PY 2008, transmitters will be able to reset all types of Acknowledgement Files by choosing menu option 8 from the EMS Main Menu. Transmitters must enter either the GTX Key or ACK File Reference Name.
Note: See the data communication section of the appropriate file specifications at irs.gov.
EMS/SRS CONSOLIDATION
The State Retrieval Subsystem will be consolidated into EMS. Two messages have been disabled.
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“State Return Menu is currently unavailable. Additional information may be
available on irs.gov and quickalerts.”
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“State Return Menu is busy. Wait at least 10 minutes, then retry.”
ETIN Cleanup
As a security measure, we will be deleting unused ETINs and passwords prior to participants testing in November, 2007. An analysis of our database indicates that many e-file participants initially selected the role of transmitter but chose to use a third party transmitter instead. If our records indicate that you have at least one form type that has been set to Production status since October 2005, then all ETINs on that same application will remain active. However, if no form on an application has been in Production status since October 2005 indicating at least 2 years of transmitter inactivity, then all ETINS on that same application will be deleted. You will not receive any notification if your ETIN is deleted. ETINs used specifically for software developer testing will be excluded from this clean-up and remain in active status. The cleanup process will be incremented annually, using October date for the ETIN cleanup.
NEW ENCRYPTION OPTIONS
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There will be three options for SSL 3.0/TLS 1.0
1. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit (Treasury recommends
#1)
2. Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDES) 168-bit (may affect
performance)
3. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) 128-bit (RC4) – current, but will phase out
in 2009/2010.
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Use terminal emulation software that supports the requirements outlined in
the file specifications for the returns you are transmitting.
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The IRS device will auto-negotiate the options between IRS and your terminal
emulation software
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Telnet/S will remain the same
PROCESSING CHANGES FOR 1040 FAMILY AND ELECTRONIC TAX DOCUMENTS (ETDS), 1041, 1065 Proprietary, and MeF.
Summary Record Error Messages for 1040, 1041, and ETD
The Record ID for the ETD Summary Record changed from “SUMbbb” to “SUMETD”. EMS will reject the transmission if the correct Summary Record is missing and will generate an error acknowledgement file.
1040 SS
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New Return
1040 SS - “U.S. Self-Employment Tax Return (Including the Additional Child Tax Credit for Bona Fide Resident of Puerto Rico)”
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Will use this ID also for 1040 PR returns - “Planilla para la Declaración de la Contribución Federal sobre el Trabajo por Cuenta Propia (Incluyendo el Crédito Tributario Adicional por Hijos para Residentes Bona Fide de Puerto Rico”
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One record layout to cover both
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See Publication 1346.
Proprietary Forms 1065
Beginning with Processing Year (PY) 2008, Forms 1065 proprietary format will be rejected by EMS. Forms 1065 must be filed through the Modernized E-file System (MeF) in XML. Transmitters to EMS will receive a communication error acknowledgment: “1065 proprietary files cannot be transmitted through EMS”.
MeF Returns
Beginning with PY 2008, MeF transmissions will be rejected by EMS. MeF Forms must be filed through the Modernized E-file System in XML. Transmitters to EMS will receive a communication error acknowledgment: “MeF files cannot be transmitted through EMS”.
State Returns
• For individual returns, the State Generic Record Increases to 2754 bytes
• ELF UNISYS will populate Field 0016 with “M” (= mis-match of ITIN/SSN)
• If W-2 has SSN AND If Tax Return has ITIN
State Mandate
• New State Mandates for e-file - January 2008
– Louisiana
– South Carolina
– Indiana
• Preparers who file 100 or more returns must e-file
• Contact states for specifics
Internet Filers
An additional URL, efileD will be added to EMS
efileA is used for Test returns that are processed at ECC-MTB
efileD is used for Production returns that are processed at ECC-MTB
efileB is used for Test returns that are processed at ECC-MEM
efileC is used for Production returns that are processed at ECC-MEM
GTX Key System Identifier
The values for the System Identifier (first letter) of the GTX Key will be expanded. Trading Partners use the GTX Key to identify the system that received their transmission and that will provide the transmission’s acknowledgment.
GTX Key
System Identifier |
New Description |
Effective Date |
D |
Test system at ECC-MEM |
11/05/07 - 01/06/08 |
E |
Test system at ECC-MTB |
11/05/07 - 01/06/08 |
T |
Production system at ECC-MEM |
11/05/07 - 12/28/07 |
U |
Production system at ECC-MTB |
11/05/07 - 01/06/08 |
EMS Passwords
Transmitters can log into the 2007 and 2008 systems with the same password because the password is synchronized between processing years.
Questions or problems should be directed to the e-Help Desk at 1-866-255-0654 (toll free), or e-mailed to help desk.
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