| Is there a way to import my information from an Excel spreadsheet? |
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Make sure your spreadsheet contains at most one line of column headings, no blank lines between the column headings and your first row of data, no totals at the end, and exactly one worksheet. Then, see the Import Mapping Utility on the Module menu. |
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| How do you import zip code extensions on 1099 forms? |
You need to import the zip code and zip code extension as a single field. For example, if you desire to import zip code 11234 and zip code extension 0012, you would import the single zip code 11234-0012 (or 112340012).
If you are using the Import Mapping Utility, there is an easy way to merge these fields.
Here's the procedure:
1. Click on the source field containing the zip code extension.
2. Drag the zip code extension and drop it onto the source field containing the zip code.
3. If you do this correctly, the zip code extension will be merged with the zip code and should now read zip code + zip code extension.
4. The zip code + zip code extension should now be mapped to the destination zip code field.
If successful, the destination field for the zip code should now read zip code + zip code extension, the results of the merge.
When importing, Account Ability automatically splits the field into distinct fields for zip and zip extension.
NOTE:
1. Merging the same source field twice will undo the merge, if necessary.
2. For details on merging source fields, click the Help button located at the bottom of the Import Mapping Utility and see the section on Merging Source Fields in the chapter entitled Your First Mapping. |
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| I created a text file that Notepad reads without a problem. Why does the Import Mapping Utility display garbage when opening the same file? |
Although Microsoft's Notepad opens text files encoded for UNICODE, UTF-8, UNICODE BIG-ENDIAN, and ANSI, the Import Mapping Utility demands an ANSI encoded source file.
In order to save your text file as ANSI encoded,
a) Open it in NOTEPAD
b) From Notepad's 'File' menu, select 'Save As...'
c) Select ANSI encoding from the 'Encoding' drop down list
d) Click the 'Save' button.
Try opening the source file again in the Import Mapping Utility. |
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| I used The Import Mapping Utility to import a W2 text file but State wages and withholding did not import. Why? |
You failed to map a state identifier to the appropriate state field. Mapping only state wages and withholding is not enough. You must map a state identifier (e.g. NY, NJ,...) to the 'State 1' field for State 1 wages and withholding, or, 'State 2' field for State 2 wages and withholding. After doing so, execute your mapping and try importing again.
TIP: If all wages and withholding are for a single state and you do not have a field for the state in your source file, you can override the 'State 1' or 'State 2' field by right-clicking on the appropriate destination field and specifying the value to be used for all employees. |
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| I used The Import Mapping Utility to import a W2 text file but Local wages and withholding did not import. Why? |
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Either you failed to map a locality name to the appropriate local field or you failed to map a state identifier (e.g. NY, NJ,...) to the appropriate state field. In order to import local wages and withholding, you must map a state identifier as well as a locality name. After mapping these fields, execute your mapping and try importing again. |
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| I entered many 1099-MISC recipients into Account Ability. Those same recipients also need to receive a 1099-INT. Is there an easy way to do this? |
First, export the 1099-MISC forms using the 'Export...' selection on the 'File' menu of form 1099-MISC.
Next, using the file created above as the 'Source' file, map the exported information to form 1099-INT using the 'Import Mapping Utility' (see the 'Module' menu).
The resultant file can be imported into form 1099-INT from the 'File -> Import -> ASCII Text File' selection of form 1099-INT. |
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| Why does The Import Mapping Utility display 'NOT ALLOCATED' on some records? |
The Import Mapping Utility assumes that each record of your source file contains the same number of fields. That is, the number of fields in the first record must equal the number of fields in each subsequent record. If a record is encountered in which the number of fields differs, Account Ability inserts a 'NOT ALLOCATED' field in order to maintain uniformity.
NOTE: Such discrepancies generally result from blank records or total records in the source file. One can easily rid their source file of these types of records using WordPad or any other text editor. |
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| Is it possible to import different client's 1099s from a single text file? |
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Yes. Account Ability's file schema allows for an optional 'Client ID' field that can be used as a filter when importing. The 'Client ID' field appears as the last field in the 'Destination View' of The Import Mapping Utility. |
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| Is there a way to roll forward information from two years ago? |
Information can only be rolled forward from one year to the next. So, you will need the prior year's version of Account Ability for the intermediate step.
There is, however, an alternative. Have Account Ability export your information from two years ago using the 'Export' selection on the 'File' menu. Then, with the aid of the Import Mapping Utility, you can map the exported data to the latest version. |
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| I mapped a comma separated value (CSV) file to a text file. Why do I get the message 'WARNING: Invalid taxpayer id: SS NUM' (which is the column heading in my CSV file) every time I try to import this text file? |
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You are attempting to import the column heading 'SS NUM' as a taxpayer id. The solution here is to SKIP the header prior to executing your mapping. This is accomplished by selecting Skip in the 'Header' group at the top of the Import Mapping Utility. |
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