Approved Tax Preparation Software Providers for 2013
Franchise Electronic Submission and Franchise Printable Forms

Electronic Submission & Enhanced Error Reporting to Preparers

The Comptroller's office provided software providers an opportunity to add electronic submission and rapid error processing for 2013 reporting. The approved providers designed software to meet all current business rules and requirements.

If problems are encountered in processing your submission, an error message will be provided to your software provider. It is the responsibility of the tax preparer to monitor their submission through their software provider for any returned error messages.

How the Electronic Submission Feature Helps Preparers:

• A tax preparer now has the ability to electronically submit reports and payments in one transaction.
• Using the electronic submission option provides the preparer with enhanced error validations and rapid feedback from their software provider — not months later from their client.
• Now the preparer can track processing, and if necessary, resubmit rejected returns with corrected data.
• The new error validation option offers large combined groups line by line error identification on their affiliate schedule for return accuracy.

Tax Forms Software - Printing Requirements

• A 2D barcode should print in the lower portion of each form directly below the Texas Comptroller Official Use Only print. Contact your software provider if your forms fail to print a 2D barcode.
• For all original reports, version title 'TX2013' should print in the upper left corner on every form with the approved version number 'Ver. 4.X' printed directly below. See the approved version number created by the Comptroller’s office in the provider table on this page. If the approved version number printed on your forms does not match the version number listed on your software provider's row, contact your provider or download the provider’s latest software.
• Some providers’ software only supports report years 2010 - 2013. If you are preparing a report for 2008 or 2009, you should ensure your software provider supports those years.

Amended Returns Submission

Amended returns cannot be submitted electronically through your software. They must be submitted on printed forms. When filing an amended report using software from a 2013 approved provider, the vendor’s software will print the word AMENDED on each form. Otherwise, at the top of the report, the taxable entity must type or print the phrase “Amended Report.” The report should be forwarded with a letter of explanation and all enclosures necessary to support the amendment.

Comptroller Approval Process for Electronic Submission

The approval process for electronic submissions consists of successful transmission by a software provider or a single reporting entity through our Franchise Tax Web Service.

Comptroller Approval Process for Printable Forms Software

The approval process for printable forms generated by provider software consists of placement of the data on the forms, the form calculations and the values populated in the 2D barcode.